Down to earth
Travel is an essential part of the jobs of many UN staff. Yet is it also responsible for 61% of the UN’s greenhouse gas emissions - 48% from air travel and the remainder from road and air travel.
The challenge facing all UN staff and organization is how to reduce our travel-related carbon-footprint without reducing the effectiveness of our work.
There are a number of ways to do this including:
- Arranging meetings in locations requiring minimum travel by delegates
- Ensuring no more than two staff from one organization travel to the same meeting
- Using local staff rather than travelling yourself
- Planning trips carefully so as to reduce the number of flights required
- Where possible, taking the train instead of the plane
- When travelling by car, providing lifts to colleagues, to reduce the number of vehicles going from A to B
It’s not just about cutting carbon emissions: a more sustainable approach to travel planning also helps to cut costs and reduce stress for staff.
A number of UN organizations have already introduced policies to help reduce the costs and carbon associated with travel. You can see some examples on the case studies page.
We’re keen to hear how you have cut your travel-related carbon emissions. Please feel free to share your tips below. Or to suggest measures the UN could introduce to make our transport more efficient.
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Did You Know?
- Travel is responsible for approximately 50% of the UN’s climate footprint. Travel also represents a major cost to the UN - over 1 US$ billion per year (Sustainable Travel in the UN, 2010)
- Emissions of anthropogenic greenhouse gases increased approximately 20% between 1990 and 2009 (Sustainable Travel in the UN, 2010)
- The airline industry transports over 1.6 billion passengers annually and contributes roughly 2% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (Sustainable Travel in the UN, 2010)
- The emissions from a return business-class trip between New York and Beijing are equivalent to 3,0 tonnes of CO2, which is 54% of the average persons emissions per year (Sustainable Travel in the UN, 2010)
- If just 1 million people replaced an 8km car trip with a bike ride once a week, CO2 emissions would be reduced by nearly 100 000 tonnes a year (Green Passport, 2010)
Additional Materials
Reports
Sustainable Travel in the UN (2010) provides guidance on what UN organizations can do to improve the sustainability of their travel. Travel is responsible for approximately 50% of the United Nations’ climate footprint and represents a major cost to UN - over 1 US$ billion per year for the collective UN family. At the same time, travel is an essential means by which the UN delivers its mandate, and often cannot be avoided.
ICAO Planetary Priorities (2009) is a journal containing articles and insights discussing the addressal of emissions from international aviation.
Towards a Low Carbon Travel & Tourism Sector (2009) examines the ways in which the Travel & ToTourism sector could reduce its impact on climate change. Current findings indicate that the Travel & Tourism sector's contribution to GHG is at 5% (global anthropogenic emissions).
Green Passport is a great website aimed at all of us travellers, who want top tips on how to make tourism a sustainable and enjoyable activity.
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Sustainable Travel in the UN
A guide to sustainable travel. Read it here.
Towards a Climate Neutral UN
The UN System's footprint and efforts to reduce it. Read it here.
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FREEDOMCAR STARTS TOMORROW IN PARIS
Be the first to know. It is a scoop for electrical cars history. Tomorrow is the opening of 33 stations able to deliver 66 bluecars. Bollore french group implementing a paying fee electrical car for 7 euros "AUTOLIB"- translate it like FREEDOMCAR.
You get half an hour of clean and environmentally friendly car in Paris. (and no noise, and also, you do not need a driving licence- Is not it too good?
(This is an analogy with the"VELOLIB -FREEDOMBICYCLE" AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL TRANSPORT IN CITIES).
So, no worry about health warning in cities or the PM10 recommendation of WHO on fine particles in cities that are going to be one of main city killers, tomorow.
This is a breakthrough project for the R & D as, if the investment is worth, it should have a huge impact on populations and quickly -now.
Invest now in local actions and one of the piece of item of the sustainable/ revolutionary development.
Please, visit http://www.francesoir.fr/actualite/societe/ile-france-autolib-sur-des-ch....
