Isramart : Arabia CSR Network holds workshop on carbon emissions offsetting and trading

Isramart news:
The Arabia CSR Network held its first workshop of 2010 on 18 February in the Center of Excellence, DIFC. While the Arabia CSR Network itself was launched at the Arabia CSR Awards ceremony on 26 October 2009, the Network's predecessor, the EEG CSR Network, has had a long track record in advancing Corporate Social Responsibility in the UAE and Gulf region through workshops, seminars and CSR training sessions.
This first workshop under the Arabia CSR Network banner focused on the much debated issue of Carbon Emissions Offsetting and Trading, and brought together an impressive line up of international, regional and local experts on the subject. With the central question of the day being whether Carbon Emissions Offsetting and Trading is a failure or represents the future, both advocates and sceptics were heard.

Closely affiliated with the UN Global Compact, the Arabia CSR Network linked this first workshop to the UN Global Compact Principle on the Environment. Mr. Hans Bolscher, Special Advisor for Climate and Energy Issues to the Ministry of Environment in The Netherlands, presented an international viewpoint and shared his many experiences gained in the European climate negotiations.

He stated that while the solutions to reducing one's carbon footprint are relatively easy, their implementation has proven to be very difficult. Mr. Bolscher highlighted subsidies, taxes, cap and trade mechanisms and voluntary compliance as viable solutions for implementation, but stated that the most important mechanism is compliance by law.

Other Presenters came from global and regional players such as Deloitte's Mr. Nick Main,Global Partner Climate Change and Sustainability Services, who provided the audience with insights into Emissions Offsetting and Trading practices from a corporate point of view. He also shared his experiences of the COP15 with the audience.

Mr. Philip Moss, Emissions Trading and Finance Manager of Masdar, contributed a regional point of view, tackling the question of whether the current trading and offsetting schemes are applicable to the Gulf region. He forecasted that Masdar will invest in a number of areas that have great potential for the region, including Fuel Switching, Gas leak reduction systems, Gas flare reduction systems and Methane analysis. More specifically, Mr. Moss outlined biomass, fossil fuel, methane and landfill projects to be in the pipeline for Masdar, with an aim to drastically reduce the carbon footprint of the UAE.

He outlined a number of challenges that will have to be overcome in order to achieve viable, long-term succes, and highlighted that "Many developers and organizations in the GCC are nervous about implementing changes into their infrastructures."

In his capacity as representative of Bellona, Norway's largest environmental NGO and as a former advisor to the UN, Mr. Svend Soyland provided attendees with a Civil Society viewpoint of the current Offsetting and Trading Schemes.Case studies were presented by Deutsche Bank and Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA). Speaking on behalf of DEWA, Mr. Bert Kleinveld, Director 'Special Projects' reiterated the ambitious mission of DEWA, to reduduce GHG emissions and to make Dubai the lowest carbon economy in the region. To advance this goal, DEWA, through its newly launched Dubai Center of Carbon Excellence wil actively advance this goal. Mr. Kleinveld laid out the main focus of of the center and highlightesd its 'Clean Tech Fund' which will focus on clean technologies and and will promote 'Clean Power, Clean Transport, Energy Efficiency, Waste Recovery, Water treatment, and replacement refrigerants.'

Providing participants with an international, regional and local overview, as well as with insights from the corporate, government and civil society sector, the full day workshop offered a well rounded programme, in which the issues were debated from all angles.

Attended by top level executives, finance and CSR specialists, environmental experts and other interested parties, the workshop explored whether Carbon Emissions Offsetting and Trading schemes are indeed a solid global solution in the fight against Climate Change, or merely a convenient white-washing method for rich and powerful organizations that smaller companies cannot keep up with. This highly relevant topic, that was the source of heated and often frustrating debate during the Copenhagen Climate Conference in December 2009, also brought out critical and intense debate during the recent workshop, which was exactly what the organizers had intended. Mrs. Al Marashi, President of the Arabia CSR Network stated in her welcome remarks that 'It is high time for an open and critical debate on this subject' and invited all stakeholders to take active part in it.

In addition to hearing from speakers and being presented with several case studies, participants engaged with presenters in two panel discussions, led by Arabia CSR Network (CSR) advisor Hope Sherwin.

Participants in the workshop, which lasted from 9.00AM to 3.00PM were treated to five star culinary treats, including an extensive lunch, courtesy of the Arabia CSR Network's supporting partner Jumeirah Group. Support was also received from the DIFC, Centre for Excellence who graciously hosted the event as well as Deloitte, who provided generous logistical and financial support for the workshop.