International Organizations | 2050Today

UNICC – United Nations International Computing Centre

Giulia Brocco — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:02:59 +0000

UNICC – United Nations International Computing Centre

Signatory institution of the 2050Today Charter

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Contribution to climate action

coming soon

Thematic actions

Biodiversity

coming soon

Energy

coming soon

Food

coming soon

Mobility

coming soon

Sustainable IT

coming soon

Waste management

coming soon

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

It takes into account the amount of the consumed electricity produced and purchased by the institution. The energy consumed to heat and/or cool the institution’s building area and the consumed water are included as well.

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

It has to be noted that the collected data of the 2050Today members resulting in each carbon footprint are not yet fully standardized and might not be entirely complete. Data collection is being progressively harmonized and improved. Therefore, direct comparisons between tCO2 / employee among institutions – be it in general or per sector – are not yet possible nor relevant.

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint is being calculated and will be published here in due course

The post UNICC – United Nations International Computing Centre first appeared on 2050Today.

HD – Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 19:29:39 +0000

HD – Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue

Signatory institution of the 2050Today Charter - ACTION PLAN adopted

The HD - Centre's climate Plan in a nutshell

GHG Reduction Objective by 2030 : - 15%

by implementing its climate action Plan, the United Nations Office in Geneva aims to reduce its overall GHG emissions (from 2023 levels) by 15%

ENERGY emissions reduction ≤ 35%

Actions completed in 2024 : 24

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 22

MOBILITY emissions reduction ≤ 15%

Actions completed in 2024 : 8

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 12

Contribution to climate action

The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) is a non-profit organisation with the mission to help prevent, mitigate and resolve armed conflict through dialogue and mediation. It was founded on the principles of humanity, impartiality and independence, and strives towards comprehensive and inclusive peace agreements that reduce the human suffering caused by war and create the conditions for stability and development.

HD’s Environmental Policy

HD fully considers climate change as a threat to global security and a driver of conflicts. HD is committed to reducing any negative environmental impacts of our operations and aims to ensure climate and environmental commitments become an integral part of our day-to-day activities.

HD’s capacity to maintain a rapid, flexible and efficient response in pursuit of our mission to prevent, resolve and mitigate armed conflicts is an essential part of our operational model.

At the same time, we take seriously the importance and long-term benefits of becoming a more environmentally sustainable organisation.

That is why HD has developed an Environmental Policy and takes concrete action to help reduce the organisation’s climate and environmental footprint.

Thematic actions

Biodiversity

HD is located in a protected park owned by the City of Geneva.

Energy

Discussions are ongoing with our host, the City of Geneva, to have a heat pump installed, increase the energetic envelope of the office, and have solar panels installed on our roof.

Food

HD sources locally produced food for its Swiss meetings and if possible vegetarian meals.

Mobility

HD has adapted its travel policy to encourage environmentally friendly forms of travel and commuting. To compensate for our unavoidable CO2 emissions, HD has adopted an institutional carbon offset program, signing a partnership with the Swiss-based organization myclimate.

As one of the world’s leaders in voluntary CO₂ compensation, the myclimate initiative comes with the highest available standards and verifications globally.

Sustainable IT

HD is doing it’s best to use the most efficient equipment and recycling of IT items.

Waste management

HD contacted companies to recycle paper and glass. Domestic waste is taken care of locally in Geneva.

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

The post HD – Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue first appeared on 2050Today.

ITU – International Telecommunication Union

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 14:37:37 +0000

ITU – International Telecommunication Union

Contribution to climate action

The ITU leads efforts to align information and communication technologies (ICTs) with climate goals, working with 193 Member States and 900+ partners to foster a climate-neutral ICT industry and sustainable development while committing to internal climate action. The ITU is addressing climate change from within in line with UN-wide “Greening the Blue” commitments to ‘walk the talk’. Reducing negative environmental impacts is an ongoing effort for the ITU and several actions have been undertaken throughout the past years including digitizing paper processes, virtualizing ICT servers, and strengthening virtual meetings and remote participation capabilities.

Through the ‘ITU Environmental Sustainability Statement’, in 2020, the ITU started to implement an Environmental Management System (EMS), with the aim of establishing a coherent approach towards sustainability management across the organization and systematically integrate environmental sustainability long-term into ITU’s internal practices. In the context of the EMS, the ITU developed an EMS Targets and Action Plan 2020-2030, with reduction targets and activities, in line with the first UN Strategy for Environmental Sustainability 2020-2030.

