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From:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2007/24/c8898.html
Canadian firm wins travel contract with UN
Innovative eco-friendly program will support Green Belt Movement
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">OTTAWA</st1:place></st1:city>, July 24 /CNW Telbec/ - MKI Travel & Conference Management of
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ottawa</st1:place></st1:city> (MKI) and the United Nations Secretariat for Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) are teaming up on an innovative environmental project to
support one of the world's leading environmental projects.
This June, MKI was selected by the CBD to manage the global travel
requirements of its employees, delegates and regional offices for the next
three years. After winning the contract competition, MKI approached the CBD
for advice on how it could contribute to the CBD environmental goals. The
resulting collaboration is the development of a first-of-its-kind travel
program in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region> called MKIgreen.
What makes this program unique is that it automates the tracking and
reporting of carbon emissions of their entire organization's air travel. MKI
submits a report back to the client in monthly or quarterly installments
detailing their corporate carbon emissions and the amount of credits that are
needed for an off-set. Customers can choose to pay the full amount or
contribute according to their means. Through the program, emissions are
off-set by the purchase of carbon credits from <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place>'s Green Belt Movement.
MKI manages the transactions and ensures that the entire contribution is
invested in the Green Belt Movement. As of today, MKIgreen will be available
to all MKI clients.
"MKI is leading the way in the travel industry in helping to neutralize
the effects of greenhouse gases," said Mike Greenwood, Vice President, MKI
Sales and Marketing. "Airline travel is a reality that isn't going away, but
our program will make it easier for clients to reduce their environmental
impact. MKI is proud of its partnership with CBD and the Green Belt Movement.
We challenge other industries to take up the green cause."
The Green Belt Movement
The Green Belt Movement is one of the world's most prominent environment
organizations. Based in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kenya</st1:place></st1:country-region>, its mission is to empower communities worldwide
to protect the environment and to promote good governance, human rights and
cultures of peace.
MKI and the CBD chose the Green Belt Movement based on its international
reputation and because it was judged to provide the strongest environmental
impact. Studies show that tropical trees are one of the most efficient ways to
neutralize greenhouse gases. The Green Belt Movement also makes a valuable
contribution to African development.
The Green Belt Movement was started in 1977 by Dr. Wangari Maathai, the
first African woman and the first environmentalist to receive the Nobel Peace
Prize (in 2004).
http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/
About CBD
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was signed at the Earth
Summit in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rio de Janeiro</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region></st1:place>, in 1992 and entered into force on
29 December 1993. It is the first global agreement to cover all aspects of
biological diversity: the conservation of biological diversity, the
sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of
benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), based in
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Montreal</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region></st1:place>, was established to support the Convention goals.
http://www.cbd.int
About MKI
Established in 1964, MKI Travel & Conference Management's combined travel
industry experience spans four decades and is the outcome of merging several
senior agencies in the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ottawa</st1:place></st1:city> region.
http://www.mkitravel.com/index.shtml