We have continually been told, and have told others in our Climate Change campaign that the world had to adapt to prepare for significant changes ahead, and also to reduce greenhouse gases, to seriously address the issue of carbon emissions arising from our travel.
Mindful that that the only real solution to climate change is for fossil-fuel burning to be ended; and that carbon neutral and carbon offset programmes are not sufficient to accomplish this task.
Mindful, too, that many of the representatives from the Member Parties of the European Green Party travel considerable distances for Council meetings, Congresses, and Committee Meetings and that they also travel distances to regional and national meetings within their own Party.
Aware that attendance at regional, national, European or Global Green meetings demand that our Members may have to use carbon emitting means of transportation which contributes to the speed of climate change.
For instance, Carbon Emission Calculator results for air travel from Dublin Ireland to Geneva results in .36 tonnes of CO2; travel from Berlin to Geneva produces .26 tonnes of CO2; travel from Rome to Geneva produces .21 tonnes and travel from Sweden to Geneva produces .47 tonnes of CO2.
http://www.co2balance.com/home.php ;
It is essential that we set the example by selecting an ethical choice in carbon offsets for our travel.
Mindful of the concept of additionality -the word used when carbon offsets are additional, that is, that the compensatory activity would not have occurred without the contribution’s specific funding, careful consideration of the appropriate means of setting the example is called for.
Motion:
Resolved: that the EGP Committee shall conduct research to determine the means whereby CO2 emission incurred by EGP travel is offset. They shall instigate a policy of carbon offset for all travel incurred by the EGP, and shall proactively encourage all Member Parties to follow this example at all levels.
