CED World Centre of Excellence for Destinations

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A worldwide first: Signature of a partnership between the CED and atmosfair gGmbH

Atmosfair is based in Bonn, Germany. According to this agreement, the CED commits to collaborate with atmosfair for the implementation of concrete measures aimed at promoting the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in tourist destinations across the world assessed by its System of Measures for the Excellence in Destinations (SMED). The partnership was officially confirmed today by the president of the CED, Mr André Vallerand, and by the Managing Director of atmosfair gGmbH, Dr. Dietrich Brockhagen.

Mr. Vallerand is very pleased with the signing of this partnership that registers perfectly with the business plan of the CED mission, which is to contribute to bring destinations of the entire world towards excellence. “SMED offers assessed destinations concrete and accomplishable resolutions, thus allowing them to reach their targets of lasting development, to develop their competitiveness, to ameliorate the quality of the experience given to the tourists and to reinforce their geographical character,” explains Mr. Vallerand.

Dr. Brockhagen underlines that “the mission of atmosfair is to allow individuals and organizations to calculate and compensate for the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions caused by their traveling activities. Thanks to donations, atmosfair invests around the world in climate protection projects such as renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve living conditions for the local population, as well as in measures to create awareness for climate change issues. ”

With its headquarters located in Montréal, the CED began operations in February 2007. The CED has signed partnership agreements with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations, George Washington University, the University of Québec in Montréal, and the governments of Canada and Québec.

About the CED

The CED is a non-profit organization dedicated to the research and creation of tools to support the development of sustainable tourism for destinations around the world. In performing its mission, the CED contributes to and furthers the work program of the UNWTO. It does so by adding value and expertise to the policies and innovative practices concerning tourist destination management. The UNWTO is a specialized agency of the United Nations with 153 member states and some 300 associate members from the tourism industry.

About atmosfair

Atmosfair provides the offsetting of emissions to the public and private/civil sector on an established best practice basis. Legally, atmosfair is a non-profit organization (gGmbH) based in Bonn, Germany. Founded in 2005, atmosfair has its origins in a research project of the German Federal Environmental Ministry, which laid the foundations for atmosfair’s standards. Accordingly, all offset projects are CDM-Gold Standard projects, generating GS CERs, as recommended by the recent United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) guide to offsetting. Furthermore, a scientific methodology for emissions calculation, approved by the German Federal Environmental Agency, and a strict rule of at least 90% of its revenues going directly towards the projects ensures that offset fees are in fact worthwhile.

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Source : World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED)

Information : César Castaneda, Director of Operations – CED

Media : Nathalie Laberinto, World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED)

(+1) 514-871-1115 (ext. 226)