CO2 compensation project with the German Young Greens

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CO2 compensationproject with the German Young
Greens

• LAC project presentation
• Stephanie Wischner
• Sarah Kloke

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Outline

• I. Introduction
• II. Calculation CO2 footprint
• III. Ideas for decarbonising the general meetings
• IV. Calculating the number of trees
• V. Financial concept Cooperation partner
• VI. Promotion and awareness raising
• VII. Carrying out the tree planting project
• VIII. Conclusion

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I. Introduction
Initial question how can we achieve max.
impact without financial resources and limited
(wo-)man power? ? Focus on GHG emissions caused
by the transportation needs of 400 young people
who join the general meetings twice a year

Our role Calculating the CO2-footprint of general
meetings of the German Young Greens. Supervision
of the CO2 compensation project.
Replication by others
German Young Greens
German Young Greens Application. Either new
contract with Deutsche Bahn or tree planting
project with financial support of the
participants.
Replication by others Mobilise local groups to
carry out their own tree planting project.
Our activities
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II. Calculation CO2 footprint

• As half of the normal-prize travel expenditures
  for train journeys are covered, most of the
  participants use regional and high-speed trains
  of the Deutsche Bahn (DB) to go to the congress
• German electricity mix 77 coal, gas and nuclear
  power ? 22 renewable energies ? travelling by
  train has negative impacts as well!

N2O
CO2
CH4
Source www.bahn.de

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II. Calculation CO2 footprint

• UmweltMobilCheck Deutsche Bahn - calculates CO2
  emissions per person and train journey
• CO2 footprint is closely linked to different
  factors example 1 person Berlin -
  Gelsenkirchen (440 km linear distance)

Car middle class diesel 1 person
Average load factor
Car luxury segement gas 1 person
Max. load factor

Source www.bahn.de
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II. Calculation CO2 footprint

• Took all data from travel expenditure forms
  handed in after last general meeting in October
  2012
• Number of journeys from destinations x
  CO2/journey
• Surprising result
• 9.5 tons
• of CO2

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III. Ideas for decarbonising the general meetings
A. Agreement with the DB
For bigger clients the DB offers an event ticket DB buys electricity quotas generated by renewable energy Positive sustainability of project design, zero CO2 emissions also for coming general meetings Negative Awareness raising
B. Tree planting project
CO2 compensation project with participants at the general meeting 22nd-24th of March in Leipzig Positive Awareness raising, inclusiveness Negative Probably done only once because high effort to organise tree planting

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III. Ideas for decarbonising the general meetings
A. Agreement with the DB
For bigger clients the DB offers an event ticket DB buys electricity quotas generated by renewable energy Positive sustainability of project design, zero CO2 emissions also for coming general meetings Negative Awareness raising
B. Tree planting project
CO2 compensation project with participants at the general meeting 22nd-24th of March in Leipzig Positive Awareness raising, inclusiveness Negative Probably done only once because high effort to organise tree planting
Offer by DB not economically attractive ? switch
to plan B

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IV. Calculating the number of trees

• Why apple trees?
• easier to find partner who will take care of the
  trees after the end of the LAC project
• extensive grasslandorchard management system
  have many positive externalities (biodiversity)
• Assumption each apple tree absorbs 300 kg of CO2
  over life time
• For compensating 9.5 tons of CO2 ? 32 apple trees
  needed (!)

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V. Financial concept Cooperation partner

• Challenge Finding a suitable planting area in
  Dresden
• Grasslandorchard managed by Grüne Liga
  envrionmental NGO

9,5 t CO2
-2,5 t CO2

• Financial calculation
• 1 Euro/participant
• ca. 320 Euro
• 1 tree 40 Euro
• 8 trees
• 2,5 t CO2

-7 t CO2

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VI. Promotion and awareness raising

• Preparing posters for the general meeting

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VI. Promotion and awareness raising

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VI. Promotion and awareness raising

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VI. Promotion and awareness raising
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VII. Carrying out the tree planting project

• Find a suitable planting area in Berlin
• Naturschutzbund Malchow
• Communication to the local group in Berlin of the
  Young Greens
• E-Mail
• Mouth-by-mouth promotion
• Collection of 200 Euros enough for five trees ?
  1.5 tons of CO2

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VII. Carrying out the tree planting project
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Communication of the project afterwards

• Registration of our project on the website
• www.iplantatree.org

• Article in Spunk internal magazine of the Young
  Greens

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VIII. Conclusion
Could not reach our initial goal ? compensate all
emissions from transportation BUT Awareness
raising successful positive feedback from
participants

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Questions? Comments? Remarks?

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Sources

• Knörr, Wolfram (2011) Wissenschaftlicher
  Grundlagenbericht. Online available
  http//www.ifeu.org
• Strasdas, Wolfgang/ Gössling, Stefan/ Dickhut,
  Heike (2010) Treibhausgas-Kompensationsanbieter
  in Deutschland. Online available
  http//www.hnee.de
• UmweltMobilCheck www.bahn.de
• NGOs
• http//www.grueneliga-dresden.de/
• http//www.naturschutzstation-malchow.de/
• Pictures
• http//openclipart.org
• www.gruene-jugend.de
• www.bahn.de
• www.iplantatree.org