Additionally, to assess and improve the performance of ITU’s existing buildings, a methodology for assessing and scoring of sustainability performance of office buildings will be implemented (Recommendation ITU-T L.1371). Also works on Circular and Sustainable Public Procurement for ICTs has been developed, including Recommendation ITU-T L.1061.

The 2022 Plenipotentiary Conference, ITU’s highest policy-making body, included the commitment to environmental sustainability in the Union’s Strategic Plan for 2024-2027. That same year, the ‘ITU Environmental Sustainability Policy’ was adopted.

Thematic actions

Energy

The ITU Headquarters’ electricity is derived solely from renewable sources and the HQ employs innovative building cooling systems, using water from the local Lac Leman. While a large part of the ITU HQ premises has been renovated to limit electrical consumption, the current focus lies on the project for a new headquarters building. The new building will be linked to the SIG GeniLac project, while engaging in the recycling of heat from data centres and promoting the use of solar panels on the roof to enhance the sustainability of the overall construction. ITU advocates for energy best practices, encompassing preventative maintenance, regular assessments, energy management plans with behavioural, technological, and managerial enhancements, along with written, confidence-inspiring energy reduction targets. ITU has been actively participating in “La Nuit est Belle” to raise awareness of the issues of light pollution, as well as to add its efforts to initiatives from greater Geneva.

Food

ITU includes food consumption data in the information provided for the annual GHG inventory report, in collaboration with its catering provider in HQ. ITU also encourages its catering provider to engage and participate in 2050Today initiatives such as the competition “A Table” which was for the first time open to international organisations in 2023. A table is a gastronomic competition which runs for 4 weeks, where a large number of restaurants, in town and country, are making a commitment to healthy, local, high-quality food that respects our planet. With food accounting for between 20% and 30% of our environmental impact, we need to favour diets that promote locality, seasonality and biodiversity and limit the impact on climate change.

By taking part in the event, the restaurant is making every effort to comply with the following points:

Demonstrate maximum traceability for all products used, whether local or not
Offer as many local, regional and artisanal products as possible
Use as many seasonal, diverse and organic products as possible
Promote plant-based products and innovate with vegetarian suggestions
Demonstrate originality and creativity
Give maximum visibility to the competition

During the 4 weeks of the competition, the restaurants are judged anonymously by tester from the a table competition.

Sustainable IT

The ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, establishes targets relating to increasing the e-waste global recycling rate and to raise the percentage of countries with an e-waste legislation, as well as to continue taking appropriate measures within the Union in order to contribute to the reduction of the carbon footprint and leverage insights regarding the efficiency of online practices developed during the COVID-19 pandemic (e. g. paperless meetings, videoconferences, etc.).

Waste management

In an effort to improve waste management at ITU HQ, waste recycling stations have been put in place. They collect paper, plastic bottles and non-recyclable waste and can be found centrally on every floor to reduce the amount of unsorted waste from individual office bins. In recent years, many paper processes have been digitized. and there is also no longer paper wasted from publications as quantities are only printed on request. In addition, ITU has implemented various steps towards paperless conferences, this has led to three of the largest ITU conferences, organized in 2022, being virtually paper-smart. While ITU reduces the use of plastic bottles via water dispensers, since 2020 also plastic cups provided next to the dispensers were removed from staff floors and one free reusable water bottle was provided to all staff members to kick-off ITU’s single-plastic free journey. Single-use plastic has also been reduced through several initiatives with the ITU HQ catering provider. As such, plastic cups are replaced with glasses during key lunch hours and the amount of disposable food containers has been reduced by offering reusable containers from ReCircle. In the ITU HQ buildings pressure reducers were installed across the entire network, and automatic taps have been fitted in the Montbrillant building toilets. These cut water use by 50 percent compared with push taps. In addition, the ITU recommends a green cleaning programme to be implemented for all buildings with certified products and sustainability training for the staff.

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

The post ITU – International Telecommunication Union first appeared on 2050Today.

UNDP – United Nations Development Programme, Geneva Office

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 13:45:24 +0000

UNDP – United Nations Development Programme, Geneva Office

UNDP is committed to being green, sustainable, and just. UNDP is already climate neutral in its global operations since 2015 and we have a corporate “Greening Moonshot” committing the entire organization to reduce GHG emissions by 50% by 2030. In this context, the UNDP Geneva Office is also committed to find and implement best practices and we value our participation in the local Swiss-led 2050 Initiative to explore how we can do more and get inspired by other Geneva based institutions.

