UN Climate Change Conference(COP 24): Leading international organizations takes oath for Climate Neutrality

Katowice Dec 13: At the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 24) in Poland, the fifteen international organizations jointly announced a commitment to make their operations climate neutral. The organizations will measure their greenhouse gas emissions, reduce them as much as possible and compensate the currently unavoidable ones with credible carbon credits.

With over 2 million tons of CO2 per year in emissions, and more than 50,000 staff, the action by these organization itself an example for society.

 

Some of the participating organizations have already achieved climate neutrality, while others are getting started now. others were advanced in their sustainability strategy and are now going further by committing to go all the way to climate neutrality.

The international organizations that announced their commitment to climate neutrality are Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Secretariat, Common Markets for Eastern and Southern Africa Secretariat (COMESA),Eastern Africa Development Bank (EADB), Western Africa Development Bank (BOAD), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Pacific Community, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, European Investment Bank (EIB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) and World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

‘Greening the Blue’ is UN campaign designed to support the move towards environmental sustainability. Working with all UN organisations, Greening the Blue seeks to engage staff across the UN and share best practice internally and externally. It also publishes the annual Greening the Blue report, which details the UN system's environmental footprint and efforts being taken for the reduction.

Some of the actions that these organizations are implementing to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions include the installation of solar photovoltaic systems, policies for reduction of air travel, upgrading of insulation and lighting systems in buildings, reduction of the amount of paper used at conferences, installation of efficient cooling systems, promotion of car-pooling schemes among employees, establishment of sustainable procurement policies, and enhanced collection and recycling of waste, among many others.

The ambition is that other international organizations will join this commitment in the near future, helping multiply the message of the importance of taking immediate action at all levels of society to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.