Mobile World Congress 2014 To Become World's Largest Certified Carbon Neutral Tradeshow

- GSMA Increases Environmental Commitment to Reducing Carbon Footprint, Pursues International Certification of Mobile World Congress as Carbon Neutral  

BARCELONA, Spain, Jan. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today announced that the 2014 Mobile World Congress will be the world's largest tradeshow certified to have a zero carbon footprint. The GSMA will certify Mobile World Congress as carbon neutral through the internationally recognised PAS 2060 standard; official certification will be awarded once the event is completed and official data on emissions can be obtained.

"For several years, the GSMA has had climate change initiatives underway at Mobile World Congress in order to reduce the impact of the event on the environment. These initiatives have focused heavily on reducing waste in printed materials, encouraging the re-use and recycling of materials at the venue, utilising digital signage and electronic tools and working with Fira Barcelona, exhibitors and local partners to minimise the carbon footprint of the event," said John Hoffman, CEO, GSMA Ltd. "This year, we have increased our environmental commitment by working to not only reduce the emissions of the event, but to go one step further and certify Mobile World Congress 2014 as carbon neutral."

The upcoming Mobile World Congress will generate approximately 150,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e); it is estimated that 14 per cent of carbon emissions related to Mobile World Congress are associated with the venue and operation of the event, while 86 per cent result from attendees travelling to the event. To achieve carbon neutrality, the GSMA will first undertake activities to reduce the carbon footprint and will then purchase carbon credits to offset any remaining emissions. Carbon credits purchased by the GSMA will fund several CER (Certified Emission Reductions) projects certified by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), including a hydropower project in China and a wind energy project in India, among others.

To achieve certification of Mobile World Congress as carbon neutral, the GSMA is undertaking the following steps:

• Work with an independent certified consultant to measure the total carbon footprint of the event, including all attendees, exhibitors and the GSMA's own carbon footprint under Publicly Available Specification 2050:2011 (PAS 2050:2011);
• Implement a carbon management plan to reduce the event's carbon footprint;
• Purchase carbon credits in order to offset the emissions that could not be avoided or lowered through reduction initiatives; and
• Obtain official certification under the international standard PAS 2060, verifying the process through an independent audit.

It is expected that the GSMA will finalise the process to achieve certification by June 2014.

"Once this process is complete, Mobile World Congress will be largest tradeshow in the world certified as carbon neutral under the PAS 2060 international standard," continued Hoffman. "More importantly, our pursuit of this certification underscores our focus on ensuring that our actions create value for our industry and preserve and protect the environment."

Get Involved at Mobile World Congress 2014
Mobile World Congress will be held 24-27 February at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona. For more information on the 2014 Mobile World Congress including how to attend, exhibit or sponsor, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com. Follow developments and updates on Mobile World Congress (#MWC14) on Twitter @GSMA or on Facebook www.facebook.com/mobileworldcongress.

The Mobile World Congress is the cornerstone of the Mobile World Capital, which will be hosted in Barcelona from 2013 to 2018. The Mobile World Capital encompasses programmes and activities that span the entire year and will benefit not only the citizens of Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, but also the worldwide mobile industry. For more information on the Mobile World Capital, visit www.mobileworldcapital.com.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators with 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.