Agi Veres, Director, UNDP Geneva Office

Contribution to climate action

UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. UNDP advocates for change, and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.

The UNDP Office in Geneva plays a crucial role in the organization’s global mission, serving as a key liaison with Geneva-based organizations and the governments of France and Switzerland. This strategic position enables the office to facilitate international cooperation and enhance global development efforts, significantly contributing to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Emissions reduction

UNDP leads on climate action by example. Through both reductions and offsetting the remainder, global UNDP operations are climate neutral since 2015.

In order to speed up emission reduction efforts, UNDP matched its commitment to supporting countries on raising climate ambition through their national climate pledges (i.e. the “Climate Promise”), with its own pledge for greater ambition. In August 2019, Administrator Achim Steiner launched the Greening Moonshot, committing the Organization to:

1. Reduce GHG emissions from UNDP operations 25% by 2025 and 50% by 2030.
2. Implement the best waste management in all UNDP premises.
3. Minimize the use of resources.

Building on years of advancing environmental management throughout UNDP operations, in 2019 the Moonshot Facility was set up to replicate and scale proven solutions as well as support green innovation to help meet the above-mentioned Moonshot Targets. This corporate facility, in coordination with other internal funds and funding, incentivizes contribution to the targets on a competitive basis.

In its first three years, UNDP’s Moonshot Initiative has funded over 70 projects, mainly focusing on increasing energy efficiency in facility operations, installing on-site renewable energy solutions and transitioning fleets to electric vehicles.

Also at individual level, UNDP personnel around the world are developing and implementing innovative solutions to achieve the ambitious Moonshot Targets, at times under very challenging circumstances. Corporately, by moving to cloud-computing and compact energy solutions to replace local data centers, UNDP has reduced its ICT carbon footprint substantially and expanded virtual collaboration infrastructure. UNDP is fully leveraging the experience from the COVID-19 pandemic to build forward better by utilizing virtual means of communication to reduce its travel footprint.

Thematic actions

Biodiversity

In adherence to the “Biodiversity Objectives,” UNDP commits to increasing the naturality of its facilities and assessing and reducing consumption pathways that negatively affect biodiversity, contributing to the Greater Geneva’s Green Infrastructure.

Energy

UNDP commits to deploying sustainable energy systems and improving energy efficiency within its operations, in line with the “Sustainable Energy and Buildings Objectives” set forth in the 2050Today Charter. This includes transitioning to renewable energy sources for its premises and pursuing energy efficiency measures in building design and operation.

Food

UNDP will work towards the “Sustainable Food and Catering Objectives” by sourcing sustainable products, promoting healthy and nutritionally balanced food options, preventing food waste, and reducing food packaging in its catering services.

Mobility

To align with the “Sustainable Mobility Objectives,” UNDP plans to implement incentives for sustainable mobility among its personnel and visitors, including promoting public transportation, cycling (joining the initiative of the “Bike to work” organized by Canton Geneva), walking, and the use of electric vehicles.

Sustainable IT

UNDP pledges to streamline its IT equipment, reduce the environmental impact of its digital operations, and optimize IT energy consumption in accordance with the “Sustainable IT Objectives.”

Waste management

UNDP collects data on waste and waste management practices through its Environmental Management Tool. Under the Moonshot commitments, UNDP works actively to implement best practice waste management throughout its offices.

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

The post UNDP – United Nations Development Programme, Geneva Office first appeared on 2050Today.

UNAIDS

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 19:16:02 +0000

UNAIDS

Signatory institution of the 2050Today Charter

Climate change is impacting everyone including people affected by AIDS. The effects of climate change related displacement of people is interrupting access to sustainable lifesaving treatment for people living with HIV, HIV prevention services, threatening livelihoods and increasing gender based violence for women and girls. Action on climate change is action towards ensuring people’s right to health.

Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS

Contribution to climate action

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 cosponsoring organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

UNAIDS is committed to the UN system efforts to intensify environmental sustainability from within.

UNAIDS is a relatively small UN entity, and has a high percentage (appx. 60%) of its offices in shared UN common premises. This renders the organisation more nimble and receptive to supporting UN common premises efforts to increase local environmental sustainability.

UNAIDS annually collects data to determine the organizations carbon footprint and takes measures to offset all recorded emissions for the entire entity.

UNAIDS is committed to continue championing the UN system efforts to intensify environmental sustainability from within. This commitment is reflected in the practices and operations embedded at UNAIDS.

