United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
www.unesco.org
HQ: Paris, France
Number of staff: 5,393
Number of locations: 64
Key figures*
Total emissions: 21,728 tonnes CO2 equivalent
Emissions per staff member: 4.0 tonnes CO2 equivalent
Emissions from air travel: 5,615 tonnes CO2 equivalent
Air travel as a proportion of total emissions: 26%
Air travel per staff member: 1.0 tonnes CO2
Building-related emissions: 33.2 kg CO2 equivalent per square metre
* HQ update only
(2010 data updated for available locations and sources)
"Limiting climate change requires a change of deep-rooted behaviours and a collective effort involving every individual. UNESCO promotes sustainability and is examining critically its greenhouse gas emissions so as to reduce the Organisation's carbon footprint."
Irina Gueorguieva Bokova, Director-General, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Director-General's Message
“Limiting climate change requires a change of deep-rooted behaviours and a collective effort involving every individual. UNESCO promotes sustainability and is examining critically its greenhouse gas emissions so as to reduce the Organisation's carbon footprint. At the UNFCCC’s COP-13 in Bali, UNESCO joined the UN-wide effort towards climate neutrality in internal operations. In 2007, the Organization commissioned a Green Audit of its Headquarters. UNESCO’s 2008 greenhouse gas emissions inventory provided baseline data against which future progress will be measured. Subsequent greenhouse gas emissions inventory exercises in 2009 and 2010 provided further data, and UNESCO is now developing an emissions reduction strategy for early implementation.”
Irina Bokova
Mission
As a specialized agency of the United Nations, UNESCO contributes to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.
Experience so far
Building renovations have led to savings in energy usage in heating and ventilation, and travel has been reduced, with greater use of video and teleconference facilities. Administrative and financial rules are being changed to reduce higher emissions-generating business class air travel and to prioritize train travel where appropriate. Small carbon gain policies like paper recycling and own cup usage in canteens are very visible and have high symbolic value for staff.
Reduction efforts
UNESCO has been involved in Climate Neutrality initiatives since 2007, and has undertaken two Green Audits – in December 2007 on 2006 greenhouse gas emissions for HQ and in December 2008 to assess compliance with ISO 14001 requirement on emissions at HQ. Concrete actions implemented include:
1. Building renovations leading to environmental improvements (more efficient heating and ventilation systems in particular)
2. Multi-functional energy-efficient copier-printers were purchased in 2008, and IT supplies sourced from environmentally acceptable suppliers
3. At the end of 2008 a paper recycling system was introduced in offices at HQ
4. Reductions in staff restaurant prices when bringing personal cups (reducing waste on plastic cups) were agreed after negotiations between the Greening UNESCO Voluntary Group and the restaurant operator.
5. Travel costs have been reduced, with greater use of videoconference and teleconference facilities and a more rigorous approach to travel by multiple members of staff to the same events. Train travel for short distances is being prioritized and business class air travel reduced, and travel policy and administrative rules are being revised accordingly.
Offsetting
UNESCO is committed to following the UN strategy on climate neutrality agreed at the 2007 CEB Meeting. UNESCO’s first choice is to seek to reduce its emissions wherever possible rather than simply buying offsets. As some travel is inevitable and necessary to fulfill UNESCO’s mission, the purchase of carbon credits will, subject to Governing Bodies/Member States’ approval, be considered as a last resort once all other means of reducing emissions have been tried - including efforts to earn carbon credits rather than buy them. Any carbon credits purchased on the carbon trading market would meet Clean Development Mechanism standards. No specific purchases of carbon credits are yet planned, but likely costs have been identified and will be considered in forward financial and operational planning.
Next steps
Based on the results of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories, UNESCO was able to identify where emissions reductions need to be made - primarily from more intelligent travel and greater use of videoconferencing, although more efficient operation of buildings and facilities, particularly in the field, will play a part. An emissions reduction target of 5% per annum through to 2013 has been set, to be achieved in a variety of ways in the following main areas:
• Travel
• Energy usage
• Operational processes
• Organizational culture
Mechanisms for purchasing Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) carbon credits to cancel out UNESCO’s greenhouse gas emissions will be studied in parallel with the exploration of all possibilities for UNESCO to earn rather than purchase carbon credits.
UNESCO’s Emissions Reduction Strategy is based on developing a comprehensive Climate Neutral Policy including the implementation from 2012 of a Sustainability Management System (SMS), in line with current UN System proposals and as called for in the Green Audit. The SMS will entail a number of actions, including (i) continued updating of travel policies in the Administrative Manual and Staff Rules to reflect new environmental realities and international climate management concerns, (ii) green procurement strategies and (iii) making staff more aware of how to reduce emissions themselves. The SMS will be coordinated and monitored by the UNESCO Sustainability Management Focal Point with the support of contact persons in all organizational units at and away from HQ.
The Greening UNESCO Voluntary Group, a forum for inter-sectoral discussion and organization-wide coordination of ‘green’ activities set up by interested and concerned staff, will continue working to make staff aware of how their personal actions and decisions can have a positive impact on UNESCO’s carbon footprint.
