ECOC2017 is the largest conference on optical communication in Europe and one of the largest events in this field worldwide. The conference, held in Gothenburg 17-21 September, has high ambitions to be as sustainable as possible and has allocated resources to compensate travels for delegates through Save the Rainforest Sweden. This substantial contribution will make it possible to save 30 hectares of rainforest in Ecuador.

– It is the first time we account for climate impact, says Dr. Per O. Andersson, General Chair of ECOC 2017. We are pleased about the cooperation with Save the Rainforest Sweden, as the air-travel is the largest environmental impact of a global conference such as ECOC. Moreover Save the Rainforest has local organisations in both ends that makes the process trustworthy, and also made it possible for us to get the ”ECOC-forest” branding, which greatly helped us promote the idea.

Carmen Mariscal and friends from Cambugan Foundation in the forest which will now be protected.

We hope and think that the ECOC Conference 2017 will inspire to a sustainable focus on organizing this event in the future as well.

Per O. Andersson, General Chair of ECOC 2017 at the inauguration of the conference.

Setting the tone as a leading conference in the industry, ECOC 2017 local arranging organisation recognises the responsibility to preserve the environment and endeavors to perform environmental management based on a good balance between environmental conservation and business development.

– We are impressed by the ambition of ECOC2017, says Pella Thiel, vice chairman of Save the Rainforest Sweden. An event of this size always affects the environment, and saving rainforest is an important way of giving back and balance the impact on nature. Safeguarding healthy ecosystems is probably the most effective way to keep carbon from the athmosphere.