Thematic actions

Mobility

UNAIDS Secretariat travel policy contains elements of environmental sustainability.

Most HR interviews are conducted on-line, reducing travel emissions. On-line training is promoted.

Sustainable IT

Steady investment in IT systems and softwares have increased mobile and global connectivity together with significant investment in and promotion of virtual meetings. Moving IT server farm from a physical location to cloud based system 90% achieved.

Development of electronic dashboards reducing printing requirements.

Waste management

In 2021 the Secretariat in Geneva implemented the centralization of office waste collection, to improve waste sorting and reduce consumption of plastic garbage bags. UNAIDS country offices are working to obtain information and data from landlords, both UN and private, on waste volumes and processes; data which can be challenging to obtain.

The carbon footprint is currently being calculated and will soon be available here.

The post UNAIDS first appeared on 2050Today.

WMO – World Meteorological Organization

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 09:40:00 +0000

WMO – World Meteorological Organization

Signatory institution of the 2050Today Charter - ACTION PLAN adopted

The WMO's climate Plan in a nutshell

GHG Reduction Objective by 2030 : - 45%

by implementing its climate action Plan, WMO aims to reduce its overall GHG emissions (from 2019 levels) by 45%

ENERGY emissions reduction ≤ 60%

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 43

MOBILITY emissions reduction ≤ TBD

Actions specific to this sector will be defined and adopted in 2025.

WASTE emissions reduction ≤ 30%

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 15

Contribution to climate action

WMO works to facilitate worldwide cooperation in the design and delivery of meteorological services, foster the rapid exchange of meteorological information, advance the standardization of meteorological data, build cooperation between meteorological and hydrological services, encourage research and training in meteorology, and expand the use of meteorology to benefit other sectors such as aviation, shipping, agriculture and water management.

WMO greenhouse gas emissions have drastically decreased from 2019 (5,124 tons) to 2021 (668 tons), mainly due to the COVID effect, the restrictions of travels, virtual and hybrid meetings, and teleworking. WMO environmental policy will encourage the continuous effort to improve the working conditions in order to reduce its future greenhouse gas emissions.

Alignment with the strategy for sustainability management in the United Nations system, 2020-2030

Thematic actions

Energy

The WMO has taken proactive steps in enhancing its energy efficiency and mitigating climate impact. This is evident through the forthcoming connection to the Genilac project, utilizing hydrothermal technology sourced from Lake Léman for cooling and heating the WMO building. Additionally, the organization has implemented an upgrade of its building management system and transitioned to LED lighting systems in offices, further reducing energy consumption. Moreover, the imminent installation of photovoltaic panels on the building’s roof underscores WMO’s commitment to harnessing renewable energy sources for sustainable operations.

Food

In alignment with WMO’s vision, the caterer operating in the building has committed to increase the daily vegetarian options, therefore reducing its carbon footprint by encouraging the consumption of local and seasonal produce and shortening the food supply chain.

Healthy habits are being promoted with the installation of free water fountains for all users in the restaurant.

Mobility

The WMO has strategically addressed mobility concerns, implementing measures to minimize carbon emissions associated with travel. One significant initiative involves the adoption of a hybrid setup for WMO conferences, which effectively reduces the need for extensive travel. Moreover, the organization has developed a sophisticated model to compute CO2 emissions for international conferences, enabling the selection of meeting venues based on “minimum emissions” criteria. This approach ensures that environmental considerations are integrated into venue selection processes. Additionally, the widespread use of tele- and video-conferencing technology has become commonplace within the WMO, significantly limiting the necessity for physical travel. Furthermore, the implementation of teleworking practices among WMO staff further reduces commuting-related emissions, aligning with the organization’s commitment to sustainable mobility solutions.

Sustainable IT

In the realm of sustainable IT, the WMO has made significant strides towards reducing its environmental footprint. Through initiatives such as implementing better power management for data centers and computers, the organization has optimized energy usage and minimized wastage. Additionally, the consolidation of servers has led to increased efficiency and reduced resource consumption. Moreover, promoting improved user behavior in document and information sharing fosters a culture of sustainability within the organization. Embracing online collaboration tools and workflows has facilitated a transition towards a paperless workspace, reducing the reliance on physical resources. Furthermore, efforts to minimize data duplication not only streamline operations but also contribute to environmental conservation. Engaging with Green-IT certified suppliers further underscores WMO’s commitment to sustainable practices throughout its IT infrastructure.

