The NCC Is Committed to Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions from All Aspects of Its Business

Background Information:

The National Capital Commission (NCC) is committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions from all aspects of its business and has made it a priority to render its signature events and programs carbon neutral (i.e. having a net zero carbon footprint).

Activities and national celebrations organized by the NCC draw hundreds of thousands of visitors from within and outside of Canada’s Capital Region each year and help to promote the region as a place where Canadians can meet, express themselves and celebrate what it is to be Canadian.

However, large events and festivals can be significant sources of carbon dioxide (CO2). These emissions are released from burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas, which are associated with electricity used during the events, as well as with generators, vehicle fleets, artist and visitor travel and accommodations, and event organizers’ activities.

The NCC will achieve carbon neutrality in two ways. First, it will work to reduce the carbon emissions of our current activities while taking careful consideration to retain the essential character of NCC events and programs which celebrate important cultural activities and values.

Second, it will develop strategies to offset the CO2 emissions that cannot be eliminated. This is required becausethere is no known way to have an event that produces no greenhouse gasses. However, there are strategies available to reduce an equivalent amount of CO2 in the atmosphere elsewhere so that the event has no net carbon footprint.

Broadly,there are three offset options available – tree planting, developing offset projects, and buying offset “carbon credits”

Tree planting: the NCC could plant trees on NCC land or could partner with other organizations that plant trees in the region.

Offset projects: the NCC could develop its own carbon offset projects – such as solar energy projects – or could buy our energy from renewable sources such as wind or hydro.

Buying carbon credits: the NCC could invest in programs that contribute money to projects that remove carbon from the atmosphere or replace emissions intensive activities with lower emissions activities. Such projects are varied and could include projects in the Capital or in Canada that prevent deforestation, projects that distribute solar ovens to communities that normally use fires to cook, projects that build new green technologies and the like.