The Train to Copenhagen will roll across the globe through the vast wilds of Russian Siberia and into Europe as part of the UN Seal the Deal! campaign. Aboard, environmental experts and climate change campaigners will send eye-witness accounts of global warming signs under way while working to raise awareness of the impact of the transport sector, which already accounts for over one fifth of global CO2 greenhouse emissions.

These emissions are projected to double within only 40 years and railways are crucial in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing sustainable transport systems.

Redirecting the “road to nowhere”

Launched by UNEP, WWF and the International Union of Railways (UIC), the Train to Copenhagen aims to galvanize political will and public support for reaching a comprehensive global climate agreement in December.

“We are on the road to nowhere if existing policies and economic models prevail with their over-emphasis on private cars and on shifting shipments of goods to the roads,” UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said. “The Train to Copenhagen project is a showcase of sustainable transport solutions that will be part and parcel of a resource-efficient, low-carbon Green Economy of the 21st Century.

“By Sealing the Deal on an ambitious climate agreement in Copenhagen, governments will get into gear to propel the world to a low-carbon future so that societies may also finally embark on a journey to more sustainable transport.”

Trekking through climate change “hotspots”

The Train to Copenhagen departs Kyoto station on November 5th – leaving behind the Japanese city where the Kyoto Protocol that sets binding greenhouse gas reduction targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European Union (EU) was adopted in 1997 – and make its way by ferry to Daejeon, Republic of Korea (ROK).

There it will board another ferry for Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East for that vast transcontinental journey to drum up support for a new compact with much stronger cuts to replace the Protocol on the expiration of the first commitment period at the end of 2012.

Rumbling across Siberia – a global climate change hotspot -  it will be hauled along the famous Trans-Siberian Railway and go by ferry across Lake Baikal, the most voluminous freshwater lake in the world, and stop in Moscow, the Polish city of Poznan and then Berlin before arriving in Brussels on December 5th.

From Brussels, The Express will take on board more than 400 climate change negotiators, campaigners and other high-profile personalities going to Copenhagen, for a 12-hour on-track conference focusing on how to solve the challenges posed by the transport sector with regard to global warming.

On arrival, the Climate Express will remain at Copenhagen Central Station throughout the two-week conference, serving as a mobile exhibition open to the public about low-carbon transport solutions.

“It is clear that business as usual is not an option if we want to reverse current trends and prevent catastrophic climate change,” UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer said. “If we can really integrate the costs of pollution into the price of transportation, rail will be a big winner.”

The subject has been argued time and time again; it has been a highlight of U.S. Presidential and Vice Presidential debates, with of course the infamous 2008 Sarah Palin retort of:

“I’m not one to attribute every man — activity of man to the changes in the climate. There is something to be said also for man’s activities, but also for the cyclical temperature changes on our planet. But there are real changes going on in our climate. And I don’t want to argue about the causes. What I want to argue about is, how are we going to get there to positively affect the impacts?”

How can you solve a problem without understanding its real cause? For too long, too many Americans have fallen under this persuasion of “it’s not us, it’s nature.” I say “Americans” because, let’s face it, we seem to be the only country actually debating the cause and effects of climate change. Everyone else seems to have already gotten it right.

Think globally

But forget nationality for a minute. Forget patriotism and partisanship. We as world citizens have a stake in the future of the world’s complex yet fragile ecosystems. We need to seriously think about about climate change – its causes and consequences – and figure out what to do on a day-to-day basis to slow it down or, better yet, reverse its effects.

Sure, life gets in the way sometimes, and battling an all-encompassing foe like climate change could often be a bit too “inconvenient.” But consider the consequences if we let it slip: Floods, wildfires, storms, water and food shortages, natural resource depletion – the list is virtually endless.

Take for instance a new study by the Polar Ocean Physics Group at Cambridge University, which suggests that the Arctic will be ice-less within the next 20 years, due to rapid acceleration of sea ice loss from global warming.

The study, which compared ice thickness and density from a Royal Navy nuclear submarine over the span of two years, ruled out any miscalculations due to natural warming trends.

If correct, the waterways surrounding the North Pole will be free and clear – the Earth will lose its “white cap” as seen from space. This change is, thus far, the biggest impact global warming is having on the physical appearance of the planet.