Waste management

In its commitment to sustainable waste management practices, the WMO has implemented various initiatives to minimize its environmental impact. Firstly, the organization systematically sorts, weighs, and recycles solid waste through a local contractor, ensuring transparency and accountability in waste management efforts. Prioritizing reuse whenever possible, items such as retired IT equipment or furniture are given new life, reducing the demand for new resources. Furthermore, WMO has made significant strides in reducing paper usage by transitioning to electronic documents and publications distribution since 2012. This shift has not only minimized paper waste but also streamlined document circulation and archiving processes. Additionally, the organization actively participates in the collection and recycling of various materials, including paper, old computers, printer toners, and batteries. This comprehensive recycling program further contributes to waste reduction and resource conservation. To facilitate efficient waste sorting and recycling, WMO has established a centralized selective sorting waste system on each floor of its building, eliminating individual office bins. This centralized approach encourages staff participation in waste reduction efforts and ensures proper disposal practices are adhered to throughout the organization.

Green initiatives to move to zero use of plastic recipients are being implemented, such as the distribution of reusable mugs to staff to stop the use of paper and plastic cups for drinks.

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

The post WMO – World Meteorological Organization first appeared on 2050Today.

WIPO – World Intellectual Property Organization

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 09:39:00 +0000

WIPO – World Intellectual Property Organization

Signatory institution of the 2050Today Charter

Contribution to climate action

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, information and cooperation. A specialized agency of the United Nations, WIPO assists its 193 member states in developing a balanced international IP legal framework to meet society’s evolving needs. It provides business services for obtaining IP rights in multiple countries and resolving disputes. It delivers capacity-building programs to help developing countries benefit from using IP. And it provides free access to unique knowledge banks of IP information.

Alignment with the strategy for sustainability management of the United Nations system, 2020-2030

WIPO’s Carbon Neutrality Project was launched in February 2009, along with the first annual Greenhouse Gas Inventory. WIPO has been 100 percent climate neutral since 2014.

In December 2022, WIPO issued a High-Level Policy on Environmental Responsibility. The policy defines the organization’s environmental commitments and includes objectives and principles, as well as the framework of implementation to underpin progress and results at all levels. WIPO is implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) to achieve its environmental sustainability goals, aligning with the Strategy for Sustainability Management in the United Nations and the requirements of the international standard ISO14001.

Thematic actions

Biodiversity

WIPO Campus has more than 1,800m2 of green roofs, shared between several buildings. Platings and sowings were carried out one roof in the fall of 2022, both for biodiversity and technical reasons. The aim was to provide greater floristic diversity and promote the presence of small fauna (birds, insects) through the addition of mineral bands and small logs.
WIPO’s park hosts 18 century-old oak trees, which are kept under careful surveillance. If needed, pruning or any other treatments are undertaken as specifically defined by our service providers and the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Nature (DGAN) of the Republic and Canton of Geneva.
WIPO is incorporating more environmentally conscious gardening tools and methods. Since 2020, only 100% electric leaf blowers, brush cutters and hedge trimmers are used. Conventional phytosanitary products are increasingly being replaced by more natural methods, such as introducing ladybugs to prevent the development of parasites on plants in the interior gardens.

Energy

Concerning energy, WIPO is connected to an innovative cooling system using Geneva Lake Water (GeniLac) for renewable energy in all buildings at WIPO Headquarters. Moreover, WIPO Headquarters powered by 100% certified renewable energy since 2015.
Several initiatives have been implemented to reduce building energy consumption (i.e. LED lighting fixtures and lighting sensors implemented progressively across the older buildings, optimization of the lighting system to be activated only when necessary).
Furthermore, there have been major renovation of the facades of one of the large buildings on the WIPO Campus and modernization of its cooling system (2018-2019).
Despite an increase in building occupancy in 2023, as WIPO employees increased the number of days spent working in the office, the electricity and gas consumptions were reduced respectively by 9.1 per cent and 23.3 per cent in 2023, as compared to 2021.

Food

The catering services on the WIPO Campus are provided by an external company. As part of its contract the company undertakes various sustainability measures such as: providing daily vegetarian meals, favoring seasonal products, organic farming as well as local origin of food.
In order to limit food waste, the unsold daily meals are proposed to WIPO employees at a reduced rate.

