gamescom 2022: on-site in Cologne, online worldwide, and more sustainable than ever before

gamescom starts "gamescom goes green" and will already be a climate-friendly event in 2022 with the support ClimatePartner

gamescom, the world's largest event revolving around computer and video games and Europe's leading business platform for the games industry is once again taking place in the Cologne exhibition halls from 24 to 28 August. For the first time, it will also include the project "gamescom goes green", with which gamescom as a whole will be designed to be climate-neutral over the medium and long term through the reduction and avoidance of CO₂ emissions and in the short term through carbon offset.

Environmental protection and climate action play an important role for the games industry. Whether game developers or publishers, (e-sports) organizers, educational institutions, or service providers from the games sector: they have all long since recognized the urgency of the issue. The organizers of gamescom are also aware of their responsibility for climate action and have therefore initiated "gamescom goes green".

Building on already existing measures, such as free local public transport tickets, constant hall renovations, or the gamescom forest, Koelnmesse and the game association want to design gamescom as a whole to be carbon neutral over the medium and long term through the reduction, avoidance, and offset of CO₂ emissions. In the short term and as a pilot project, gamescom 2022 will already become even more climate-friendly in a three-pillar program:

• The core event, with all of the areas for which Koelnmesse and the game association are responsible (incl. fair grounds infrastructure, theme areas, personnel, and mobility), will be climate-neutral in cooperation with ClimatePartner. Koelnmesse and the game association will offset the calculated CO₂ emissions through two certified carbon offset projects: a wind power project in northeastern Brazil and clean cooking stoves in Abuja, Nigeria.
• Visitors can make a voluntary contribution to climate action with a donation or the purchase of a "green ticket". The revenues will benefit the gamescom forest near Bayreuth that started in 2020 and has already grown to 20,000 m².
• Exhibitors can make a recommended climate contribution depending on the size of their stand. This also supports the carbon offset projects jointly selected by gamescom and ClimatePartner.

The gamescom organizers are working together for the first time with ClimatePartner for the calculation of the emissions resulting from the gamescom core event and the subsequent compensation. More information on gamescom goes green can be found at gamescom-goes-green.

Felix Falk, Managing Director of game, the association of the German games industry: " In addition to many innovations in the programme and organisation, gamescom 2022 also sets new standards in terms of sustainability: with our 'gamescom goes green' initiative, we will make gamescom a special and climate- friendly event together with visitors and exhibitors. We thus want to not only be a lighthouse for the many initiatives for environmental protection and climate action in the international games industry, but also a pioneer for international events in general."

Oliver Frese, COO of Koelnmesse: "We at Koelnmesse have also long been working on balancing our business activity with societal and environmental needs. This is our ambition." Here it is good to have a strong partner like game at one's side, as well as exhibitors and visitors. It can only work together: "Everyone must contribute. With the pilot 'gamescom goes green', we are now placing ourselves at the forefront in matters of climate-friendly trade fairs – worldwide!“

Susanne Wöllecke, Head of Sales Germany at ClimatePartner, sees gamescom as a pioneer in the trade fair industry: "Climate action is about calculating your own CO₂ emissions, reducing them, and offsetting residual CO₂ emissions. gamescom's Event Carbon Footprint serves as the basis for reduction measures. Residual CO₂ emissions are offset via certified carbon offset projects. It is also exemplary that gamescom is raising awareness about climate action among both exhibitors and visitors and providing the opportunity to get involved by making climate contributions."

More information on gamescom´s climate action measures: https://climatepartner.com/18345-2203-1002.