CDP supports the practice of carbon trading and the aim for carbon neutral footprints and has committed to making a regular investment against the emissions which result from our touring productions.
With the introduction of CDP COP, we will ensure that the greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere as a result of flights, road, rail and shipping transport undertaken in the course of our touring are offset. We will purchase carbon credits from Climate Positive (www.climatepositive.org), a not for profit company which sources only high-quality carbon offsets from accredited emissions reduction projects which generate renewable energy.
The CDP COP will provide Climate Positive with a spreadsheet detailing kilometers travelled, mode of transport and the number of people who travelled. Climate Positive will calculate the total carbon emissions incurred in the transport component of each tour and advise the dollar amount owing for the purchase of carbon credits.
With the launch of this initiative, CDP extends an invitation to Presenters (and to other Producers) to join the force by becoming COPs – Carbon Offsetting Presenters or Carbon Offsetting Producers. Having purchased the carbon credits from Climate Positive for each tour, CDP COP will calculate a per performance rate and invite each participating presenter to match our contribution dollar for dollar by purchasing carbon credits for the transport component of each performance they presented.
By purchasing carbon credits as a COP through a designated account with an established and respected carbon offset provider, such as Climate Positive, records and statistics of our industry’s contribution to offsetting can be identified. Climate Positive will provide a customised COP page on their website and will include details of each COP company on that page. Climate Positive will offer co-branding and authorize the use of their logo by other COPs. Participating company logos will also be loaded onto the Climate Positive website and they will provide communication and promotional assistance.
The result will effectively work toward neutralizing our emissions and actively reducing the equivalent amount of carbon from our environment, whilst being very achievable financially.
For example, in 2008 CDP mounted two national tours
- Toni Lamond’s Times of My Life toured to 15 venues in three states and was responsible for 19 cubic tonnes of emissions at an offset value of $486. Over the 27 performances in the tour, this equates to a value of $18 per performance
- The Carpenters From Kempsey, in 22 venues across four states, will be responsible for a carbon footprint of 19.5 cubic tonnes, which will be negated by the CDP COP at a cost of $493, or $17 per performance
We see CDP COP as a practical and active way to participate in healthy carbon controls achieving real world carbon reductions.
