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Greening the Blue Creating a more sustainable United Nations An Introduction Summary • Background, Mandate and Governance • The UN Climate Neutral Strategy – Measure – Reduce – Offset • Achievements to date • [Your organization] • Get involved Introduction Climate Change & the UN Mandate The UN response… • On World Environment Day (5 June 2007) the UN Secretary-General pledged to: “…explore ways of making the United Nations more climate friendly and environmentally sustainable, and to develop a climate-neutral approach to its premises and operations.” • • Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon More & more UN organizations are challenged by their governing bodies & member states climate change impacts almost all mandates of UN Mandate • MDG 7: ‘Ensuring Environmental Sustainability’ • Requested by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon • Chief Executive Board approved, in October 2007, the UN Climate Neutral Strategy “The UN’s ability to walk the talk on climate change is defining our credibility and, thereby, our ability to deliver our mandates.” Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon Governance Governance • Environment Management Group established in 2000 in response to a General Assembly resolution (53/242, paragraph 5), with the purpose of: “enhancing United Nations system-wide inter-agency coordination related to specific issues in the field of environment and human settlements” • Issue Management Group established to deliver the Climate Neutral Strategy. The IMG included representatives from most UN organizations and they agreed on a system-wide approach to measuring greenhouse gas emissions, the results of which were published in Moving Towards a Climate Neutral UN in December 2009. In 2010 the IMG mandate was expanded to include wider sustainability issues and procurement. The IMG on Sustainability Management first met in February 2010, and is supported day-to-day by the (Sustainable United Nations) facility. SUN Who’s What in the UN General Assembly Six GA Committees Secretary General CEB HLCP HLCM EMG Interagency Networks IMG on Sustainability Management UN Agencies Climate Neutral Strategy The UN Climate Neutrality Strategy Statement of the Chief Executives Board: “We, the Heads of the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, hereby commit ourselves to moving our respective organizations towards climate neutrality in our headquarters and United Nations centres for our facility operations and travel.” • Estimate greenhouse gas emissions & undertake efforts to reduce them • Analyze the cost implications of purchasing carbon offsets 1: Calculate Emissions • The challenge – Measuring and reporting the greenhouse gas emissions of 49 UN agencies for 2008 using the common UN calculator • The results – All agencies submitted greenhouse gas inventories – They were published in the climate conference at Copenhagen in December 2009 2: Reducing Emissions • The challenge – Getting all UN agencies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions • The results – 15 UN agencies have developed, or are in the process of developing, emissions reductions strategies – In most agencies these reflect the links between climate change and their mandate (e.g. WFP, UNIFEM and UNDP) – This year all agencies have to develop emissions reductions strategies – Action has been taken in many areas 3: Offsetting • The Challenge – Developing a UN-wide approach to offsetting emissions • From the UNFCCC/CDM market • Choosing projects with environmental and social benefits • Getting Member States mandate! • The result – A common approach has been developed for the procurement of carbon offsets – An agent will be selected through a tendering process – Offsets will be from the CDM market – Project will have environmental and social benefits Calculating Emissions Emissions Quiz Time!!! Q. The UN’s total Greenhouse Gas emissions (CO2 eq.) for 2008 were: a) 0.2 million tonnes b) 1.1 million tonnes c) 1.7 million tonnes And the answer is: c) 1.7 million tonnes, similar to the emissions of Mauritania Emissions Quiz Time!!! Q. The UN’s per capita emissions for 2008 were: a) 5.1 tonnes CO2 eq. b) 8.4 tonnes CO2 eq. c) 10.3 tonnes CO2 eq. And the answer is b) 8.4 tonnes, similar to those of an Austrian or Libyan (*Mauritania per capita emissions = 0.5 tonnes CO2 eq.) Total GHG Emissions (2008) TOTAL: 1,741,413 Tonnes CO2eq. 1800000 1600000 1400000 972,305 tonnes CO2eq 1200000 DPKO 