“The North Pole will be exposed in ten years,” said Peter Wadhams, Professor of Ocean Physics at Cambridge. “You would be able to sail a Japanese car carrier across the North Pole and out into the Atlantic.”

Ice loss set at an alarming rate

According to the University of Colorado’s National Snow and Ice Data Center, Arctic ice coverage was the third-lowest since satellite records began in 1979.

The coverage was greater than in 2007 and 2008 largely because of cloudy skies during late summer. Each of the past five years has been one of the five lowest years.

Between March 1st and May 7th of 2009, a team of scientists covered 280 miles of the Arctic – taking measurements and drilling close to 1,500 holes in the sea ice.

This was too thin to have survived the previous year’s summer melting and indicated that the area of moving ice had been formed in open sea during the winter. Instead of dogs hauling sledges across the ice, the scientists waded the cold waters in immersion suits.

Sea of consequences

The loss of Arctic sea ice will have devastating effects on the polar region, according to WWF’s climate change adviser Martin Summerkorn.

Without ice to reflect sunlight, the Arctic Ocean would warm more quickly, resulting in the release of greenhouse gases stored in the Arctic permafrost soils and the acceleration of the melting of the Greenland sheet. These soils contain twice as much carbon as is in the atmosphere.

“This could lead to flooding affecting one quarter of the world’s population and extreme global weather changes,” said Summerkorn.

These changes in one part of the world will have obvious and devastating effects on a global scale. It is up to us to wake up and finally do something about it.

Visit www.blogactionday.org to find out more on how you can make a difference. Photo courtesy of Flickr.com.

The study, Arctic Climate Feedbacks: Global Implications, demonstrates that Arctic sea ice is melting at a faster than expected pace, with major implications well beyond the Arctic region. These include changes in temperature and precipitation patterns in North America and Europe that will affect agriculture, forestry and water supplies.

“This is not about the Arctic, it’s what the Arctic means to the rest of the world and this study paints a truly sobering picture of the future if it continues to warm and melt,” said Dr. Martin Sommerkorn. “Warming in the Arctic will have negative consequences not just for polar bears, but for people across America and throughout the world. Simply put, if we do not keep the Arctic cold enough, people across the world will suffer the effects.”

“The planet’s alarm system is blaring loudly and we need to wake up and take action,” said Keya Chatterjee, acting director of climate change with WWF-US. “We need to pass legislation in the U.S. and secure a global treaty to cut our emissions now and prepare for the rapidly emerging consequences of climate change.”

Seeing the signs

Sea ice is expected to recede by record levels this month alone – setting concerns regarding the anticipated impacts on the atmosphere. The study predicts that the negative effects of Arctic warming could make global climate change more severe than indicated by other recent projections, including those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2007 assessment.

The Arctic’s frozen soils and wetlands store twice as much carbon as is held in the atmosphere, as warming trends continue, soils will increasingly thaw and release carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere as, at a significantly faster pace than previously predicted. Levels of atmospheric methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas, have been increasing rapidly for the past two years, and many believe the increase is driven by the thawing Arctic.

The study concludes that sea-levels will very likely rise by more than one meter by 2100 — more than twice the amount given in the IPCC’ss 2007 assessment. The associated flooding of coastal regions will affect more than a quarter of the world’s population.

In December 2009, the governments of 191 countries will meet in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the final round of negotiations for a new global agreement on climate change. WWF has joined with other NGOs to produce a model climate treaty for Copenhagen that gives the world a blueprint for achieving the kind of emissions cuts needed to likely avoid arctic feedbacks.

Learn more

View the full report at http://www.panda.org/arctic, and check out a videotaped interview with Dr. Sommerkorn as well as some clips from an accompanying multi-media presentation at http://www.divshare.com/folder/587835-7d0.

Also, last week WWF launched a national public awareness campaign to raise awareness of the impacts of climate change in the United States and promote passage of climate legislation by Congress. For more information and to view ads visit www.actforourfuture.org and http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/act-for-our-future/videos.html.

The World Wildlife Fund is urging voters to put pressure on their State’s Senators to support climate legislation in Washington with the “Act for Our Future” campaign; a national public awareness campaign that supports legislation that would help protect the nation and the world from the devastating impacts of climate change.

