Offsetting unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions through approved emission reduction certificates is a crucial step in the United Nations' commitment to achieving climate neutrality. In 2007, the UN Secretary-General pledged to reduce the organization's climate impact and transition towards climate neutrality, encouraging all UN entities to participate. This commitment was reaffirmed in 2015 when the UN system committed to offsetting 100% of its unavoidable emissions by 2020, with further reinforcement in the 2019 Strategy for Sustainability Management in the United Nations System, spanning 2020-2030.
To address key aspects of offsetting and achieving climate neutrality within the UN system, the Sustainable UN (SUN) Facility Team at UNEP has compiled a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on offsetting in the UN system and their answers.