(It is in french- for full details of the implementation- use google translator for translation in english, chinese, russian, vietnamese,...)
Hi, what the companies are missing. Last time, I was in a green meeting. And I said that. What wee need is Chief Executive for sustainability. yes! I found the same idea with Joel the editor of the Green Buzz (Joel is part of my virtual team). Isn't it too bad Please, visit the following link to know more about CSO (Chief Sustainability Officer it could be also Civil Society Organization, http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2011/09/26/there-cso-your-companys-future ).
Each and every CSOs are provided with a CSO -or several in case of multinational organizations-.
So we had green champions, we still need more of them to reach the targeted goals for the MDG and Rio+ 20. Now, we also have the CSO.....and we need even more of them. As the Green Buzz article pointed out. The trend has just started in the USA...So, it is new (but maybe there more to be enroled with native and indigenous people who are born environmentalist....
My viewpoint is good willing may not be enough to get these goals right (effective)- Do we want,but also can we,.... but going beyond the sustainable development is paramount with new ideas, thinking, the whole package would make the development really revolutionary....(like when we discovered the fire, the wheel, handwritting, the ....the computer). Really CSO is the future. CSO is to be one of the new sustainable revolution...
Biggest barrier to teleworking: the boss
Assumptions about teleworking:
Are we (organizations) watching in the right direction. I am used to it often people are complaining about CO2, but are we making enough. Is it enough to switch energy sources, if one does not change organizational behavior. In, fact what I want to say, are we putting the horses before the cart.
I like the article from greenbizz saying that :
"Some 55 million workers have jobs that would be compatible with teleworking at least part of the time, but just 2.9 million work primarily from home, or 2.3 percent. If 50 million potential telecommuters were allowed to work off-site on a regular basis, they would save a combined $900 billion annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51 million metric tons per year, about the equivalent of the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 33 million vehicles."
Here are the 2 links to get full details of the report:
Link 1: http://www.workshifting.com/downloads/downloads/Telework-Trends-US.pdf
Link 2: http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2011/06/29/biggest-barrier-telecommuting-bo...
(Biggest barrier to teleworking: the boss)
I put a new comment on how Eucalyptus forest can reduce quickly CO2 in the atmosphere.
Please,visit this link to know more about it.
http://www.bracelpa.org.br/bra/noticias/COP15-Planted-forests-vital-alli...
The little story is that Eucalyptus forests could save the world (Ref.: Maxiscience online).
Take for instance greening the Sahara and the Australian desert with Eucalyptus forests. Therefore, no need to wait one century or two to clear the atmosphere of all the GHGs (CO, CO2,...) by the time we agree on reducing oil consumptions.
Recipe for changes: What is needed according to Maxiscience is planting the eucalyptus forests in the deserts (Sahara and Australia) and supply water to grow these forests and that is set.....
Personnally, I do not suggest to use desalination plants to provide water from the sea -as the process is not sustainable, but instead diverting water from water rich/wealthy countries (Sweden, France,...flood prone regions, countries with huge lakes or rivers from equatorial countries...). So, the water supplies are stabilized to grow the eucalyptus forests and of course, as the article suggested, water would be transported from sources to deserts with pipelines. (The pipeline idea is already on for gases that travel long distances from Russia, Ukraine to European cities to provide households with domestic energies....
It is an idea, but if, this gross idea is workable and there are 100% chance to remove CO2 in the air within a few years - and not a century when we have stopped using oil, if so...
Why not try these Eucalyptus forests now and greening the Sahara and the Australian deserts is our best option if we don't want to leave a nasty atmosphere to the future generations.
