ISPAH 2024 Carbon Footprint
In 2024, ISPAH worked with ClimatePartner to calculate both its corporate carbon footprint and the carbon footprint of the 2024 ISPAH Congress in Paris. This work was undertaken to provide a clearer understanding of ISPAH’s environmental impact, highlight where emissions occur, and establish a foundation for future climate action.
The Event Carbon Footprint reflects emissions generated through the planning and delivery of the 2024 congress in Paris. Wherever possible, primary data were used, including delegate registration information, on-site surveys and details provided by the venue. Where primary data were unavailable, secondary data from credible sources were applied.
The total carbon emissions associated with ISPAH in 2024 were 2,893.61 tCO₂. Of this, the emissions from the ISPAH Congress in Paris totalled 2,891.48 tCO₂. As expected for an international congress, delegate travel was by far the largest contributor, accounting for 95.6% of total event emissions. Accommodation contributed 4%, while other sources, such as food and drink, electricity, cooling, and waste, represented only a small fraction of the overall carbon footprint. The total carbon emissions associated with ISPAH’s day-to-day operations in 2024 were estimated at 2.13tCO₂. These emissions stemmed from home working, commuting, and external data centre use.
Emissions Mitigation in Paris
Alongside measuring emissions, ISPAH implemented several practical steps to reduce environmental impact during the Paris Congress. These included minimising carpet use to reduce material waste, providing water refill stations to avoid single-use plastic bottles, and replacing most printed materials with digital programs and signage. The congress was supported by a carbon-neutral IT platform, and delegates were encouraged to use public transport, active travel, and shared transport options wherever possible. While such measures cannot eliminate emissions associated with international travel, they help to reduce the overall environmental impact of the event.
Offsetting and Future Commitments
ISPAH recognises that many emissions associated with international congresses are currently unavoidable. To acknowledge this impact, ISPAH has committed to allocating 5% of congress profits to support carbon offsetting projects. For the 2024 ISPAH congress in Paris, this resulted in 144.19tCO2e being offset through the Eritrea Clean Drinking Water project. Eritrea faces significant climate challenges, including drought, flooding, desertification and land degradation, leaving many rural communities without reliable access to safe drinking water. The project helps identify and repair broken, community-owned boreholes in high-poverty Zoba Maekel district of central Eritrea.
To embed sustainability into future activities, ISPAH has developed a set of Guiding Principles. These will inform decisions around congress locations, event formats, travel considerations, and practical climate actions that can be integrated into planning and delivery. The aim is to support more climate-conscious decision-making across the organization.
While international scientific congresses inevitably generate emissions, particularly through travel, ISPAH is committed to measuring and reporting these emissions transparently. Through practical mitigation efforts, offsetting commitments, and clear guiding principles for future planning, ISPAH aims to reduce its overall environmental impact where possible.
Download the full report and our Carbon Management Plan Guiding Principles:
