Green Expo not a farfetched dream after all: Organizers

SHANGHAI - Expo 2010 Shanghai will be able to offset 60 to 70 percent of its carbon emissions due to the adoption of various green technologies and initiatives, organizers said over the weekend.

As efforts to try to offset the carbon footprint of the largest World Expo in history will continue after its six-month duration, the event can expect to become carbon neutral in four to five years, said Huang Jianzhi, deputy director of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination.

Efforts include energy conservation and industrial upgrading within the city, promotion of green technologies showcased at the Expo, voluntary reduction of carbon emissions by both individuals and enterprises, and the planting of trees, said Sun Jian, deputy director of the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau.