A climate neutral dialogue

Taking responsibility

During the International Conference of Knowledge and Change many scientists, NGO practitioners and activists from all over the world joined Hivos in The Hague to reflect upon issues around knowledge management for development. An inspiring dialogue with interesting discussions. However, with all these international visitors, the conference has caused a lot of greenhouse gases. Hivos takes its responsibility and invests in sustainable energy projects in developing countries to compensate its CO2 emissions.

In order to change the world, you have to take responsibility.

Climate change might be the biggest challenge of this century. At the same time around two billion people in developing countries are lacking access to clean and renewable energy. Access to energy is one of the main conditions for more prosperity. While the poor in developing countries are the least responsible for CO2 emissions, they are most vulnerable for climate change. Hivos therefore invests in small scale water power plants in Guatemala, in fuel efficient stoves in Tanzania and in domestic biogas systems in Cambodia and several countries in Africa.

A total of 169 tCO2 caused by the International Conference of Knowledge and Change has been compensated via the biogas programme in Cambodia. This project benefits the poor and marginalised groups in Cambodia, giving them more control over their own lives. The target group consists of small farming families who normally use petroleum lamps and cook on firewood. With the biogas system, using dung supplied by their own cattle and pigs, they are realising significant savings on the costs of firewood and batteries – this money can now be put towards school fees, food, and investments in farming business. These clean energy sources reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and at the same time improve people’s living conditions in developing countries.

Do you also want to move towards sustainability? Do you want to combat climate change and global poverty at the same time? Compensate your CO2 emissions through the Hivos Climate Fund. Check the website www.hivosklimaatfonds.nl for more information, or contact us at Info@hivos.nl.