1000000 UN system 800000 600000 400000 200000 0 769,108 tCO2eq Total GHG Emissions (2008) Total GHG Emissions (2008) UNEP: 11,754 tonnes UNIDO: 10,266 tonnes UNESCO: 24,165 tonnes UNDP: 56,230 tonnes Emissions Reductions How are we reducing our impact? • Travel (reduction, replacement (VTC), efficiency, monitoring, reporting and staff incentives…) • Facilities (new projects – UN houses, refurbishment…) • Procurement and processes (sustainable procurement – pending GA approval, e-admin, budgeting, ICT, distance work, green meetings) • Staff engagement Reductions: Travel • The Challenge – The major source of greenhouse gas emissions for all UN agencies (between 50 and 90%) • The Response – 31 agencies have implemented measures to reduce emissions from travel through reduction, replacement, efficiency, monitoring, reporting and staff incentives – SUN is working with IATN (Inter-Agency Travel Network) and JIU to reflect climate neutral issues in harmonization of travel rules Reductions: Facilities • The challenge – The second largest source of emissions (about 40%) from 530 locations around the world Reductions: Facilities • The response – UN HQ in New York is being renovated to achieve over 40% reduction in emissions – One UN buildings will showcase best practice in sustainability – Guidelines produced to assist in the purchase, design and retrofitting of the UN’s buildings – SUN is working with the interagency network of facilities managers (INFM) develop minimum sustainability criteria for all UN facilities Reductions: Procurement • The challenge – In 2008 the UN purchased goods and services worth US $13.6 billion – similar to the GDPs of Botswana and Senegal – Sustainability wasn’t always factored into the decision making process • The response – Toolkits, training and policies have been made available – Formal links made with the HLCM Procurement Network Reductions: Staff Engagement • The challenge – The UN employs over 200,000 staff, including 60,000 peacekeepers • The response – Greening the Blue provides information to UN staff – Staff are encouraged to be more sustainable in the workplace – Many organisations have established ‘green groups’ to assist with this – An increasing number of leaders are embedding sustainability in their management practices Challenges ahead • Mandates, leadership and political support • Ensuring financial and administrative systems work to support, not limit, greening efforts • Staff engagement Next steps for the UN • 2nd generation of greenhouse gas inventories • 1st generation of emission reduction plans • Agreeing an approach to offsetting • Clarifying our approach to sustainability management Case Studies [Select appropriate case studies and images from www.greeningtheblue.org/casestudies] [Your organization] What’s happened so far… • Our 2008 greenhouse gas inventory • DONE 2008 UNHQ Greenhouse Gas Inventory 43,744 44% 36,935 37% Energy Consumption at UNHQ (Electricity, Steam, Natural Gas) Energy Consumption at Leased Space (Electricity, Steam) Refrigerants Official Transport Official Air Travel 486 0% 3,096 3% 15,518 16% 105,000 tonnes CO2 eq. Our Emissions: Total UNEP UNDP UNIDO UNESCO Total emissions 11,754 tonnes 56,230 tonnes 10,266 tonnes 24,165 tonnes Emissions per capita 9.5 tonnes 4.9 tonnes 18.2 tonnes 4.8 tonnes Air travel per capita 8.2 tonnes 2.5 tonnes 10.1 tonnes 2.5 tonnes Air travel per capita 56,806 km N/A 49023 km 23,767km Office related emissions per m2 42 kg N/A 49 kg 42 kg [Your organization] Emissions Reductions Plan Get Involved • • • • • Down to Earth Less is More Switch it Off Bon Appetit Green Champions DOWN TO EARTH You don’t have to invent the EcoGlideatron3000 to cut your carbon emissions. You can just take the train instead of flying. LESS IS MORE You don’t have to go this far to reduce your use of natural resources. Simply put your publications online, instead of printing them out. SWITCH IT OFF You can’t work without electricity. But you can use less by turning everything off at the end of the day. BON APPETIT You don’t have to completely change your diet. Just eating less meat can make a big difference to the environment. GREEN CHAMPIONS You don’t have to become the office eco-bore. Instead, you can do your bit by becoming a Green Champion. For More Info: • Greening the UN www.greeningtheblue.org • EMG www.unemg.org • SUN www.unep.fr/scp/sun • Watch the movie HOME on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/ homeproject Thank you! “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead