United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)
www.UNRWA.org
HQ: Amman, Jordan and Gaza
Focal Point: Elia Marconi, Head of Policy & Compliance Monitoring, Central Support Services Division and Georgi Stickels, Senior Environment Manager
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
COMMISSIONER GENERAL'S MESSAGE
“The UNRWA Environmental Sustainability Policy is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. It recognizes the vital role of a healthy environment in enabling Palestine Refugees to fulfill their human development potential.
The policy underlines our commitment to mainstreaming environmental sustainability across our operations and within Palestine Refugee communities.
We are adding more course content related to environmental sustainability in our schools and adult training centres, for example, on how to install renewable energy systems and maintain electric and hybrid vehicles.
We are also adopting procurement practices that will enable our operations to consume less energy and water and create less waste.
We will continue incorporating greener design in our schools, health centres and other buildings, with double glazing, insulated walls, low energy lighting and renewable energy systems, wherever the budget allows.
Finally, we will train and raise awareness among our staff, so that we can all contribute to a more sustainable UNRWA and a healthier environment for Palestine refugees.”
Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner General
MISSION
UNRWA provides assistance and protection for more than five million registered Palestine refugees to help them achieve their full potential in human development. The Agency’s services encompass education, health care, camp infrastructure improvement, microfinance, emergency assistance, relief and social services, in times of peace as well as conflict.
FIELD OFFICES
UNRWA operates field offices in the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with headquarters in Amman, East Jerusalem and Gaza City.
As of 31 December, 2022, UNRWA also operated 706 schools, 140 heath centres, and other support installations including social services offices; vocational training centres and teacher training colleges, area and camp services offices; water pumping facilities, warehouses and assistance distribution offices. In all, UNRWA operated 977 installations in 2022. These are located in and around 58 official Palestine refugee camps in the Agency’s fields of operation. Further details available online: https://www.unrwa.org/where-we-work
ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT IN THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM, 2020–2030
UNRWA’s Strategic Plan 2023-2028 recognises that sustainable development is inextricably linked to the right to a healthy environment, and undertakes to enhance environmental sustainability in Agency operations and in the broader Palestine refugee community as a cross-cutting issue.
UNRWA’s Environmental Sustainability Policy (2022) further articulates the Agency’s commitment to environmental sustainability while providing the framework and overarching principles to guide the mainstreaming of environmental sustainability considerations into UNRWA interventions at Agency Headquarters and the five fields of operation. The policy also commits UNRWA to systematic and continuous improvement in providing sound environmental stewardship and efficient use of natural resources. It is aligned with the Strategy for Sustainability Management in the United Nations System 2020-2030 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In 2022, UNRWA has begun development of an implementation plan for the policy, which will encompass strategic, operational and programmatic activities, as well as staff awareness and training. The implementation plan is being mapped against the Strategy for Sustainability Management in the UN System 2020-2030 to capture interagency commitments, and will include accountabilities, timelines and resource requirements. Implementation will be coordinated by a new Environmental Sustainability unit with dedicated specialist staff.
UNRWA has also released in 2022 an Environmental and Social Management Framework, to facilitate the screening, categorization and management of environmental and social sustainability impacts associated with infrastructure and camp improvement works, detailed below under safeguarding procedures.
Annual updates on progress in environmental sustainability mainstreaming are published in a dedicated section of UNRWA’s Annual Operational Report
EMISSIONS REDUCTION
UNRWA has installed more than 160 small solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on its schools, health centres and other facilities, with a total installed capacity of more than 1,500 kilowatts (kWp). During 2022, solar PV systems were installed at 11 health centres in Jordan and Syria, ten schools in Jordan, Syria and the West Bank, and several Agency installations at refugee camps in Gaza and Lebanon to support the continued operation of water pumps.
UNRWA also signed agreements with two partners to generate solar electricity for five schools in the West Bank. Three of these schools will also be equipped with solar powered water purification systems.
The Agency is also developing a 3 MW solar PV project in Jordan. Known as a ‘wheeling station’, the project will meet approximately 70 percent of the electricity needs for the Agency’s facilities in Jordan, generating an estimated 5.1 million kWh per year of green electricity and reducing emissions by an estimated 2,700 tonnes of CO2e.
Over the past decade, many newly constructed schools and health centres have included double glazing and double walling, as well as considering building orientation, natural ventilation and lighting and energy efficient electrical fixtures, wherever possible. Ongoing efforts to replace older light fittings with LED lights have saved an estimated 55,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, and 36 tonnes of greenhouse gas (tCO2e).
