Alcan Funds Planting of 100,000 Trees in Project to keep Montreal Climate Change Conference Carbon Neutral
Montreal, Canada 11/25/2005
Alcan Inc. (NYSE, TSX: AL) announced today that it has joined Environment Canada, Hydro-Québec, and several other public and private partners in the Climate Positive Event, an initiative to offset carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by the 11th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) to be held in Montreal, November 28 to December 9, 2005.
"Alcan’s support of the UNCCC through our tangible investment into our home community of Montreal, further demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and the responsibilities to the environment we all share as citizens of this planet," said Travis Engen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alcan Inc. "Global meetings of this significance are vital to the earth’s future. Recognizing that the meetings themselves have environmental impacts and acting to more than offset those impacts gives shape and substance to what we mean by the term sustainability."
The Climate Positive Event will see Alcan sponsor the planting of 100,000 trees to rejuvenate boreal forests in a region between Mistassini and the de la Manic reservoirs in northern Quebec. It is anticipated that the activities associated with COP11, which will attract close to 10,000 participants, will increase CO2 stress on the environment by some 25kt. The Climate Positive Event – which consists primarily of boreal reforestation, urban and rural planting in Quebec, along with various other measures – will reduce atmospheric CO2 by 70kt. This represents a more than 200 percent compensation for CO2 generated by COP11.
In addition to its participation in the Climate Positive Event, Alcan is also supporting the efforts of the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), which is hosting a number of side events on climate control incentives; the ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, whose Fourth Municipal Leaders Summit will run concurrently with COP11; and the Pembina Institute’s initiative to translate the power behind Personal Computers into wind power. In cooperation with Pembina, Alcan has invested enough funding to run more than 1,000 personal computers, symbolically converting all of the computers at its Maison Alcan headquarters to wind power.
Alcan delegates will also participate as speakers in various COP11 discussions, highlighting the Company’s dynamic Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction program. To date, Alcan is well ahead of its targets in reducing GHG emissions.
"The strong presence of the international business community at COP11 is an encouraging sign of the growing awareness that all sectors must work together to address global challenges such as climate change," said Daniel Gagnier, Alcan Inc.’s Senior Vice President, Corporate and External Affairs. "Business has the capacity, incentive, and responsibility to work with governments and non-governmental organizations to minimize the impacts of climate change, while maintaining sustainable growth and profitability."
Alcan is a multinational, market-driven company and a global leader in aluminum and packaging. With world-class operations in primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum as well as flexible and specialty packaging, aerospace applications, bauxite mining and alumina processing, today’s Alcan is well positioned to meet and exceed its customers' needs for innovative solutions and service. Alcan employs almost 70,000 people and has operating facilities in 55 countries and regions.
Media Contact:
Anik Michaud
Tel.: +1-514-848-8151
media.relations@alcan.com
Investor Contact:
Corey Copeland
Tel.: +1-514-848-8368
investor.relations@alcan.com
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