At the Dresden Nexus Conference, we take sustainability seriously. We recognise that hosting an international event has an environmental footprint, and we are committed to reducing it wherever possible to walk the talk in the sense of the Resource Nexus. Through a series of thoughtful measures, we aim to make the conference more sustainable while maintaining a high-quality experience for all participants.
A Paper-Reduced Conference
We have eliminated printed materials as much as possible, ensuring that all conference documents, schedules, and presentations are provided digitally. By doing so, we significantly reduce paper waste and the environmental impact associated with printing, such as ink and energy consumption. This approach also allows for easier access to materials, reducing unnecessary production and disposal. Name tags will be printed on sustainable grass paper.
Sustainable Catering
The food served at the conference is carefully selected to be seasonal, regional, and organic. This not only supports local companies and reduces transport emissions but also ensures fresh and high-quality meals for participants. By avoiding out-of-season ingredients that require long-distance shipping or high-energy production, as well as only having vegetarian and vegan catering, we further minimise our carbon footprint.
Eco-Friendly Name Tags
Instead of conventional name badges, we use grass paper as a sustainable alternative. Grass paper requires significantly less water and energy to produce compared to traditional paper, making it a more environmentally friendly choice while still offering durability and a professional look.
No Single-Use Items
To reduce waste, we have eliminated all disposable cutlery, cups, and similar items. Instead, we use reusable alternatives that help prevent unnecessary plastic waste and contribute to a cleaner environment. By making this choice, we avoid the high environmental costs of single-use plastics, which often end up in our oceans.
Offsetting Your Carbon Footprint
We acknowledge that travel to the conference contributes to emissions. To help address this, we encourage participants to calculate and offset their travel emissions through the UN Climate Neutral Now platform: https://offset.climateneutralnow.org/howtooffset. This voluntary action supports global climate projects that help balance the environmental impact of travel.
By implementing these measures, we aim to ensure that the Dresden Nexus Conference remains as sustainable as possible—because sustainability is not just something we talk about, but something we actively integrate into everything we do.
Suggested citation: "Sustainability at the Dresden Nexus Conference ," United Nations University, UNU-FLORES, 2025-03-28, https://unu.edu/flores/article/sustainability-dresden-nexus-conference.
