Intercultural Outreach Initiative (IOI)

IOI wins CANIE Climate Award for carbon mitigation in the Galapagos! IOI combines regenerative agriculture, participant involvement and emissions measurement to demonstrate how environmental mitigation can be integrated into international education programmes. Its regenerative-agriculture field programme takes place on Isabela island in the Galapagos where IOI's students, volunteers and interns use regenerative farming methods that cut carbon-intensive inputs. IOI calls this active offsetting, because participants do the mitigation themselves through regenerative farming rather than relying completely on purchased credits to compensate for emissions. The results of this were outstanding.

In 2025 active offsetting rose 20%, to 129 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, and land under regenerative management grew to 105.5 hectares. Emissions per participant week fell 10% while participant numbers grew 46%. The evidence of an expanding initiative was clear. These yearly figures demonstrate such reported progress as participation grows!

The IOI is not suggesting the installation of a brand new program, “but rather demonstrating that existing programs can double as active carbon mitigation and carbon literacy.” IOI built its very own greenhouse gas calculator to stay on track with their carbon mitigation goals. Every programme of theirs includes a carbon literacy workshop. IOI prioritizes carbon mitigation through their hands-on programmes, and purchases remaining external credits only for the remaining inputs. Instead of adding more programmes into their organisation, the idea is to get their organisation and other institutions to turn the projects that are already in place into measurable mitigation of carbon emissions. They have built this calculator to be easily accessible to institutions of all sizes, any organisation, and other providers, which is what makes their initiative unique. Participants are learning about environmental sustainability while contributing to a beneficial mitigation programme.

The CANIE judges praise the initiative’s dedication saying it is “a very encouraging initiative that builds on substantial long-term work and has already produced tangible results.” Another said: "A carbon neutral study abroad program... it's everything we could dream of." For IOI, she said, being climate conscious isn't a nice-to-have. It's the reason the programme exists. Another judge highlights how IOI’s initiatives of active offsetting through its field work and the greenhouse gas calculator that was developed, are both “replicable and transferrable in the sector.” A web version of the greenhouse gas calculator is now in the works, allowing for the organization to share their tool with the rest of the international education sector. The goal is for all institutions to work together to reach carbon neutrality, and their wish to share the resources that have worked for them with the entirety of the sector and beyond, is admirable.

It is inspiring to see how the efforts of a smaller, but highly organised group is generating a massive impact on the international education sector and beyond. The initiative shows strong potential for scalability and wider-impact, adapted to world-wide situations. The CANIE Accord commitment actions are clear here, with the combination of demonstrating measurable results, along with knowledge sharing and carbon reduction, on the way to a carbon-neutral future. IOI is celebrated as an inspiring example of practical mitigation within environmental and international education. Congratulations to the Intercultural Outreach Initiative for their outstanding work and winning of CANIE’s Best Carbon Reduction Initiative!

Congratulations to the Intercultural Outreach Initiative. Would your organisation like to join them as a CANIE Accord signatory?