The new campaign officially kicked-off with TV ads in five states that are key to the bill’s passage in the US Senate: Alaska, Indiana, Maine, Montana and North Dakota, as well as with the launch of a new website, ActForOurFuture.org.

“Climate change is one of the most urgent issues of our times, and without meaningful climate legislation, our legacy to future generations will be a world where many of the places we love and the things we care about will be a thing of the past,” said WWF President and CEO Carter Roberts. “Our campaign brings that message directly to the voters. We’sre asking Americans to contact their Senators and ask them to vote ’syes’s on legislation that will help protect us from the worst consequences of climate change.”

According to the recently released report Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, every region of the country is experiencing significant, adverse impacts from climate change including more severe droughts, floods, heat waves and wildfires. These impacts are expected to worsen during the course of the century if action is not taken to slow climate change.

“Our campaign will encourage Americans to call on Congress to pass strong legislation that will create a clean energy economy and curb the carbon pollution that is causing climate change,” added Roberts.

2009 is a critical year in global efforts to take action, with passage of U.S. legislation viewed as an important step towards gaining agreement from other nations to reduce their emissions during international climate negotiations set for December in Copenhagen.

Passage of climate legislation remains a top priority for the Obama Administration, and those efforts were bolstered in June when the House of Representatives approved the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which places a national limit on greenhouse gas pollution while setting up a market-based framework to bring down emissions in an economically efficient manner. It would also provide funding for U.S. communities to help cope with the impacts that are already being experienced across the nation as a result of climate change.

Similar legislation is expected to be introduced in the Senate the week of September 8th and will likely be voted on later in the Fall.

Check out the campaign advertisements in Alaska, Indiana, Maine, Montana and North Dakota, visit: http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/act-for-our-future/videos.html.

According to WWF CEO Carter Roberts in a report to Congress, the illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss, and a multitude of other threats are pushing some species – such as tigers, elephants and turtles – to the brink of extinction. Roberts is urging for greater cooperation between government agencies, a commitment to saving wild species in their natural habitats and increased funding for biodiversity conservation.

“Species are now disappearing at an unprecedented rate – 100 to 1,000 times more quickly than the normal extinction rate,” Roberts said during a hearing on HR 3086, the “Global Wildlife Conservation, Coordination and Enhancement Act of 2009. “Scientists believe that we are in the initial stages of a major worldwide extinction event that could result in the permanent loss of up to two-thirds of the world’s plant and animal species by the end of this century.”

Roberts applauded the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife for crafting the bill, which builds upon highly successful existing programs within the US Fish and Wildlife Service to create a more broad-based and comprehensive approach to international wildlife conservation. The legislation promotes better law enforcement, increased outreach and education, and new opportunities for public-private partnerships.

“The US is one of the top two consuming nations for wildlife globally and its buying power is having a dramatic impact on the wildlife and livelihoods of the most biodiverse countries,” Roberts said. “The role of the US in supporting source countries, informing its own consumer market, and enforcing and regulating that market is a complex one that requires significant resources and internal and external cooperation and coordination, and we are pleased that this bill attempts to address it.”

Cooperation and coordination between agencies are key to the success of these efforts while still allowing autonomy and flexibility, Roberts added. He also said that the most efficient, economical and effective strategy is to conserve species in their natural habitats. Conservation outside of natural habitats, such as captive breeding, should only be used as a last resort.

Speaking on behalf of WWF and TRAFFIC, the wildlife monitoring arm of WWF and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Roberts welcomed the focus on outreach and education in the bill. Reaching out to all stakeholders involved in the capture, transport, sale and use of wild species is critical, he said, while urging the subcommittee to build upon existing successful outreach campaigns such as “Buyer Beware” and not “reinvent the wheel.”

The timing of the bill is perfect as next year two major international meetings will take place – the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and a Global Tiger Summit. With trade in endangered species on the increase and tigers continuing to decline in the wild despite years of conservation efforts, Roberts urged Congress and the Administration to “utilize every available opportunity to address conservation challenges on the global stage.”

For more information, visit www.worldwildlife.org as well as www.traffic.org.

The WWF is touting video conferencing as being a major player ih the shift toward “non-travel” business travel as part of its “One in Five Challenge” -encouraging  businesses to find greener alternatives to flying.

The organization’s efforts aim to reduce business travel flights by 20% by 2014.

“There is a very real appetite among big businesses to reduce the number of flights they take,” said David Nussbaum, Chief Executive of WWF-UK. “In a WWF survey, 89% of FTSE 350 companies stated that they expect to cut business flights significantly in the coming decade and today’s launch confirms that the UK’s more forward-thinking companies are already taking steps to turn those good intentions into a reality.”

WWF claims that one in four UK companies are now measuring their carbon emissions, while cutting back on non-essential business travel is increasingly viewed as a quick way of making big carbon savings. With more companies producing annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports, and growing pressure from government, it says there is an expectation to see carbon emissions being reduced.

The independently audited scheme sets yearly flight reduction targets and helps companies to get their staff engaged with the project. By providing a clear annual evaluation of the money and carbon saved by taking part in the Challenge, says WWF, the programme also hopes to demonstrate that companies can remain competitive while still cutting their carbon emissions.

“We have worked with WWF-UK to design a challenge that creates the business case for change,” said Gordon Baker, Chairman, JMP Consultants, auditors of One in Five. “The benefits of changing travel policies and behaviours is not always clear; either from a financial or carbon perspective. The one in five reporting process changes this and helps businesses account for the total cost of travel. Companies succeeding in the challenge will not only demonstrate their carbon credentials to consumers and suppliers, but also show that a reduction in business flights improves business operations and the bottom line. Low carbon travel and alternatives are now a positive proposition for successful business.”

“If we are serious about tackling climate change, it is essential that businesses work together to start a dramatic shift to low-carbon travel, including more extensive use of realistic alternatives to flying,” said Theresa Villiers, UK’s Shadow Secretary of State for Transport. “That is why I welcome WWF’s ambitious One in Five Challenge, which aims to do just that – challenge and support businesses in reducing the amount of flying they ask their staff to do and cutting their carbon impact on the planet.”

Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said: “The One in Five Challenge is an extremely effective and practical way for organizations round the world to be part of the solution.”

For more information, visit www.wwf.org.

This marks Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ latest initiative as a leader and role model in responsible travel and environmental stewardship, adding to the company’s ambitious announcement made last year to combat climate change alongside the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Together with the WWF, Fairmont has set a world-class CO2 reduction target and has subsequently become a member of WWF’s global Climate Savers program.

By developing a company-wide emission reduction plan with the WWF and introducing it’s new Energy and Carbon Management program, Fairmont has secured its position as an environmentally progressive hospitality company.

Differing methods of oil conversion

As biodiesel conversion is still a new concept, there is currently no one universal method or solution, causing different properties to use different techniques. For instance, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa has partnered with Yokayo Bio-Fuels, a local biodiesel firm, to gather approximately 150 gallons of kitchen grease each quarter, turning it into tallow or feed.

The Fairmont Scottsdale has also teamed up with an outside firm to transform leftover oil into fuel for vineyards and other businesses that rely on diesel, generators, forklifts and cars. The resort collected 1,901 gallons in 2008 and 650 gallons so far in 2009, for a total of 2,551 gallons of grease to date, which in turn has been recycled into biodiesel; enough to supply the annual fuel consumption of approximately five cars. By not discarding the kitchen grease down the drain, other benefits are also realized including fewer clogged pipes and reduced use of harmful chemicals to clear drains and treat wastewater systems.

At The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies, grease is transformed into fuel to power grounds equipment and two resort shuttle buses that play a DVD informing guests about fuel conversion and other green initiatives at the hotel, while The Fairmont Banff Springs, in conjunction with a local high school under the direction of the Zero Emission Research Institute, alters cooking oils to operate golf course maintenance equipment. The Fairmont Winnipeg donates used cooking oil, approximately 4,700 liters each year, to Biodiesel Manitoba Inc., a company dedicated to the research and development of products to assist the expansion of Manitoba’s biodiesel industry, whereas The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver works with West Coast Reductions, the largest independent rendering company in Western Canada, to recycle approximately 180 liters of kitchen oil each week.

The Fairmont Washington D.C. has partnered with The Greener Oil Company to collect kitchen grease to be recycled and used in the production of biodiesel fuel, and recycles approximately 325 gallons each quarter, while the Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland turns leftover oils into power for its shuttle bus and other on-property equipment. Fairmont Singapore recycles used kitchen oil as well as paper, plastic, glass and metal, and managed to recycle 6.49 tons of cooking oil in the beginning of 2009, resulting in a cost savings of $3,245.

