SHANGHAI, May 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in China announces today that it will help the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) to launch its first-ever greening initiative, including making the film festival the first ever carbon neutral event in China.

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An expert team under China Environmental Awareness Programme (CEAP), a joint project between UNDP and the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), will measure the carbon emissions generated by the event and offset them by purchasing carbon credits through Clean Development Mechanism projects.

“Our effort to help SIFF strive for carbon neutral is to leverage on the most acclaimed film festival in China to reach tens-of-millions of people across the country with a message that a low carbon economy, cleaner, more efficient energy choices and a strong commitment to environmental stewardship are worthy endeavors for everyone,” said Subinay Nandy, Country Director of UNDP China.

“SIFF is thrilled to partner with the United Nations to do our part in the fight again global warming,” said Tang Lijun, Managing Director of SIFF. “Shanghai Film Festival has long been at the center of social awareness and responsibilities. It is our pleasure to work with UNDP to make the festival greener to catch up with international trends.”

As part of its continuing efforts to catalyze global action in response to climate change, UNDP will use its local knowledge, experience and expertise on climate change to design a carbon neutral scheme to estimate carbon emissions from domestic and international traveling of the festival participants and the ink consumption of printing materials, while movie stars and other participants could voluntarily purchase their emission reduction credits-and offset them by supporting eco-friendly initiatives such as wind farms, solar installations or forest planting.

Furthermore, through CEAP, UNDP will also advise and help SIFF to launch a series of green activities during the week-long film fest in June, for example, screening of green films selected out of 46 entries from 21 countries in theaters, universities and local communities, and presenting best green films award during the closing ceremony.

In collaboration with Movie View Biweekly and Sohu.com, UNDP will support SIFF to set up an award scheme to recognize TOP 10 green Chinese film stars selected through online public voting and a panel made of environmental experts and filmmakers.

In addition, a Public-Service Announcement produced by CEAP will be shown during the screening of all 800 participating films in 30 theaters, featuring Olympic mascots and former Olympic champions, calling for eco-friendly behavior changes such as taking public transport, switching to green light bulbs and properly using air conditioners.

“Through our joint efforts, the festival has taken a big step forward and goes beyond screening green films as we embark on several initiatives designed to green the film industry,” said Nandy. “By investing in green initiatives the film community has a unique opportunity to put its environmental concerns into practice.”

Aiming as a long-term partnership, this innovative initiative will be further enhanced at SIFF events in years to come, focusing on the concepts of low carbon economy and lifestyles.

About CEAP

China Environmental Awareness Programme (CEAP) is a joint initiative between UNDP and the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) seeking to elevate public green consciousness through media campaigns built around high-profile international events such as the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Shanghai Film Festival and the Shanghai Expo in 2010.

In 2007, CEAP launched a nationwide environmental awareness campaign featuring the 2008 Beijing Olympic mascots and Chinese celebrities such as TV personality Yang Lan, pianist Lang Lang and actor/singer Wang Lee Hom, focusing on issues of air pollution, climate change, access to clean water and sustainable consumption through a nationwide multi-media vehicles such as public-service announcements, documentaries and TV shows.

About UNDP

UNDP fosters human development to empower women and men to build better lives in China. As the UN’s development network, UNDP draws on a world of experience to assist China in developing its own solutions to the country’s development challenges. Through partnerships and innovation, UNDP works to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and an equitable Xiao Kang society by reducing poverty, strengthening the rule of law, promoting environmental sustainability, and fighting HIV/AIDS. http://www.undp.org.cn

SOURCE United Nations Development Programme