2021_04_AMI_Apr21

S U S TA I N A B L E D E S T I N AT I ON S

BARCELONA, SPAIN Having already achieved its Biosphere Certification and pioneered traffic superblocks to remove cars

C40 :Yes GDS Index : 17th Sustainability strategy : Barcelona’s Climate Plan 2018 – 2030

ONES TO WATCH

Sapporo, Japan Sapporo City is designated as one of Japan’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Future Cities. The Sapporo Convention Bureau (SCB) is currently working with Meet4Impact, a non-profit organisation helping destinations develop sustainability strategies.

from certain areas, Barcelona has now become the first European city, and second in the world, to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, an initiative to phase-out fossil fuels. The balance of environmental and community initiatives is fully weaved into the meetings and events structure too. “We cannot think of an event in Barcelona that does not embrace the principles of sustainability,” says Barcelona Tourism’s sustainable & accessible tourism director Josep Maria Gómez. “The principles of waste reduction, recycling and reuse are fully incorporated from the very conception of the meeting. Barcelona has included the concept of ‘legacy’ as something inseparable from events. Congresses and meetings must not only reduce their ecological footprint but also leave a better city with knowledge transfer and improved infrastructures.” One example is the Donation Room, developed in collaboration with Barcelona City Council, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat City Council and Fira de

Sapporo

Athens

Athens, Greece The Athens Development and Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) recently became a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and is working toward GSTC certification, training, and consultation with local stakeholders. It’s also creating a Sustainable Tourism Observatory that will collaborate with local universities and global partners.

Barcelona, which provides an outlet for materials, equipment and furniture left over from the annual Mobile World Congress (GSMA). Once the fair is

over and the surplus has been inventoried, non-profit organisations transport it to the warehouse where it is finally distributed to third sector organisations. The Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB) has two renewable energy sources: a 1 kW wind turbine and five solar panels of 0.25 kW each. The venue also uses carbon credits to balance its CO2 emissions. These credits are used for various environmental projects, contributing to improving the local environment and encourages planners to calculate the carbon footprint of the events.

Barcelona

22 APRIL 2021 AMIMAGAZINE.GLOBAL

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