London’s The Savoy works with one of the UK’s leading processors of used cooking oils. While closed and undergoing an extensive restoration, the hotel’s prestigious Simpson’s-in-the-Strand restaurant remains open. Waste from food preparation and plate scrapings are sorted into separate bins provided by recycling management group PDM. The company currently collects the waste weekly, which is then taken to PDM’s organic biomass-to-energy renewable power plant where the food products are processed to recover liquid fat, which is used in the manufacture of biofuels. The hotel expects to generate enough energy through this process to power the daily lighting requirements of 10% of the hotel’s guestrooms upon reopening in 2010 – helping to reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint.

Other Fairmont hotels participating in oil conversion efforts include The Fairmont San Francisco, The Fairmont Royal York, The Fairmont Miramar Hotel, The Fairmont Southampton, The Fairmont Newport Beach, The Fairmont Monte Carlo, Fairmont Mayakoba, Fairmont Château Laurier, The Fairmont Kea Lani, The Fairmont Vancouver Airport, Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, and The Fairmont Empress.

Stepping toward a greener future

For close to two decades, Fairmont has strived to minimize its impact on the planet through its award-winning Green Partnership program, a comprehensive platform focused on key areas such as waste reduction, energy management, water conservation, and innovative community outreach programs.

In a sign of corporate leadership, the company also encourages others to follow in its footsteps and has developed the Green Partnership Guide, a how-to text that any company can obtain to create or grow their environmental programming.

For more information, visit www.fairmont.com/environment.

Fairmont’s new Green IT works to address its technology infrastructure and information technology (IT) operations. It includes the introduction of a workstation power down schedule, electronic waste diversion in markets where programs exist and the development of donation standards aligning with qualified and respected recycling companies and charities.

Powering down to power up

Green IT is the latest component of the Fairmont award winning Green Partnership program – a program started in 1990 that focuses on minimizing the impact of hotel operations on the environment -  and will be rolled out property-wide throughout 2009 with full implementation expected by the end of the year.

“Whether it’s technology, environmental sustainability, or any other aspect of the hotel environment, Fairmont continues to roll out pioneering programs and services that are reflective of our vision: to be a true leader in the global hospitality industry,” says Vineet Gupta, Fairmont’s senior vice president, technology.

”With technology still evolving rapidly and e-waste on the rise, this is an area where we can make a tangible impact in addition to lowering our overall CO2 footprint. Furthermore, our industry-leading environmental practices are the benchmark by which many other hotel companies measure against, so we’re pleased to expand our green programming into another distinct area of our business.”

The hotel company is also optimizing purchasing efficiencies, including crafting a green procurement policy to ensure the brand uses technology products that are either EPA Energy Star or Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-rated as well as services that address Extended Product Responsibility (EPR) programs.
In support of the new Green IT initiative, power settings on all Fairmont workstations and laptops, which are centrally managed by the brand, will be set to automatically power down after one hour of inactivity. By adopting this power management principle, Fairmont expects to reduce its energy consumption by 2,692,683 KwH per year, resulting in a savings of 1,356 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of avoiding the burning of 3,155 barrels of oil annually.

Green IT is the latest piece of environmental news from the company following a March announcement in which Fairmont became a member of WWF’s Climate Savers Program and pledged to proactively cut its overall carbon emissions by 20% below 2006 levels by 2013.

For more information on Fairmont’s Green Partnership program, visit www.fairmont.com/environment.

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNEP, said: “Today’s crises are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a transition to a low carbon, resource efficient society. Business has a key role to play in this transformational process, and the B4E summit is a crucial opportunity to bring together key decision-makers to sharpen and discuss their role in delivering a Green Economy.”

Participants to B4E will include the Chief Executives of Suzlon, Suntech, Alcatel-Lucent and Siemens France, as well as the seven inspirational laureates of the 2009 UNEP Champions of the Earth awards, who will be announced in an award ceremony on April 22nd.

With a focus on a new, green economy driven by leadership, technology and innovation, the summit will bring together participants from more than 30 countries to make the connection between the environment and global economic recovery.

Delegates will learn how to identify and manage the challenges posed by climate change, and explore the many opportunities of investing in a green economy.

The two-day conference will feature sessions on the Green Economy Initiative, innovation and technology, policy, resource efficiency, the extractives industry, and the global water crisis among other key topics.

The event is also held in conjunction with the UNEP Champions of the Earth 2009 awards presentation on 22 April, which is also Earth Day. The seven laureates – all of whom are inspirational environmental leaders – are the living proof that amid today’s environmental and economic crises lay unprecedented opportunities for innovative solutions, fresh approaches and dynamic leadership, from policy action to grassroots initiatives.

The Business for the Environment conference comes on the heels of the UNEP Global Green New Deal Policy Brief, which advises policymakers on the key areas where investment is required in order to power sustainable economic recovery.

The Policy Brief argues that investing just one per cent of global GDP, or around $750 billion, into five key sectors could be the key to realizing a Global Green New Deal that in turn can set the stage for a Green Economy The five sectors, from renewable energy to freshwaters, could in conjunction with other measures play an important role in reviving the global economy and boosting employment while accelerating the fight against climate change, environmental degradation and poverty.

The Business for the Environment Summit is co-hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme and the UN Global Compact. The event is organized by UNEP and Global Initiatives, and supported by leading international organizations including MEDEF (the French Employers Confederation), the AFP Foundation, WWF, Greenpeace, Business for Social Responsibility and many others.

In the margins of the summit, a Media Seminar, co-organised with the AFP Foundation on 21 April, will be the opportunity for journalists to learn more about climate change, the Global Green New Deal and how the environment can feed into global economic recovery. The seminar will feature Pavan Sukhdev, UNEP Project Leader on The Green Economy, as well as participants from the B4E Summit.

For more information, visit to www.b4esummit.com and www.unep.org/greeneconomy.

Fairmont has agreed to cut its carbon emissions by 20% by 2013 throughout its existing properties, while confirming its commitment for all new Fairmont Fairmont properties to reduce CO2 emissions through the implementation of the brand’s new Energy and Carbon Management program.

WWF’s Climate Savers Program is a collaboration among some of the world’s leading corporations voluntarily reducing emissions and heading off the environmental impacts associated with climate change.

Fortune 500 companies as well as big-name, industry leaders have continually partnered with WWF to develop practical, cost-effective strategies to reduce carbon emissions and achieve energy efficiency goals.

“This is a great way to celebrate the tenth anniversary of WWF’s Climate Savers Program,” said Gerald Butts, WWF-Canada’s President and CEO. “Leading companies like Fairmont are proving that strong environmental action is good for the economy.”

By 2010, the Climate Saver companies will have cut carbon emissions by some 14 million tons per year—the equivalent of taking more than 3 million cars off the road every year, while at the same time, saving these companies hundreds of millions of dollars.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts was the first major hotel chain in North America to embrace environmental stewardship within its daily operations through its award-winning Green Partnership program. The chain employs a long list of eco-initiatives, including:

• Finalize a Green Procurement Policy and Supplier Code of Conduct by the end of 2009;
• Educate and encourage its top suppliers (representing approximately 25 percent of the supply chain) to provide products in accordance with the Green Procurement Policy and Supplier Code of Conduct by the end of 2010;
• Update existing Design and Construction standards to incorporate and reflect LEED standards by the end of 2011;
• Endeavor to include sustainable and LEED-certified hotels across the brand; and
• Seek to relocate Fairmont Hotels & Resorts corporate offices in Toronto, Canada to a building with a LEED NC Gold target by 2011.

“We see our Climate Savers partnership with WWF as a sound strategic decision, one that will help ensure destination health and contribute to the financial stability of the industry,” said Thomas W. Storey, President, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. “Fairmont is proud to be the first global hotel brand to partner with WWF to tackle climate change and we look forward to achieving significant CO2 reductions from our operations worldwide.”

Emission reductions at Fairmont will be achieved through a number of activities including improved energy efficiency, increased conversion to renewable energy supply, optimized purchasing efficiencies and promoting conservation practices among its colleagues. Fairmont will continue to implement energy efficiency initiatives across its portfolio and increase its use of renewable energy supply where possible. In addition to reducing its own emissions, Fairmont will share best practices with other organizations committed to the protection of the environment and work to increase guest engagement and awareness on issues related to reducing its overall CO2 output.

For more details, visit http://www.fairmont.com/ and http://www.wwf.ca/.

