How to offset a conference or event
Conferences and festivals can run from tens to thousands of tonnes — dominated by attendee travel.
What drives the footprint
Conferences, festivals and corporate events concentrate a lot of travel into a few days, so attendee travel typically drives 60–80% of the footprint. A 300-person two-day conference can reach 50–70 tonnes of CO₂e before catering and energy are counted.
Offsetting the event — and saying so transparently — is increasingly expected by attendees and sponsors. A named retirement puts the event itself on the public registry.
Three steps, start to certificate.
300-person two-day conference: about 60 tCO₂e. Use our calculator for your exact number.
We recommend Mixed portfolio at $25/tonne for this use case — Verra VCS.
We buy the credits at wholesale, retire them on the public registry on your behalf, and email you a verifiable certificate.
Cut what you can before you offset.
Offsetting is for the emissions you can’t yet eliminate. A few practical ways to lower this footprint at source:
- →Pick a venue accessible by rail and central to attendees.
- →Offer a hybrid or virtual option and encourage train travel.
- →Cut single-use materials and choose a low-waste caterer.
Can we get a named retirement for the event?
Yes — choose registry-named retirement so the event name appears on the public registry.
How do we calculate an event’s footprint?
Estimate attendee travel by origin and mode, then add room-nights, catering and venue energy. Our business calculator gives a directional total.
Can a sponsor fund the offset?
Yes — many events have a sponsor underwrite the retirement; we can issue documentation in the event or sponsor’s name.