1-US president Obama clean energy and environment act. One cannot say US president does not great ideas for the future planet sustainability . Here is a link to find out more about the US energy recovery act to reduce US domestic economy from oil dependancies on external imports ie http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/energy-and-environment
2-As the US is using 20% of the world oil consumption and unable to produce more than 1% -2% of its own domestic consumption, to find the new deal for tomorrow US energy and country development, US president Obama went to visit a fellow country ie Brasil. Biofuel are plenty and biofuels are sources of energy -Brazil, used already over 50% of sugarcane wastes -not, the pulp or the sugar juice, but the waste like the sugar cane skin....- and it is a model for energy source of development said US President Obama. In America, there are already jets, aircrafts,... that are flying with biofuels with no performance losses -no difference in performance between oil and biofuels as a source of enrgy to power aircrafts,...and so on. So, for US president "it is good" to have a blend of energy to ensure security in supply, reduce CO2 emmissions and GHGs,....
3- The advantage of the real biofuels is that it is not competing with human foods for feeding people, and as I read it from a chinese researcher, a manures, animal and human waste or dungs can give biofuels. Starting with pigs....So, biofuel as a source os sustainable energy looks promising. But, how long it will take to move from the tradtional energy grid which is basically oil, intermadiate energies,...including nuclear energies -with all these risks we know about to friendly energies may be a matter of strategy of supplies.
Perhaps, ask people not to drive cars by UN buildings and organize the space for walkers around, shopping or entertainment. If this hasn't been done yet. Specially, by rivers....and so on.
Two urgent actions:
1. End the unnecessary use of 4-wheel drive vehicles by UN staff, e.g. driving around in towns and cities. Use electric bicycles in New York and other safe cites (the ICRC has electric bikes available for staff in Geneva).
2. End business class travel and staying in 5-star hotels. The only time in my life when I ever stayed in a 5-star hotel and flew business class was when working for the UN. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and INGOs such as Save the Children do not use business class.
Hi, there was recently a sustainable development meeting in N.Y. and California with top world sustainable satakeholders.
As I get caught in the continent and being in the impossibility to fly, but instead preferring the retreat of 6th International Dam engineering conference -14-17th Feb.2011 in Portugal organized by LNEC, which is not too bad, as dam engineering is safer and more sustainable today -and tomorrow-
Anyway, the Greenbizz editor Joel gives the report online-
please visit this link for the future of sustainability in the business world
http://www.greenbiz.com/state-green-business-2011/download/thank-you
Also, as I am a perpetuity member with Intermediate technology development group (ITDG),they also have a small section for practical tools and strategy with appropriate technologies either for dams like mobile dams and/or the general sustainability principle according to Dr. Schumacher (Small is beautifull)-
Myself, I see big and small.
Hi! I don't know if they got autolib in New-York. Perhaps If you cannot tell I go and check next year.
Anyway,in Paris, Metro the free popular newspaper advetised the coming very soon of the first network of electrical car by the group Bollore that is direct shareholders of the Direct Matin buisness electrical cars.
We use to have electrical bicycle (Velo Libre from Decaud firm, which is always making lots of sanitation and toilettes of adverts (in European cities)
The car is nice blue -it is called Bluecar- 3.65 meters looks, like a citroen, under the design of famous Italian Pinifarina
The network, which is supposed to start the car rental service will beging April,25,2011.
This car can make 250 km wthout recharging batteries, will be build in Breizh and reaches 60km/h in 6.3 seconds.
It is a 4 seats car assisted with a GPS navigation.
The principle of borrowing these cheap rental car is working on the same principle of the underground passes with day, week, tourists or family trip fees.
France has the best underground and the cheapest one. So, expect to pay 12 euros per month or 144 euros per year ($100 for a whole electrical bluecar environtally safer for a whole year.
If you go on the google and visit www.directmatin.net I believe the online description of the newspaper may give full description of this wonderfull electrical cars- Perhaps for UN staffs that are afraid to bike and prefer to crisp on cars and 4 seat drives maybe they can make it safely now without worrying about the satus of the atmospherse.
Drivers behaviors may be another way to reduce oil consumption on road.
I did not study this benefits but as I remember when I passed my driving licence, this maybe between 5% and 10% saving.
How many of us as a driver leave in the drawer what we have learned previously at the driving school.
