European Parliament to offset its 2015 carbon emissions 

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The European Parliament aims to become the first 100% carbon neutral EU institution, as decided at the end of last year by the Bureau (President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors). In order to fulfil this commitment, a call for tender was opened on 16 July 2016.

Parliament’s first carbon-offsetting scheme, in force since September 2011, included emissions only from official staff travel and official cars, as well as energy use in Parliament buildings. The new scheme encompasses all Parliaments' irreducible carbon emissions, including those from flights between MEPs’ countries of origin and Brussels and Strasbourg.


The tender covers all the carbon emissions produced by the EP in 2015 (124 255 tons of CO2) – direct, semi-direct and indirect emissions - the broadest and most ambitious scope possible in accordance with the international greenhouse gas accounting standards.


The contract value is EUR 249 000; the deadline to submit offers is 15 September 2016.

Fact 
  • The offsetting of greenhouse gas emissions is the purchase of carbon credits to neutralise emissions produced elsewhere.