Ade Thomas, Founder of green.tv, said:  “green.tv is extremely proud to be working with WWF, the world’s leading conservation organisation, to show WWF’s great films on both our broadband TV channel and via our video podcasts. We hope to bring a large international audience to WWF’s content.”

WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. The organization has a long track record of using film and video to raise awareness of environmental challenges and using the web to inspire audiences and create change.

Martin Atkin, WWF International’s Director, External & Media Relations, said: “WWF is very excited to be able to partner with green.tv, the leading environmental online TV channel, to offer audiences worldwide a unique insight of WWF’s on-the-ground work in conservation and environmental projects.”

Daniel Graham, WWF International’s Director, Online Resources, said:  “green.tv allows WWF to distribute full-screen internet TV to audiences worldwide. Our green.tv podcasts will also reach iTunes users around the globe, enabling us to get our messages out to more people than ever before.”

WWF’s films will be available to view at any time anywhere in the world on green.tv as part of its video on demand functionality.  In addition to all WWF films being available via the dedicated WWF channel, viewers will also be able to search for them using green.tv’s search functionality.

About Green.tv
green.tv is the broadband TV channel for environmental films.  green.tv’s URL is www.green.tv.

About WWF
WWF, the global conservation organization, is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

Ecoventura has set the standard for high environmental policies through conservation efforts which include certification from SmartVoyager, carbon offsetting with NativeEngery and the establishment of a trust with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) called the Galapagos Marine Biodiversity Fund. The company is now focusing on its passengers to help carry on its call for responsible tourism in the Galapagos.

“Most all of our guests want to do whatever they can to help protect the islands,” says company Director of Sales and Marketing Doris Welsh, “they’ve just asked for a few pointers and guidelines. That’s why we came up with this 10-point program of things you can do before, during and after your cruise.”

Here is Ecoventura’s 10-point visitor’s program for responsible tourism to the Galapagos:

1. Prior to your trip, calculate the carbon footprint you will produce from the non-cruise portions of your trip to Ecuador. Ecoventura has already offset carbon emissions for the cruise portion for its guests. Use a reputable company to then purchase offsets. Ecoventura recommends NativeEnergy and provides this carbon calculator: http://www.nativeenergy.com/pages/ecoventura_travel_calculator/282.php.
2. Pack only biodegradable sunscreens and lotions. On Ecoventura trips they supply you with biodegradable soap, shampoo and conditioner.
3. Bring a non-polycarbonate plastic water bottle that can be refilled each day, eliminating disposal plastic water bottles. Ecoventura supplies containers of purified water on board made from their reserve osmosis water makers.
4. During your cruise, listen carefully to your naturalist guide and closely follow all of the stated National Park rules.
5. Be careful not to transport any live material, rocks or sand from one island to the next. Ecoventura ensures that all passengers rinse their shoes after every shore excursion by providing a hose on the vessel’s landing platform.
6. When visiting the uninhabited islands, don’t take any food or drink except water. While there and in other parts of the Galapagos, don’t touch, pet or feed the wildlife; don’t disturb or remove any native plant, rock or animal on land or in the water.
7. Except for items made of wood, please try not to purchase souvenirs made from native Galapagos products: black coral, sea lion teeth and shells of the Galapagos tortoises.
8. Do not leave any trash on the Islands or throw any litter overboard. Participate in the garbage-recycling program onboard your vessel. On all Ecoventura yachts you will find garbage receptacles present on all decks with separate containers for plastics, paper, glass and organic waste.
9. Don’t smoke while ashore. Adhere to your vessel’s smoking policy. On Ecoventura cruises, smoking is not allowed within the interior areas of the ship. Smoking is permitted on the outside decks, only in designated areas
10. Join the World Wildlife Fund (www.wwf.org), or better yet, make a donation to the Galapagos Marine Biodiversity Fund that specifically targets environmental education and marine conservation by strengthening the local communities’ ability to manage natural resources. During an Ecoventura cruise, a local representative from WWF meets with passengers and conducts a short presentation and Q&A session.

In operation since 1990, Ecoventura transports 3,000+ passengers annually aboard a fleet of four expedition vessels, the Eric, Flamingo, Letty and Sky Dancer, which have been purposefully retrofitted to highest possible environmental standards. In recognition of these pacesetting efforts, in 2005 the Rainforest Alliance presented Ecoventura President Santiago Dunn with its prestigious Individual Sustainable Standard-Setter award for making a significant contribution to environmental conservation and sustainability. In 2006, Santiago was awarded the first annual Sustainable Travel Award from the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA).