For exemple, I observed that few drivers pay attention to the engine regime before they are on the road. For exemple warming the engine could be easier while driving instead in the car park, or when at the traffic light junctions...
Small savings multiply by million cars make a great jack pot.
Also, inflating the tires or the car loads, etc.
Co-voiturage ie sharing cars to go to work or elsewhere (leisure,...) with a willing to cut on costs and CO2 emmisions, while at the same time making friends.
Here is the basic recipe:
1-one needs to organize a community around a website that can map users of your cars (for example an internet link or a phone line, so drivers can meet users).
2-registration on the car driver database/book address (also, use of google map to locate the car journey and car users on the trip. Detail of on the registrar: name, phone number,...email, etc.
3- when the car driver is moving, he has to inform you of his propective trip.
4- call him/her the day of the trip, so he can pick you up (like a cab).
Conclusion:
Here we are sharing cars is working and you reduce bottlenecks on roads and have a friendly journey.First get your community on (and build up the data base in your trip location
Still going on up to Oct.17th,2010, the international car show room in Paris. Manufacturers (Renault, Peugeot, Ford, Volkswagen, Ford,...and others) are advertising these new electrical cars (either hybrid or 100% electrical). It is just a show off before mass commercialization in your local store. So, citizens themselves can have access to new style lives very soon, if not now.
A survey showed that if price of these new car generations were at the same levels of traditional cars, there would be a change in- buying- behaviors. For nearly 70% of users, the trend would be to buy electrical cars now. There no real issues with electrical car electrical power supplies, as I believe -like the survey showed- most car users travel a daily distance, which is roughly less 25 miles per day and most of these new cars have travel distance before electrical refills that is 100 miles.
If one follow economic laws, the more buyers, the cheaper market prices of these new electrical cars.
Forum for cars in Paris, form 2 Oct. to 17 Oct. 2010.
More suggestions for greening the earth with smaller cars, using new tyres (silica instead carbon), and materials (carbon fiber)
It is intersting what we are making like finding noises for cars and using new materials like carbon fibers (discovery at the car show in Paris now).
Also, happy that airline companies are less polluting than others, still new readings let show the reverse (apparently).
I am just thinking to the fact that renewable energies are not bad, but it is not that all. The primary concern with transport systems is the freedom to move.
Various energy sources and indifferently either oil, sun or wind would not work if we are not allow to cross borders at ease (air, sea and land) because of conflicts, visas...
Also, accessing to roads with cars may not be the first priority. Why not develop, train commutation system, that are faster, cheaper and collective means of transportation ?
The bicycle could be in the car (or train like in Danemark), the car in the train...an example is the eurotunnel between France and UK.
Last example, it may be more profitable to combine train and car rental system in cities. For instance, one would travel from long distances by train and booking a car to travel in cities. Multinational like Hertz,...do well this job and the more customers the cheaper the rental....So, there may not be so much use to develop wind or sun power stations, which obviously is today the main resistance to changes
Happy to see UN making a new trip around the world for environmentally friendly energy sources like wind and sun.
Allusion making to the car intermediate energy powered trip starting from Geneva and...It is supposed to make a trip round the world to demonstrate that the use of a world with less CO2 is worth it and feasible.
Also these trip are technically feasible of course, they are. My concern is there are plenty people making trip by bike around the world and sometimes it look faster than to move within a town with your own car to go to work.
East Africa by bike is 3 month journey. China same and so on. Adding to these technical prowesses and energy challenges either human or intermediate, there is a fact to travel distances, one need power stations of course and also removing barriers to trade between countries to allow these great distance trips. Georges.
Yeeh! Maybe, also as long as the price of oil is cheap nobody refrains to drive cars powered with gas/oil.
The ways to go green instead down to Earth is:
Low down their emissions by using communication,ride a bike to work,use public transport,when necessary go walk to work,encourage them to ride a carpool or hybrid car and ask he or she to manage you to make work at home.
That is the way to go green instead of down to Earth.
Yeeh!