Mobility

WIPO issued a new Travel Policy in 2023, with several elements that continued to impact positively on sustainability efforts, in particular SDG13 Climate Action. As air travel is responsible for high levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, official travel was still limited to “important only” travel and must be taken by the most direct and economical route and mode of transportation. This means that many connecting flights are avoided and the most direct route is favored. Many categories of third-party travelers are entitled to travel only in economy class, where there are fewer GHG emissions per passenger. In addition, train travel is strongly encouraged as an alternative to air travel from Geneva to European destinations or in other circumstances where travel by train can result in a lower carbon footprint.
WIPO encourages soft mobility for employee commuting through several recurrent incentives: Biannually since 2013, WIPO provides a bike repair stand for employees’ personal bicycles (more than 100 bikes are checked and repaired each year) and over 100 spaces to park bicycles and three bike pumping stations are available on WIPO Campus in Geneva since 2018.

Sustainable IT

In 2024, WIPO is launching an assessment of the environmental impact of WIPO’s digital activities. This will allow for an assessment of the organization’s level of ICT maturity and will create a benchmark against which to measure progress each year.

Waste management

WIPO has worked to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills through a combination of source reduction, reuse and recycling.
For example, WIPO has had a partnership since 2019 with the cafeteria caterer wherein employees can make use of eco-friendly reusable take-away containers to reduce consumption of disposable containers.
Paper and e-waste in the offices, as well as plastic, metal and glass in the cafeteria, are sorted to be reused or recycled.
WIPO is currently in the process of performing a waste management study in order to improve and increase the sorting of waste throughout its HQ in Geneva. This will be implemented in 2025.

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

The post WIPO – World Intellectual Property Organization first appeared on 2050Today.

WHO – World Health Organization

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 09:38:00 +0000

WHO – World Health Organization

Footprint and emissions by scope

2050Today’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions measurement methodology follows the GHG Protocol. The Protocol provides standards and guidance for organizations to measure and manage climate-warming emissions. It was created in 1998 through a partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.
Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.
Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water
It takes into account the amount of the consumed electricity produced and purchased by the institution. The energy consumed to heat and/or cool the institution’s building area and the consumed water are included as well.

Mobility
It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food
The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods
The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste
The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

It has to be noted that the collected data of the 2050Today members resulting in each carbon footprint are not yet fully standardized and might not be entirely complete. Data collection is being progressively harmonized and improved. Therefore, direct comparisons between tCO2 / employee among institutions – be it in general or per sector – are not yet possible nor relevant. To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

The post WHO – World Health Organization first appeared on 2050Today.

UPOV – International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 09:36:00 +0000

UPOV – International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

The post UPOV – International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants first appeared on 2050Today.

United Nations Office at Geneva

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 09:35:00 +0000

United Nations Office at Geneva

Signatory institution of the 2050Today Charter - ACTION PLAN adopted

Sustainability is at the heart of the United Nations in Geneva. We have implemented measures to be more sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective than ever before. Ensuring long-term sustainability of operations is also central to the Strategic Heritage Plan for the Palais des Nations. Through innovation and cooperation, the United Nations in Geneva is committed to contributing to a greener United Nations, showing leadership in integrating the Sustainable Development Agenda in management planning and processes.

Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

The UNOG's climate Plan in a nutshell

GHG Reduction Objective by 2030 : - 45%

by implementing its climate action Plan, the United Nations Office in Geneva aims to reduce its overall GHG emissions (from 2019 levels) by 45%

BIODIVERSITY

Actions completed in 2024 : 17

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 5

ENERGY emissions reduction ≤ 45%

Actions completed in 2024 : 34

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 17

WASTE emissions reduction ≤ 30%

Actions completed in 2024 : 14

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 21

Contribution to climate action

UNOG is the representative office of the Secretary-General in Switzerland and the largest duty station outside of UNHQ. It services 8,000 meetings annually and is a regional provider of diverse administrative and operational support to more than 30 UN entities in Europe and their field offices around the world. UNOG is a focal point for multilateral diplomacy and a global service provider of excellence in the areas of administration, conference management, security, information and knowledge-management.

In addition to signing the 2050Today Charter, UNOG also entered into a landmark agreement with Services Industriels de Genève (SIG) by signing the “Ambition Negawatt Vision” charter. Through this charter, UNOG has committed to several specific actions, such as upgrading lighting systems and expanding solar photovoltaic power generation capacity.

These collaborations also align with the ambitious objectives and targets set by the UN Secretariat’s Climate Action Plan and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Despite the efforts to avoid and reduce greenhouse gases to a maximum, the nature of UNOG’s operations makes a complete avoidance of emissions impossible. To achieve “carbon neutrality”, UNOG compensates any remaining emissions through Certified Emission Reductions (CER) certificates from UNFCCC’s Adaptation Fund. These CERs help developing countries to adopt climate-friendly energy technologies. UNOG is thus “climate-neutral” since 2017.

