National Observatory earns IOAA’s Seal of Neutral Events

At the 17th International Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), a global event held from August 17 to 26 in the cities of Vassouras and Barra do Piraí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, another award was won, in addition to the five medals won by Brazilian students: Neutral Event Seal attributed to the National Observatory (ON), who organized the competition.

The Neutral Event Seal is a voluntary initiative that rewards organizations that demonstrate a commitment to reducing their climate impact through ecologically responsible practices. The idea is that all carbon emissions generated by the event have been offset to support a certified environmental project that absorbs a similar amount of carbon to that emitted.

To offset your carbon emissions, IOAA 2024 supports Terrus Carbon Coffee projectA revolutionary regenerative agriculture initiative in Brazil. Using unprecedented technology developed by agri-foodtech startup Quanticum, the project has already captured more than 28,000 tons of offset carbon, benefiting more than 200 people.

How did the IOAA offset 2024 carbon emissions?

The 17th International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad (IOAA) brought together nearly 550 participants, including nearly 250 students from 53 countries, as well as leaders, guides, coordinators and support teams. The event, which included organization and execution, resulted in the emission and neutralization of 4,000 kg of CO2, equivalent to 4 carbon credits.

These emissions, measured according to internationally accepted methodologies, were distributed across various sources: 181 kg from infrastructure, 2,626 kg from land transport and 1,174 kg from waste, according to the ON website. The 2024 International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad offset a total of 30,000 kg of carbon dioxideThis corresponds to the planting of 180 trees.

The Neutral Event certification not only recognizes IOAA’s socio-environmental responsibility, but also takes event to a new level. In addition to promoting scientific excellence, The competition positions itself as a model of a sustainable international event. This is an indication that scientific progress and environmental protection can and should go hand in hand.

IOAA 2024 has been a successful partnership between institutions and private companies

The success of the 17th International Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics was due to the synergy between the co-sponsors who made the event possible. In addition to the sponsorship of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the event was also supported by other institutions such as the Valongo Observatory (UFRJ), the Fluminense Federal University, the National Astrophysics Laboratory and the Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences.

It was also indispensable Support from the Brazilian Astronomy and Space Olympiad (OBA); the National Astrophysical Laboratory, which operates the Pico dos Dias Observatory; and the University of Vassouras (Univassouras), which enables the Congress Center to host several Olympic events.

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