It is not about being all against the oil society it is about taking these new opportunities that offer the environmental friendly. I think speed matter and also agreements and willing to change not because we are frightened. We are of course! but we should be much more motivate in new opportunities and lifestyle outside a non guarenteed 100% oil society. And about being motivated better than be frightened their are good case in psychology. We are better motivate that deep in in us we have come into contact approach the sustainable development. Change is much easier for those who believe in it and have experienced it than for those who are still reacting and opposing.
There are many great suggestions on how to reduce our carbon footprint in traveling, but ultimately, many still travel by air to attend the various conferences and meetings held by the UN.
Perhaps a better solution is to provide avenues on this site for people to directly contribute to carbon sequestering projects to compensate for their flights? For example, there can be a function on this site for people to pay for a tree to be planted to reduce their carbon impact of having flown to attend a UN conference. There can also be a section to provide links to UN-supported projects so that people can also support biodiversity conservation projects or any others.
Sequestrating carbon with trees would be good. Isn't it.
What we neded to make is just planting trees and greening the earth. Starting from, the house, the street, the city and the countryside.
Perhaps, one need some kind of incentives to make so.
Increasing wages of tree workers.
Telecommuting for staff is an important part of this initiative. Staff who can take advantage of working from home according to the UN telecommuting guidelines should be encouraged to do so. Managers who are still hesistant should not be briefed on these further priveleges and mandated to grant them to the appropriate staff. The concept can be mutually rewarding with the appropriate supervision and management. Not only does it help with car and rail emissions, but on the UN site, it saves on energy derived from the use of computers, lighting, fans in the summer, printers, copiers etc. This is a sure fire way of the UN assisting its staff to go green. One idea is also to get staff to "share" workspace. If one staff works at a station for three days, and telecommutes for two days while another staff makes use of their station.
The third line should read "...hesitant should be briefed on these.."
Your correction is right. These managers and supervisors need to be trained. From their inital education to their adult education.
Is there any resource allocations and incentives for this? What about CEO that are not trained and are leading company strategical development.
Also, I believe in one way, we are all managers of our life and environment. It is up to us to decide what we want, I believe. Perhaps, we need to lobby more but is it the solution (when we know that lobbying groups like oil companies are very powerfull. So, how do you change. perhaps, taking opportunity, like crisis to reverse trends and take new directions...
I would be happy to bike to work, and I know that a number of my colleagues would be too. However, there is an unresolved issue of parking or leaving bicycles at Albano Building, and no one wants anything to happen to their bicycle while it is left unattended on a street for the whole workday. I would even take it to our floor and leave it in my room if it were permitted. We all are looking forward to the arrangements made for storing our bikes in the building.
Dear friend, there more opportunities in riding a bicycle whatever the conditions are as long as you are willing to (and even when your life is at risk, it may be the best option. Look at street cops today, why do they ride bicycles instead. Yes, really, bikes could be a healthier and sustainable way to do the un job as long as people can plan their trips an be disciplined to go to bed early and clean the bike and can maintain and repair it. ABOUT WEIGHT
Some bikes are very light and very strong (with shimano parts, for instance. UN Offices could be organized to get them in special rooms if parking is unsafe. Also, it is so nice to see world hesritage, get fun, enjoy the weather, network, get a career ...AND SON.
ANYWAY, afraid to loose the bike, get the best locker (number 10 AND not 2. Cheers GS
In most of the countries the option of electric vehicle over the vehicle driven by fossil fuel are available. Frequent out-go of electricity at home in many developing countries discourage the staff member to buy electric vehicle which increases the carbon foot print while commuting to and from work. In order to encourage electric vehicle use, UN should allow all staff members to charge their vehicles while they are parked at office. Expenses incurred toward charing vehicles should be absorbed by office as an incentives to the staff members.
Also, all UN offices in cities, not for field missions, should only have either hybrid or electric driven vehicles which are used for office work.
This way we could reduce significant amount of CO2 and also create awarness in different part of world through good advocacy.
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