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| September 26, 2010
USA Pavilion at Shanghai Expo Fulfills Pledge to be Carbon Neutral with Alcoa Foundation Support
GHG emissions during entire event have been offset by carbon credit
purchase that brings benefit to Chinese communities
SHANGHAI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The USA Pavilion and Alcoa Foundation jointly announced today that the
Pavilion has reached carbon equilibrium covering the entire six-month
duration of the Shanghai Expo, including the production of key building
materials used in the Pavilion. A total of 8,250 tons of carbon offset
credits were purchased from three selected Gold Standard-certified
projects in China to offset the Pavilion's carbon footprint.
As the first national pavilion committed to be carbon neutral during the
entire six months, the USA Pavilion fulfills a pledge to be a green
pavilion, a commitment U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
made on May 22 during her visit to the Expo.
Alcoa Foundation has partnered with the Pavilion on its environmental
sustainability strategy to be carbon-neutral throughout the event. ICF
International, a leading US climate change, energy and environment
consultancy, was designated to conduct an independent, thorough,
verifiable carbon footprint study to quantify GHG emissions.
The footprint calculation results cover both the GHG emissions for the
six-month duration of the Expo and the production of key building
materials, including aluminum, steel, cement, glass, used in the
Pavilion. The footprint will be offset through purchasing 8,250 carbon
credits from three sustainable development projects in China that all
registered according to the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) and to the
Gold Standard.
Today the USA Pavilion signed carbon credit purchase contracts at a
press briefing with the three Chinese projects, namely Jiangsu landfill
gas to energy conversion project, Gansu micro-scale “run of river”
hydroelectric power generation project and Gansu wind farm project.
“I am proud the USA Pavilion will be supporting the Expo’s theme,
‘Better City, Better Life’, through the purchase of credits from carbon
offset projects in China which fulfills our commitment to be carbon
neutral for the six-month duration of Expo 2010 Shanghai, said
Ambassador José H. Villarreal, U.S. Commissioner General, Expo 2010
Shanghai.
“The USA Pavilion is pleased to put into action our message of
sustainability and healthy community-building by supporting three Gold
Standard-certified projects across China to offset our carbon footprint.
I would like to thank Alcoa Foundation for its generous contribution in
helping the USA Pavilion be the best possible Expo citizen and become
the first national pavilion to commit to carbon neutrality at Expo 2010
Shanghai.”
Funding the carbon footprint study is one example of Alcoa Foundation’s
commitment to promoting environmental sustainability in China. Earlier
this summer, Alcoa and World Resources Institute, together with Jiao
Tong University, announced an initiative to evaluate industrial energy
efficiency projects and connect them to sources of external financing in
the Shanghai area. Alcoa Foundation also continues its partnership with
The Nature Conservancy, together supporting the establishment of Pudatso
National Park, the first national park in China, and other parks
programs. In addition, Alcoa has worked with other nonprofit
organizations and universities to support aluminum recycling programs
for teachers and students throughout China and advance environmental
sustainability.
Jinya Chen, President, Alcoa Asia and Pacific Region, said, “At Alcoa,
we believe our sustainability endeavors make us a more competitive
company, which in turn, makes us a company of choice for governments,
stakeholders and communities. The USA Pavilion’s sustainability
initiatives, with the support of Alcoa Foundation, will result in
positive environmental and community-building benefits for China and
serve as a model for other events and organizations around the world.”
Apart from the carbon footprint calculation and neutralization
approaches, the USA Pavilion has also adopted comprehensive measures to
minimize energy consumption and GHG emissions. Many of America's leading
companies helped build the Pavilion and their cutting-edge technologies
that hold the promise of unlocking a more sustainable and prosperous
future are woven into the building itself. From the photovoltaic cells
that convert sunlight into electricity and help power the Pavilion, to
the solar water heater, the rooftop garden and the recycled bamboo
flooring, the USA Pavilion is a model of both innovation and
environmental responsibility.
At over 60,000 square feet (6,000 square meters), the USA Pavilion is
one of the largest national pavilions at the Expo. With the theme of
“Rising to the Challenge,” the United States presence showcases American
culture, values, innovation, and business, in one of China’s most
dynamic cities, while celebrating the friendship and cooperation between
the United States, China, and the rest of the world.
About Alcoa Foundation
Alcoa Foundation is a nonprofit U.S. corporate foundation with assets of
approximately US$425 million. In addition to addressing locally
identified needs in communities where Alcoa operates, Alcoa Foundation
is focused on unlocking solutions to critical environmental
sustainability challenges, including global climate change. Alcoa
Foundation has been a long-term partner in Alcoa communities worldwide
for more than fifty years, investing over US$515 million since 1952.
More information can be found at www.alcoa.com/foundation.
About ICF International
ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI) partners with government and commercial
clients to deliver professional services and technology solutions in the
energy and climate change; environment and infrastructure; health, human
services, and social programs; and homeland security and defense
markets. The firm combines passion for its work with industry expertise
and innovative analytics to produce compelling results throughout the
entire program life cycle, from research and analysis and design through
implementation and improvement. Since 1969, ICF has been serving
government at all levels, major corporations, and multilateral
institutions. More than 3,500 employees serve these clients worldwide.
USA Pavillon Official Web site:
www.usapavilion2010.com.
USA Pavillon Official micro-blog:
http://twitter.com/MeiGuoGuan
http://t.sina.com.cn/MeiGuoGuan
USA Pavillon Photo Stream:
http://flickr.com/photos/usapavilion
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