For more information, visit www.ecoventura.com.

On www.seeturtles.org, potential tourists can locate opportunities to take part in research and conservation efforts in Costa Rica, Baja California, and Trindad. The SEE Turtles project is working in conjunction with tour operators in each site who actively support conservation efforts, provide high quality service, and follow best practice guidelines for turtle watching.

Sea turtles are among the most charismatic and endangered creatures on the ocean. A sea turtle’s senses are very sharp. However, all species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered.

Sea turtles used to be hunted on a large scale in the whaling days for their meat, fat and shells. Coastal peoples have also been known to gather turtle eggs for consumption. One of their most significant threats now comes from bycatch due to various fishing methods, long-line fishing has been blamed as one of the causes of accidental sea turtle deaths, and the black market demand for tortoiseshell for both decoration and supposed health benefits.

Nets used in shrimp trawling and fishing have been known to cause the accidental deaths of sea turtles. The turtles, as air-breathing reptiles, must surface to breathe. Caught in a fisherman’s net, they are unable to go to the surface to breathe and suffocate to death in the net. In early 2007, almost a thousand sea turtles were killed inadvertently in the Bay of Bengal over the course of a few months as a result of becoming trapped in fishing nets.

Beach development is another area which poses threats to sea turtles. Since sea turtles return to the same beach locations to nest, if these areas are developed they may be left with nowhere to nest, or their nesting locations may be threatened by human activity. Therefore, there has been a movement to protect these areas, in some cases by special police. In some areas, such as the east coast of Florida, after the adult turtles lay their eggs, they are dug up and relocated to special fenced nurseries where they can be protected from beach traffic. This is not the best thing to do, as many turtle species return to the beach on which they were born. Hatchlings find their way to the ocean by crawling towards the brightest horizon, but often become disoriented on developed stretches of coastline. Special lighting ordinances may also be enforced to prevent lights from shining on the beach and confusing young hatchlings, causing them to crawl towards the light and away from the water, usually crossing a road. A turtle-safe lighting system uses red light in place of white light as sea turtles can’t see red light.

Another major threat to sea turtles is the black market trade in eggs and meat. This is a pervasive problem throughout the world, but especially a concern in the Philippines, India, Indonesia and throughout the coastal nations of Latin America. Estimates are as high as 35,000 turtles killed a year in Mexico and the same number in Nicaragua.

Moreover, global warming can also cause a threat to sea turtles. Since temperatures in the sands define the sex of the turtle while developing in the egg, many feared rising temperatures would only produce one sex, but more research remains to be done in order to understand how climate change might affect sea turtle gender distribution.

The plight of sea turtles has been recognized around the world, and many organizations and governments are working to preserve these ancient creatures. Volunteer opportunities to save the turtles are available in North America and around the world.

UK customs confiscated 163,000 illegal wildlife trade items – many made from endangered species – in the last year.

Oriental medicine topped the list of seizures made – with 97 in a year.

Some of these medicines had been prepared using parts of animals such as tigers, rhinos and sea horses.

HM Customs and Excise made 44 seizures of snake and lizard products such as handbags and shoes between 2006-2007, and 39 seizures of similar crocodile and alligator products.

The WWF’s warning comes at the height of the holiday season, as thousands of British tourists head for numerous countries.

‘Near extinction’

It said tourists should consider carefully their choice of souvenir and whether it was likely to have been made out of endangered flora or fauna.

Heather Sohl, wildlife trade officer at WWF, said the message was “if in doubt – don’t buy”.

“Many tourists could be unwittingly helping to push some of the world’s most endangered species to the brink of extinction – all for the sake of an exotic souvenir.

“Although the latest figures indicate that some illegal wildlife trade items are being brought in by wildlife criminals, the majority appear to be innocently brought back by holidaymakers as souvenirs.”

The charity said that, as well as species such as elephants and turtles, many corals, reptiles and orchids were also protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The WWF wants any suspicious items seen at home or abroad which may be linked to the illegal wildlife trade to be reported using its dedicated hotline on 01483 426111.