The European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) has entered into a partnership with myclimate, a Swiss-based non-profit foundation that develops and supports projects all over the world that directly reduce greenhouse gases.
Zurich, 10 January 2011 – The alliance aims to assure that the specific humanitarian goals of each organization complement rather than conflict with each other. The 12th EFORT Annual Congress scheduled for 1 to 4 June, 2011 in Copenhagen will attract over 7,000 participants and visitors from around the world. “The partnership with the non-profit foundation myclimate will help partially offset the carbon emissions that inevitably results from mass travel to and from the event. Europe’s leading orthopaedists, traumatologists, researchers and related medical specialists meeting to exchange the latest ideas, developments and knowledge will be doing so in accord with the physician’s Hippocratic Oath as it might apply to the collateral environmental impact: “first, do no harm.”, says Pierre Hoffmeyer, Vice President EFORT
Direct and indirect support for offsetting environmental impact
As a direct step, EFORT is making a donation of one Swiss franc to myclimate for every registered Congress participant. These “carbon offset” funds will be invested in an EFORT-selected climate protection project in Uttarakhand, India, that produces biomass briquettes for efficient cookers. It is one of many myclimate projects internationally that contribute to an overall reduction in CO2 emissions by applying renewable energy technology, implementing energy efficiency measures and reducing methane emissions.
In addition, EFORT is offering each Congress participant free use of a bike during the entire Congress period. Every interested participant can thereby make a direct contribution to reducing CO2by biking between the hotel and the Congress venue. As a by-product, participants will be making a modest contribution to their own health!
Every little bit helps, so EFORT is also encouraging individual Congress participants to make a personal donation to offsetting their flight travel-related CO2emissions. By entering their travel routes to and from Copenhagen into a myclimate website calculator, participants can estimate the amount of Swiss francs needed to help offset the resulting carbon cost and thus contribute accordingly to myclimate projects. The foundation has assured EFORT that such project contributions will save the same amount of CO2as was generated by the passenger’s flight.
Even the small details of EFORT’s conference organisation try not to overlook the importance of good environmental citizenship. Copenhagen is among the world’s most environmentally conscious cities. Appropriately, therefore, EFORT and myclimate have put together a few useful exhibition-related suggestions for industry representatives at the conference. These could also be embedded as guidelines within companies, ‘own corporate environmental regulations. A long list of suggestions includes the use of recyclable or natural materials in producing promotional giveaways, packaging etc., energy efficient technology, public transport or car-pooling, sharing appliances and equipment with neighbouring exhibitors, hotel bookings close to the Congress venue and a number of other proven environmentally friendly measures.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate on myclimate patronage committee
“EFORT is proud to be associated with the dedicated people at myclimate” says Régine Brühweiler from the EFORT Head Office. They have just added Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus to the distinguished list of their organisation’s patronage committee. Prof. Yunus developed the concept of microcredit and micro finance for entrepreneurs who are too poor to qualify for loans at traditional banks, and founded the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh to fill that important gap. Dr. Claude Martin, former Director General of World Wildlife Fund International, has also just joined the committee.
“With the new myclimate partnership, the synergy that EFORT has traditionally valued in attracting diverse areas of expertise to its conferences takes on a broader scope. It is recognition that the goal of improving the health of our fellow citizens need not be pursued at the expense of improving the health of our climate,” Pierre Hoffmeyer concludes.
