The director of the Biodiversity Foundation, a public foundation of the Government of Spain, under the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, Ana Leiva, participates in the inauguration of the project “Zero Emissions, film week and debates for a sustainable life”, at La Casa de Vacas del Retiro.

The presentation of this initiative coincides with the celebration of World Environment Day, designated in 1972 by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness of the need to conserve natural heritage. The date of 5 June was chosen because that day marked the beginning of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which established the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Zero Broadcast will take place in Madrid from today until June 14, in four different locations: the Casa de Vacas del Retiro, the Casa Encendida, the Ideal Cinemas and the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED). The objective of this initiative, according to its organizers, is to achieve “solutions for sustainable living”, through screenings of documentaries on environmental issues, conferences and debates with experts from different areas on which the event focuses: climate change, natural resources, economy, energy, biodiversity, consumption and ecodesign, food and society.

In addition, attendees will sign a “Zero Emissions” protocol by which they commit to take measures to lead a sustainable life. The emissions of the attendees will be offset with the payment of one euro, and with the proceeds obtained, trees will be planted in the PAU de las Tablas, on a property ceded by the Madrid City Council, and with the collaboration of the + Trees Foundation. The meeting is completed with an ecodesign exhibition, which will be held at the IED and the presentation of the “Short Films for Sustainability” awards from the Ecology and Development Foundation (Ecodes).

This project has the collaboration of the Biodiversity Foundation, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the Madrid City Council, Casa Encendida, as well as the Yelmo Cineplex Cinemas or the European Institute of Design, which provide spaces for the celebration of the meeting.

Within the framework of this initiative, next Thursday, June 11, the Biodiversity Foundation will participate in the debate “Solutions to protect Biodiversity”, where the Director of Studies and Projects of the Foundation, Ignacio Torres; accompanied by the director of the Doñana Biological Station, Fernando Hiraldo; the executive director of Oceana Europe, Xavier Pastor, and the biologist of the Spanish National Research Council and writer, Miguel Delibes de Castro, will analyse the current state of biodiversity and provide solutions for its conservation and sustainable use.