WORLD URBAN FORUM III DEVELOPS GREENING INITIATIVE FOR EVENT

Vancouver B.C � UN-Habitat�s World Urban Forum III, (WUF3) being held in Vancouver from June 19th to 23rd, is leading by example. Event organizers have developed the WUF3 Greening Initiative to ensure that the event leaves as small an environmental footprint as possible. The WUF3 Greening Initiative ensures that the decisions related to the event are made according to sound principles of environmental, social and economic sustainability.

�The WUF3 Greening Initiative is about leading by example,� says Charles Kelly, Commissioner General of World Urban Forum. �This initiative is about encouraging all participants, suppliers and organizers to take an active role in ensuring responsible practices when it comes to waste minimization, pollution reduction and energy conservation. Sustainability is the main theme of WUF3 and we need to ensure that we are doing our part in putting on a sustainable event.�

Included in the Initiative is the WUF3 Climate Legacy designed to significantly offset the amount of greenhouse gases produced as a result of the conference through direct purchase and retirement of verified emission reduction credits. Emissions generated by transportation, accommodation and venue energy consumption are just a few that will be offset to ensure the ecological footprint of the event is minimized.

WUF3 organizers have also committed to outfitting volunteers in 100% organic cotton, and serving fairly traded, organic and locally produced food and beverages. Packaging will be biodegradable and recyclable wherever possible, and more than 75% of motor coaches used will be fuelled with B5 and B100 bio-diesel.

WUF3 is the third in a series of World Urban Forums. Its predecessor was the UN Conference on Human Settlements that took place in Vancouver in 1976, which in turn led to the creation of UN-HABITAT. This now biennial event was hosted in Nairobi in 2002 and Barcelona in 2004. WUF3 is expected to attract over 6,000 delegates and has been formatted to allow for maximum levels of dialogue between experts, government representatives and non-government organizations. These discussions will become action plans for one of the biggest challenges we face in the 21st century � the sustainable city.

World Urban Forum is being organized for the Government of Canada by The GLOBE Foundation of Canada and would like to thank the following for contributing to the WUF 3 Climate Legacy: The Fairmont Waterfront, The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, The Hyatt Regency Vancouver and The Inn at False Creek.