WUHAN, China, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- More than 70,000 citizens took part in a program called the low-Carbon Military World Games project, producing 100.23 tons of carbon reduction by donating "credits," thus offsetting the transportation-related carbon emissions caused by hosting the event.
This is the first time for China to use reduction by individual citizens for this kind of big event carbon offset.
Zhang Gao, Deputy Manager of China Hubei Emission Exchange, said that in the past, afforestation or other types of CCER would be priorities for the government to realize a carbon offset. However, during the Military World Games, the public also made contributions to the carbon offset by conducting low-carbon daily activities.
Liu Qingqing, a citizen from Qingshan district of Wuhan, is a big fan of the low-Carbon Military World Games program. Whenever she goes shopping in the local chain store, she takes a reusable shopping bag along instead of buying a new plastic bag. By doing this, she achieved 20g reduction and obtained 20 carbon credits as rewards. Finally she donated 1000g reduction to Military World Games, claiming it was her honor to make this contribution for her city.
Companies like City Smart Card, Hellobike, Bank of Communications and other enterprises were also invited to join in the project.
Qi Shaozhou, Dean of Climate Change and Energy Economics Study Center of Wuhan University, told Xinhua that the volume of reduction produced by individuals is sufficient to offset the transportation-related carbon emissions during the Military World Games.
