Search Khaleej Dailies

Monday, September 27, 2010

USA Pavilion at Shanghai Expo Fulfills Pledge to be Carbon Neutral with Alcoa Foundation Support

GHG emissions during entire event have been offset by carbon credit purchase that brings benefit to Chinese communities
 
Shanghai, Monday, September 27th 2010 [ME NewsWire]:
The USA Pavilion and Alcoa Foundation jointly announced today that the Pavilion has reached carbon equilibrium covering the entire six-month duration of the Shanghai Expo, including the production of key building materials used in the Pavilion. A total of 8,250 tons of carbon offset credits were purchased from three selected Gold Standard-certified projects in China to offset the Pavilion's carbon footprint.

As the first national pavilion committed to be carbon neutral during the entire six months, the USA Pavilion fulfills a pledge to be a green pavilion, a commitment U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made on May 22 during her visit to the Expo.

Alcoa Foundation has partnered with the Pavilion on its environmental sustainability strategy to be carbon-neutral throughout the event. ICF International, a leading US climate change, energy and environment consultancy, was designated to conduct an independent, thorough, verifiable carbon footprint study to quantify GHG emissions.

The footprint calculation results cover both the GHG emissions for the six-month duration of the Expo and the production of key building materials, including aluminum, steel, cement, glass, used in the Pavilion. The footprint will be offset through purchasing 8,250 carbon credits from three sustainable development projects in China that all registered according to the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) and to the Gold Standard.

Today the USA Pavilion signed carbon credit purchase contracts at a press briefing with the three Chinese projects, namely Jiangsu landfill gas to energy conversion project, Gansu micro-scale “run of river” hydroelectric power generation project and Gansu wind farm project.

“I am proud the USA Pavilion will be supporting the Expo’s theme, ‘Better City, Better Life’, through the purchase of credits from carbon offset projects in China which fulfills our commitment to be carbon neutral for the six-month duration of Expo 2010 Shanghai, said Ambassador José H. Villarreal, U.S. Commissioner General, Expo 2010 Shanghai.

“The USA Pavilion is pleased to put into action our message of sustainability and healthy community-building by supporting three Gold Standard-certified projects across China to offset our carbon footprint. I would like to thank Alcoa Foundation for its generous contribution in helping the USA Pavilion be the best possible Expo citizen and become the first national pavilion to commit to carbon neutrality at Expo 2010 Shanghai.”

Funding the carbon footprint study is one example of Alcoa Foundation’s commitment to promoting environmental sustainability in China. Earlier this summer, Alcoa and World Resources Institute, together with Jiao Tong University, announced an initiative to evaluate industrial energy efficiency projects and connect them to sources of external financing in the Shanghai area. Alcoa Foundation also continues its partnership with The Nature Conservancy, together supporting the establishment of Pudatso National Park, the first national park in China, and other parks programs. In addition, Alcoa has worked with other nonprofit organizations and universities to support aluminum recycling programs for teachers and students throughout China and advance environmental sustainability.

Jinya Chen, President, Alcoa Asia and Pacific Region, said, “At Alcoa, we believe our sustainability endeavors make us a more competitive company, which in turn, makes us a company of choice for governments, stakeholders and communities. The USA Pavilion’s sustainability initiatives, with the support of Alcoa Foundation, will result in positive environmental and community-building benefits for China and serve as a model for other events and organizations around the world.”

Apart from the carbon footprint calculation and neutralization approaches, the USA Pavilion has also adopted comprehensive measures to minimize energy consumption and GHG emissions. Many of America's leading companies helped build the Pavilion and their cutting-edge technologies that hold the promise of unlocking a more sustainable and prosperous future are woven into the building itself. From the photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into electricity and help power the Pavilion, to the solar water heater, the rooftop garden and the recycled bamboo flooring, the USA Pavilion is a model of both innovation and environmental responsibility.

At over 60,000 square feet (6,000 square meters), the USA Pavilion is one of the largest national pavilions at the Expo. With the theme of “Rising to the Challenge,” the United States presence showcases American culture, values, innovation, and business, in one of China’s most dynamic cities, while celebrating the friendship and cooperation between the United States, China, and the rest of the world.

About Alcoa Foundation

Alcoa Foundation is a nonprofit U.S. corporate foundation with assets of approximately US$425 million. In addition to addressing locally identified needs in communities where Alcoa operates, Alcoa Foundation is focused on unlocking solutions to critical environmental sustainability challenges, including global climate change. Alcoa Foundation has been a long-term partner in Alcoa communities worldwide for more than fifty years, investing over US$515 million since 1952. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com/foundation.

About ICF International

ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI) partners with government and commercial clients to deliver professional services and technology solutions in the energy and climate change; environment and infrastructure; health, human services, and social programs; and homeland security and defense markets. The firm combines passion for its work with industry expertise and innovative analytics to produce compelling results throughout the entire program life cycle, from research and analysis and design through implementation and improvement. Since 1969, ICF has been serving government at all levels, major corporations, and multilateral institutions. More than 3,500 employees serve these clients worldwide.

USA Pavillon Official Web site:
www.usapavilion2010.com.

USA Pavillon Photo Stream:
http://flickr.com/photos/usapavilion
For media enquiries, please contact:
Shanghai Expo contact:
Ruder Finn Public Relations, Shanghai
Mr. Francis Xu
Tel: +86 21 5383 1188 ext. 621
Email:
xuf@RuderFinnAsia.com
Alcoa contact:
Alcoa China
Ms. Shauna Huang
Tel: +86 10 59215006
Mobile: 13701165791
E-mail:
Shauna.Huang@alcoa.com

3 comments:


  1. Biography
    I'm a high-energy 70-year-old who loves to write. Back when I was a kid growing up in the Deep South, we used to sit under grandmother's dining room table, sharing ghost stories after dinner. That got me hooked on storytelling. As a Presbyterian Minister and community building consultant, my work brings me in contact with community leaders who are mobilizing others to make a positive difference in so many communities around the United States and the world. Building Communities of Hope highlights some of these incredible people and amazing communities. People who are community builders build upon community assets, bring others to the table and create networks of compassion.Organizations that serve communities, like healthcare systems and schools, can be anchors in communities. At my age, I'm finding it increasingly important to support people and organizations that overcome obstacles to create long-lasting positive change. We can overcome challenges, inequities, and disasters when we mobilize for collective impact. It's a wild and wonderful ride!
    community building

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tell us about your book. How did it all start?
    I love reading all kinds of books, both fiction and nonfiction. Some of my favorite

    authors are Enid Blyton, Aaron Blabey, Daisy Meadows and Meika Hashimoto. I’m inspired

    by these authors and I’ve always dreamed of writing and illustrating my own books. The

    idea came to me while I was doing my literacy assignment during virtual learning; that

    was how I wrote my first story!
    extension of time

    ReplyDelete
  3. Are you cuckold singles looking for like minded cuckold couples for making your cuckold

    dating fantasy? Let a husband watches both of you and his wife doing sex, you are so

    interested in satisfying the hot wife, however, you should sign up on a right cuckold

    dating site before that. Fortunately we have written the authoritative reviews of top 6

    cuckold dating sites for cuckold singles. These cuckold websites cater to the needs of

    cuckold singles who wish to spice things up with a cuckold couple. Now try to view the

    reviews of these sites and we trust you can get what you want.
    Earned Value Formula

    ReplyDelete