From GreenPower to carbon-neutral wines, the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre deployed the best of its industry-leading green initiatives at the recent 6th Australia-New Zealand Climate Change and Business Conference.

The three-day event brought together more than 600 business leaders to confront the challenges of climate change, with the Centre sponsoring the supply of GreenPower from renewable carbon-neutral sources.

Under its award-winning Ecowise program, the Centre also provided other initiatives including energy-efficient lighting, waste separation and recycling systems and water-saving measures.

To showcase its sustainable food policies, the Centre’s Executive Chef Uwe Habermehl designed a special menu for the gala dinner in which all produce was either organic, carbon neutral or locally sourced.

“By sourcing local products we reduce the emissions associated with their transportation. For example, the sake we use is excellent but it’s not Japanese, it comes from a Sydney producer who makes it with Australian rice,” Mr Habermehl said.

“Our truffles are from Oberon beyond the Blue Mountains,” Mr Habermehl said. “Global warming poses a threat to truffles grown in France, but Australian producers are succeeding in finding locations that offer alternative sources.”

Other produce selected for the dinner included Australian balsamic vinegar, mushrooms from the Southern Highlands, free-range chicken and carbon-neutral wines made by Taylors.

The Australia-New Zealand Climate Change and Business Conference on 10 to 12 August was a certified carbon-neutral event. Meanwhile, the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre was one of the world’s first convention centres to receive the international Green Globe benchmark accreditation for environmental programs, followed by the prestigious silver Green Globe benchmark.