EMS and Reduction efforts
For the 2022 reporting year, UNRWA’s progress on the EMS is rated as: Approaches.
ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS AND STANDARDS IN POLICIES, PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES
UNRWA’s new Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), mandates the incorporation of environmental and social sustainability principles into all Agency-supported construction, rehabilitation and camp improvement works. Drawing on leading global standards, including those of the World Bank, the ESMF establishes a clear and practical process to screen, categorise and manage environmental and social sustainability impacts during all stages of the project cycle. The ESMF also codifies requirements for consultation with affected stakeholders and includes a grievance mechanism to address community concerns.
UNRWA is planning to integrate safeguarding procedures for sustainability issues including environment, into a revision of its programme management manual, due for completion in 2023.
For the 2022 reporting year, UNRWA’s status of implementing environmental and social safeguards and standards in their policies, projects and programmes is: In progress.
ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING FOR PERSONNEL
In 2022, field-based construction staff in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria were trained on the practical application of the ESMF.
UNRWA is committed to developing a comprehensive programme of environmental training and awareness raising activities, to support implementation of the new Environmental Sustainability Policy. This is expected to include the UN Greening the Blue tutorial, including facilitating its translation into Arabic.
UNRWA’s programme will build on past campaigns such as leveraging World Environment Day to promote environmentally sustainable behaviour in selected thematic areas.
Education and awareness campaigns for Palestine Refugees living in camps, such as recycling awareness and waste services information, will continue, together with ad-hoc initiatives in UNRWA schools and training centres.
For the 2022 reporting year, UNRWA’s status on providing training on environmental sustainability is Yes, and it is voluntary.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
UNRWA is taking action to reduce waste from its own key installations, and to expand waste reporting activities to deliver a comprehensive waste inventory.
In 2022, the Agency reduced paper waste through increasing the use of e-signatures, avoiding the need to print documents.
Recycling schemes were continued by all field offices, with almost 6 tonnes of paper recycled in Jordan and 16,200 kg of paper and 1,800 kg of plastic waste recycled in Gaza.
UNRWA also manages solid waste collection services at official camps for Palestine Refugees, and in 2022 collected more than 56,000 metric tonnes of waste.
WATER AND WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT
UNRWA provides water connection and wastewater management services at all 58 camps for Palestine Refugees.
The Agency is working to establish a comprehensive water inventory, while also improving water management.
As of the end of 2022, UNRWA has connected 94 per cent of shelters in camps to official sewerage networks. Progress in achieving 100 per cent connection has been hampered by lack of financial resources.
During 2022 the Agency incorporated water harvesting systems into renovated schools in Gaza, Jordan and Lebanon. Water networks in all fields were upgraded to reduce losses from water leaks.
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES
UNRWA supports skills training for Green Economy employment through its TVET programme, providing courses in servicing of hybrid vehicles, energy efficiency and renewable energy, among others.
In 2022, UNRWA established gardening and tree planting activities in schools in three camps in Syria. In Jordan, 48 schools and 10 health centres implemented green spaces, including shading, seating and garden beds. In addition, Earth Day was celebrated through a drawing competition in 80 UNRWA schools, with 859 students taking part.
Clean-up and recycling campaigns were conducted in Agency schools in Damascus and rural Syria.
NEXT STEPS
UNRWA’s next steps will be elaborated in the implementation plan for the Environmental Sustainability Policy, described above, supported by dedicated environmental staff in a new unit established in 2023.
The Agency is committed to updating its environmental inventory to drive evidence based decision making in sustainability and to achieve full alignment with the UN Common Boundary, across all environmental aspects.
Projects planned for 2023 include further energy efficiency retrofitting and integration of green building design and construction, where funds permit, exploration of mechanisms for energy auditing and an energy information system to monitor energy consumption. Additional on-site solar PV systems for UNRWA installations are planned, also subject to funding.
Ongoing leak detection and repair, additional water harvesting projects and water recycling pilots are planned for 2023, as part of ongoing efforts to improve the quality of both water supply and wastewater management for camps inhabited by Palestine refugees.
Detailed guidance to support mainstreaming of sustainable procurement practices are anticipated during 2023 and the Agency has committed to phasing out single use plastics, to the extent possible, from field and HQ offices.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
UNRWA Environmental Sustainability Policy