22.11.2019, Marseille: Workshop (6.O) “Greening the European Public Health (EPH) conferences, and beyond”, incl. “Towards quantifying CO2 emissions from EPH conference travel”

12th European Public Health Conference: Building bridges for solidarity and public health. – Marseille Chanot, Palais des Congrès et des Expositions

Workshop organized by: EUPHA, EUPHA (HIA), EUPHA (ENV); Chair persons: Rainer Fehr – Germany, Peter van den Hazel – EUPHA (ENV) [19-09]

Abstract: European Journal of Public Health, Volume 29, Issue Supplement_4, November 2019, Published: 13 November 2019, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.479

Key messages:

• For reasons of responsibility and credibility, professional associations need to care about their ecological footprint; EUPHA created a ‘‘Green Club’’ and explores practical measures for ‘‘greening’’
• Both resource consumption and emissions from EPH conferences are considerable, calling for intensified action, e.g. provision of evidence, awareness-building, and promotion of eco-friendly options.

Workshop introduction: Slides

Presentation 1: Greening the European Public Health conferences – The Green Club; J Mamo, Department of Public Health, University of Malta, Msida, Malta. Abstract: European Journal of Public Health, Volume 29, Issue Supplement_4, November 2019, Published: 13 November 2019, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.480 – Slides

Presentation 2: Using the WHO EURO checklist for healthy and sustainable meetings; D Zeegers Paget, EUPHA, Utrecht, Netherlands. Abstract: European Journal of Public Health, Volume 29, Issue Supplement_4, November 2019, Published: 13 November 2019, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.481

Presentation 3: Towards quantifying CO2 emissions from EPH conference travel; R Fehr 1, D Zeegers Paget 2, OCL Mekel 3, N Bos 4 [19-09a]; 1 Public Health Department, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany; 2 EUPHA, Utrecht, Netherlands; 3 Health Data and Assessments, Campus Development, NRW Centre for Health (LZG.NRW), Bochum, Germany; 4 University of Wageningen, Wageningen, Netherlands. Abstract: European Journal of Public Health, Volume 29, Issue Supplement_4, November 2019, Published: 13 November 2019, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.482 – Slides

From the abstract (presentation 3): Goal: To estimate the amount of CO2 emissions associated with EPH conference air travel, for fostering awareness among EPH conference attendees. Method: Based on EPH attendees’ empirical distribution of countries of origin for the 2017 Stockholm and 2018 Ljubljana EPH conference, rough estimates of travel distances, CO2 emissions, and potential carbon offset costs were produced … Results: … the conference air travel was estimated to emit 650-930 tons CO2, with the cost for set-off being roughly € 20.000. In a typical case, the conference air travel CO2 emission of a person (foreign to the conference country) was estimated as being 580 kg. For comparison: to bring climate change to a halt, the total annual emission per person needs to be below 600 kg. Discussion: While estimates should be improved, a major task lies in promoting CO2 emission reduction and mitigation.