Green solutions of our sponsors and partners

To attain our ISO 20121 certification and Equality at a Major Event label goals, several sponsors and partners have provided invaluable support:

  • Orange, which has made major efforts to develop and secure local infrastructures;
  • Engie, which has provided green energy and low environmental impact solutions (a solar field powering electric trambuses – provided by the Urban Community of the Pays Basque with the support of the Syndicat des Mobilités – for journalists and the press centre; and 200 hydrogen-powered bikes – with the support of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region – for accredited journalists at the Summit provided by Biarritz’ own Pragma Industries, to make it easier for them to travel around the different Summit zones);
  • L’Oréal, which has provided its assistance to the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council, which has made recommendations over the past year to the G7 leaders on how to make gender equality a great global clause;
  • Suez, which has helped to reduce waste and to set up an extensive waste sorting system in the Summit venues, but also a waste collection and recycling plan to convert waste for the benefit of the region;
  • Edenred, which has provided restaurant passes accepted by a network of 600 local restaurants as part of a “Welcome to the G7 in the Pays Basque” campaign, backed by the cities of Biarritz, Anglet and Bayonne and with the support of professional associations. This initiative helps to encourage people to try Basque cuisine and products and also to reduce food waste.

In addition to efforts to shrink the G7’s ecological footprint, organizers took advantage of a low-carbon label in France in April 2019, overseen by the Ministry for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition and the Ministry of Agriculture. The first low-carbon label was awarded to a carbon offsetting project in the Hergarai Valley of the Pays Basque. This project received significant support from La Poste Group, which has been carbon neutral since 2012 and was closely involved in the creation of the low-carbon label.

This voluntary offsetting project in France is reinforced by an international offsetting project conducted in Mali by the non-profit organization GERES.

All of these initiatives have been showcased to raise the awareness of G7 delegations. France proposed G7 involvement via the signing of a “responsible delegation charter” including specific commitments.

It asked delegations to participate in one of the two offsetting projects.

G7 Biarritz - Focus on the sustainable solutions set up by our partners during the #G7Biarritz.

A dedicated space for sustainable solutions at the heart of the international press center

All of these responsible projects implemented under France’s G7 Presidency were presented throughout the summit within a “responsible event” area.  

Located in the International Press Centre in the Iraty Hall, ten major themes and initiatives were highlighted:

  • Watches made of plastic originating form oceans, first environmentally responsible watch, gift offered to delegates;
  • Presentation of the local and responsible provision of catering service by « l’Instant traiteur »;
  • Fighting food waste through donation to local associations;
  • Limitation and recycling of all types of waste. Presentation of the BATRIM innovation;
  • Carbon offsetting through projects in the Hergarai valley and Mali;
  • Presentation of the “Equality Large Event” certification;
  • Low-impact and environmentally friendly transportation: tram-bus connected to a solar farm, use of electric shuttles;
  • Launch of the approach: International sustainable destinations. 

For further information: http://iso20121.fr/

G7 Biarritz - A dedicated space for sustainable solutions at the heart of the international press center !