Road to COP26: Event Sector
Transformation
In collaboration with#eventscreatechange
www.positiveimpactevents.com

Since 2017, Positive Impact has been engaging with the event
sector on carbon reduction. They have memorandums ofunderstanding with a number of UN Bodies including UNFCCC (UNClimate Change).
The ‘Road to COP26 Event Sector Transformation’ builds on aseries of collaborations and enables event professionals to takeaction which will support the future creation of a Climate Action
Framework for events.

The series of collaborations so far:On the 28th of January 2021, Positive Impact and UNFCCC (UNClimate Change) engaged with over 39 strategic representatives ofthe UK event sector to gain support for a #BuildBackBetter
approach including the launch of a Climate Action Framework for
Events at COP26. Support for this approach was gathered from
UNFCCC (UN Climate Change)
COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference
Theresa Villiers Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for
EventsThe U.K. Cabinet Office
Visit England Bringing the support of all UK convention bureaus
British Standards Institute
Institute of Event Management
Event Industry Board (who represent all Associations withchapters in the U.K.)
On the 7th of June, UNFCCC and Positive Impact engaged withover 1500 global event professionals (via the Positive Impact
Ambassador network) to gain support for a Climate Action
Framework for Events. Support for this approach and willingness tobe founding members of the Framework was gathered from:
MCI Group UK (60 offices worldwide)
T-Mobile U.S. (100 events annually)
Interface
GES (4000 live experiences annually across over 75 countries)
PIE Factory
Barbican (1.5 million visit people annually)
Maritz Global EventsKenes Group (55,000 association members)
Church House (1000 unique events a year)
Messukeskus (1 million visitors annually)
These companies represent examples of significant clients andsuppliers in the global event sector. Anyone in the event sector
could be a founding member of the Climate Action Framework forEvents.

On the 27th of July, Positive Impact held a series of educational adn
networking events as part of ‘The Road to COP26 Event Sector
Transformation’, with the intention to support events sector SMEs on
their #racetozero and increase the number of event sector
organisations making a net zero carbon commitment.
The number of organisations stepping forward to be a founding
member for a climate action framework grew from 34 to 47. For thefirst time ever, 35 event organisations made a net zero carbon
commitment.

Questions posed during the meeting by Steve O'Malley (Maritz Global Events),
Chris Skeith (BVEP) and Fiona Pelham (Positive Impact Events)

We are a company in action on a carbon commitment and
we are keen to support a sector wide target. How do wemove forward?
How can everyone get involved and contribute?
What is the definition of the event industry which UNFCCC
is using?

Following this meeting, Positive Impact communicated a number of areas of concernwith the current approach taken by UNFCCC Secretariat.

Communication from Positive Impact
to UNFCCC Secretariat:
Dear UNFCCC Secretariat,
Following the meeting we facilitated yesterday of over 40 founder members for a
UNFCCC Climate Action Framework we were surprised by the knowledge that a muchneeded white paper had already been drafted.
We definitely support and endorse the action you are taking to create a white paper
however it is surprising that this action was taken after the meeting we facilitated inJune with the then 34 founder members where UNFCCC secretariat asked thiscommunity to wait. Respecting the leadership of UNFCCC secretariat we guided thiscommunity (who represent a wide geography, event supply chain type and themajority of whom have made a net zero carbon commitment) to wait.
We are now uncomfortable endorsing something which has been created without the
input of this founding member community who represent the event sector and havemade a net zero carbon commitment.
We would appreciate your confirmation on the following:
1-What the approach will be going forward to ensure transparent engagement acrossthe sector
2- How the white paper will address the definition of the event sector when the white
paper is being drafted by a limited representation of the event sector
3-What role the community of founder members gathered by Positive Impact will be in
the future and how the input they provide will be credited to the significant work
already done by Positive Impact. (A summary of which can be found here:
https://www.positiveimpactevents.com/resources/climate-action-framework-for-theevent-sector)
We will share this information with the community of founder members who wecontinue to gather and we will continue to support event sector SME’s to create a net
zero carbon commitment through the initiative: The Road to COP26 Event Sector
Transformation which was launched with the support of the COP26 Climate
Champions and SME Climate Hub which is part of the UNFCCC Race to ZeroCampaign.
Kind regards
Fiona

Next Steps
1. Positive Impact will continue to ask the UNFCCC Secretariat what
the approach will be going forward to ensure transparent
engagement across the sector.
2. If you have stepped forward as a founding member and have notyet registered your net zero carbon commitment, please do so.
How to participate:
Register here https://www.positiveimpactevents.com/ and receive
steps to make and advance towards a net zero carbon commitment(schedule 2 hours to work on each step) and join our next live
engagement session on September 2nd.
3. Amplify this with your supply chain using our toolkit:
https://www.positiveimpactevents.com/road-to-cop26-toolkit