334Carbonstop Calculates Carbon Emissions for the 2019 Hangzhou Marathon
Achieving Carbon Neutrality
On November 3, 2019, the 2019 Hangzhou Marathon, organized by the Chinese Athletics Association, Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau, Hangzhou Municipal Government, and Ali Sports, successfully concluded. Carbonstop assisted in calculating the carbon emissions for this event.
The carbon emissions were offset using reforestation methods. The event emitted a total of 1,374.53 tons of CO2 equivalent. The China Green Foundation used donations totaling 300,000 yuan from Ali Sports and 113 green public welfare runners to plant 100 acres of carbon-neutral forests in She County, Handan City, Hebei Province. This will fully offset the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the event, achieving carbon neutrality.
At the pre-race press conference, Liu Jiajun, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Green Foundation, presented the carbon neutrality award plaque and certificate to the organizing committee. Last year, Carbonstop, in collaboration with Ali Sports, the China Green Foundation, and Ant Financial, launched the 2018 Hangzhou Marathon Carbon Neutrality Project, which became a pioneering initiative in domestic marathon events. Ultimately, 5,000 Chinese pine trees covering 68 acres were planted in Chongli District, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, creating the "Hangzhou Marathon Forest." As the concept of low-carbon emissions becomes increasingly integrated into race management, the 2019 Hangzhou Marathon Carbon Neutrality Project will extend the planting of the "Hangzhou Marathon Forest" to Handan and Xingtai cities in the Taihang Mountains region of Hebei Province.
Climate Change Amendment Rejected
Veneto Regional Council Flooded
Recently, Venice, Italy, experienced historic flooding, submerging multiple areas. On the evening of December 12, the Veneto Regional Council, located on the Grand Canal in Venice, was flooded for the first time in history. Coincidentally, the council had just rejected an amendment aimed at addressing climate change.
Zannoni posted on Facebook that shortly after the rejection of the climate change amendment, the council was flooded.
Image source: Zannoni's Facebook post
According to reports, Andrea Zanoni, Vice President of the Environment Committee and Democratic Party member, posted on Facebook that water began entering the Ferro Fini Palace's council chamber around 10 PM, while the councilors were discussing the 2020 regional budget.
Zanoni said, "Ironically, two minutes after the majority coalition, including Brothers of Italy and Forza Italia, rejected our amendment to address climate change, the council hall was flooded."
He added that the rejected amendment included measures to fund renewable resources, replace diesel buses with more efficient and less polluting vehicles, phase out polluting stoves, and reduce plastic impact.
Alessandro Ovizach, a spokesperson for the regional council, confirmed that the council was flooded during discussions on amendments to the 2020 regional budget but did not specify which amendments were being discussed.
However, Roberto Ciambetti, the president of the regional council, denied Zannoni's allegations in a statement. "To say we are doing nothing is a lie," he said. "After the 2010 flood, our region launched a plan to protect hydrogeological safety with a total cost of 2.6 billion euros, which is a significant amount for the regional budget."
According to reports, the council's website announced that due to the flooding, meetings scheduled for December 14 and 15 were moved to Treviso. (Source: Beijing Daily)
Guangdong Sets 2019 Carbon Emission Allowance Total at 465 Million Tons
Total Set at 465 Million Tons
The Guangdong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment held a press conference on the 13th to announce that the total carbon emission allowance for Guangdong in 2019 is set at 465 million tons, an increase from 422 million tons in the previous year.
Hong Jianwu, head of the Climate Change and International Cooperation Division of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, said that due to the expansion of the controlled emission scope and the inclusion of new enterprises with significant carbon emissions, moderately increasing the total carbon emission allowance would both create reasonable pressure for emission reductions and meet the carbon allowance needs of controlled enterprises for low-carbon development and major projects.
Since the launch of the carbon emission trading market in Guangdong in 2013, market participants have been highly active. To date, the total volume of carbon emission allowances traded has reached 134 million tons, with a transaction value of 2.6 billion yuan. In 2018 alone, the volume of carbon emission allowances traded in Guangdong reached 49.91 million tons, with a transaction value of 837 million yuan.
The announcement stated that the good development trend of the Guangdong carbon market has attracted the attention of foreign investment institutions. In 2018, foreign investment institutions conducted cross-border RMB transactions for carbon emission rights totaling 10.4 million tons, exceeding the total volume from 2014 to 2017.
The announcement also noted that the reduction effects in the Guangdong carbon market were significant in 2018. The carbon intensity per unit of output in the power generation, petrochemical, paper, and aviation industries decreased by 0.7%, 2%, 1.2%, and 3.1%, respectively.
