The UAE Business Council for Sustainable Development (UAE BCSD) has partnered with Switzerland-based non-profit foundation myclimate to drive green initiatives including measures to offset carbon emissions.

Myclimate and the UAE BCSD will introduce a series of seminars and exhibitions in the UAE among its first approaches in this regard. These events themselves will be carbon neutral.

The first of these seminars will be the LEED workshop programme 2011-2012 initiated by the UAE BCSD, which consists of four workshops running from July 2011 to April 2012 at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI).

Highlighting the ideal fit with the UAE and Gulf region in general, a key emphasis of myclimate is the carbon offsetting solutions via effective carbon offset projects with renewable energy sources and other energy efficiency measures.

“This memorandum of understanding will help achieve both the objectives of myclimate and the UAE BCSD - to build greater awareness of sustainability, especially carbon management and offset programmes, within the UAE,” said Rene Estermann, CEO, myclimate.

In a second step, vertical industries across the UAE will be provided with tailor-made carbon neutral solutions for their various business sectors.

Among the first industries to be targeted is the UAE’s burgeoning tourism and hospitality sector, with the myclimate - UAE BCSD partnership providing carbon neutral alternatives to various processes used within hotels.

Likewise, printing companies and aviation companies across the UAE will be shown the benefits of carbon neutral alternatives and solutions.

A further feature of the partnership is a competition, with entries requested from projects that reduce or neutralise carbon emissions for various industries. Winning candidates within the competition will also have the potential to put their ideas into practice, under the backing and guidance of UAE BCSD.

“Myclimate and UAE BCSD will carry out the initial judging process in determining which projects qualify for The Gold Standard Premium quality carbon credits,” said Van T Tran, head of Development, UAE Business Council for Sustainable Development.

The Gold Standard is an independent label that certifies high-quality carbon offset projects and the emission reduction certificates they generate. The sustainability criteria outlined in this standard are the guidelines adopted for all myclimate projects.

Myclimate, which is represented in the UAE by Dubai-based sustainability expert Farnek Avireal, was formed in 2002 as a joint project between students and professors in Zürich. – TradeArabia News Service