Thematic actions

Biodiversity

With 1,305 individual trees, Ariana Park’s tree heritage is one of the site’s greatest natural assets. Herbaceous surfaces, which are also of great ecological importance, represent more than 54% of outdoor spaces. A flora and fauna inventory carried out in 2023 found several sectors with semi-dry mid-European grassland vegetation, a rare and protected environment which is favourable to many faunal species. There are more than 9.5 ha of grasslands on the site (41.3% of the herbaceous areas).

Maintenance practices are constantly evolving to support biodiversity in the park (installation of structures that support wildlife, refuge areas left during mowing, etc.). To combat insect pests in an environmentally friendly manner, UN Geneva has put an end to the use of synthetic pesticides in favour of biological controls. A differentiated management approach has been adopted, which is based on the principle of adapting management and maintenance according to the type of surface, its use, ecological potential and landscape interests.

Energy

Cooling and Heating

In the past, the Palais des Nations was heated with fuel oil. The heating system was upgraded to run on natural gas in 2008, reducing the Palais’ greenhouse gas emissions by 1’280 tCO2/yr.

In 2009, UN Geneva connected to “Genève-Lac-Nations” (GLN) to cool the premises using lake water. This reduced electricity consumption by 490MWh/yr and water consumption by 8’000 m3/yr. In the future, the new “Genilac” connection combined with the installation of 4 heat pumps will not only cool but also heat UN Geneva’s buildings. With this new technology, up to 80% of the heat requirement will come from a renewable source, leading to substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information on UN Geneva’s work with SIG, click here.

Solar energy

In 2014, thanks to the support of Switzerland, UN Geneva installed 3’223 m2 of photovoltaic solar panels to produce electricity and hot water in buildings A, B, C, D, K and S. To help power the Palais, the new building H was also equipped with 460 m2 of solar panels that will be operational from 2024 onwards. In total, the Palais des Nations features 3’683 m2 of solar panels.

Additionally, with the support of Green Cross International, 20 solar lamps have been installed in Ariana Park to ensure a minimum amount of lightning for security purposes at night.

Energy saving projects

Between 2010 and 2022, UN Geneva reduced electricity used in the Palais by 9%. This was achieved through a combination of institutional measures, innovative partnerships and a transformation of work processes.

A donation from Switzerland allowed UN Geneva’s energy consumption to be reduced by:

Replacing most of the windows and blinds in office spaces
Installing photovoltaic panels (see above)
Replacing light fixtures in common spaces and office spaces
Automating lighting controls in common spaces

Additionally, UN Geneva’s Facilities Management Section has implemented several major energy saving projects that contribute to environmental sustainability at the Palais:

A heat recovery system on the air conditioning of the data center
A heat recovery system on the cafeteria refrigeration system
The replacement of the refrigeration system of the cafeteria

In addition, the Facilities Management Section does finetuning and optimization of the technical installations after handover of the buildings from the SHP project.

Waste management

Efforts are also being made in waste management according to the principle of “reduce, reuse, recycle”. Centralised recycling points have been set up throughout the Palais, and personal bins have been mostly removed. Paper towels in toilets have been replaced by hand dryers with a comparatively better environmental footprint.

Almost 100% of the park’s organic waste is recycled on-site, reducing both costs and carbon footprint: compost and ramial fragmented wood are reused for their many benefits for soil life and plants.

Current efforts are aimed at further reducing food and packaging waste, for example by encouraging staff to bring their own coffee cups. In addition, reusable boxes are available to replace single-use containers for take-out food in the cafeteria.

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

UNOG Specifics

The emissions reported in the Mobility category do not include staff commuting to and from work, and the CO2 emissions associated with air travel are calculated in accordance with the Greening the Blue methodology. The difference in emissions between 2022 and 2023 in the Food category can be explained by an increase in sales, but also by improved reporting, allowing for greater accuracy and detail in the data.

Carbon Footprint

The post United Nations Office at Geneva first appeared on 2050Today.

UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme, Geneva Office

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 09:34:00 +0000

UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme, Geneva Office

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

The post UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme, Geneva Office first appeared on 2050Today.

UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 09:32:00 +0000

UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency

Signatory institution of the 2050Today Charter - ACTION PLAN adopted

The UNHCR's climate Plan in a nutshell

GHG Reduction Objective by 2030 : - 20%*

by implementing its climate action Plan, UNHCR aims to reduce its overall GHG emissions (from 2019 levels) by 20%*

ENERGY emissions reduction ≤ 50%

Actions completed in 2024 : 59

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 21

FOOD emissions reduction ≤ 20%

Actions completed in 2024 : 41

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 17

MOBILITY emissions reduction ≤ TBD

Actions completed in 2024 : 20

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 10

WASTE emissions reduction ≤ 30%

Actions completed in 2024 : 22

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 15

*UNHCR has a global target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 45%.

Contribution to climate action

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, aims to carry out its mandate of protecting displaced and stateless people in a sustainable manner, that minimizes negative impacts on the environment. Under the fourth objective of its Focus Area Strategic Plan for Climate Action, UNHCR works on reducing its own environmental footprint, including through the greening of its offices, supply chain, fleet and travel. In line with its ambitious goal to decrease its environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 30% by 2030, UNHCR is implementing greening solutions, such as solarizing its offices, transitioning to recycled materials for the highest CO2 emitting core relief items, installing energy metering systems and greening its fleet.

To track its progress and to gather and manage information on its office buildings, including its Headquarters in Geneva, UNHCR uses a cloud-based database that offers a comprehensive view of all its premises in one place. The information available through this platform allows UNHCR to better understand and manage its waste generation, water efficiency, energy consumption and carbon footprint. The organization also has a comprehensive Policy on the Environment for Buildings, Facilities, Fleet and Travel to provide direction on environmental good practices and help UNHCR personnel embrace sustainable practices.

In line with the Operational Strategy for Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability 2022-2025, UNHCR is improving the sustainability of its end-to-end supply chain. Among other activities, the organization has revised the technical specifications and supplier’s instructions of seven core relief items (such as sleeping mats and blankets) to procure and distribute more environmentally sustainable items, and reduce the materials’ impact on logistics, transportation, and waste. This approach is already resulting in other UN agencies and international organisations piggybacking our practices and replicating them into their procurement processes.

Beyond infrastructure, mobility and supply, with its Climate Action Programming and Climate Resilience Fund, UNHCR aims to ensure that forcibly displaced people fleeing from or living in climate-vulnerable countries are protected from and resilient to the impact of climate change. This includes various projects from ensuring access to environmentally sustainable resources to building the resilience and adaptation of forcibly displaced persons against climate shocks and stresses. Programming covers areas such as climate resilient shelters, clean cooking solutions to combat deforestation, and small-scale infrastructure to better manage scarce natural resources, for example.

Thematic actions

Energy

In Geneva, as part of the canton’s climate strategy, a thermal network – lake water from the Lac Léman – is used to cool buildings, replacing other oil and gas-powered systems. UNHCR’s Headquarters in Geneva is connected to this network of renewable energy. Water is drawn from 45 metres below the surface of Lac Léman and pumped through a pipe network beneath Geneva, then around the office building via two energy exchangers in the basement. The organization is also reducing its energy consumption by lowering building temperatures, replacing lights with low-energy LEDs, installing sensors, and turning off non-essential lighting. Additionally, automatic blinds help manage temperature and lighting efficiently.

On a global level, UNHCR is transitioning its offices from fossil fuel-based energy resources to renewable energy sources through its Green Financing Facility, an innovative financing mechanism. The organization introduced automated energy monitoring by equipping its premises with energy meters, called Green Boxes. In order to achieve greater energy savings, UNHCR offices are also piloting smart air conditioning management sensors and are encouraged to switch traditional lights to LED lights.

Food

In its Headquarters in Geneva, UNHCR contracted a catering company that diligently adheres to sustainable practices, offering daily vegetarian options, prioritizing seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, and championing organic farming practices. In an effort to decrease food waste, unsold but perfectly edible meals are made available at a reduced price through an initiative called Too Good to Waste, launched on the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste in September 2023. A strategy was also implemented to minimize plastic waste by transitioning to recyclable materials, such as glass and cartons.

On a global level, UNHCR has a guidance for greening its office meetings, in which offices are asked to prioritize sustainable catering options. When catering is required, food and beverage suppliers are to be chosen based on demonstrated eco-friendly choices, such as offering a buffet service rather than packaged meals and donating unused food and beverage products.

Mobility

As part of UNHCR’s plan to gradually reduce its own carbon footprint arising from travel, the office parking space in Geneva is equipped with charging stations for electric bikes and vehicles to inspire personnel to choose zero-carbon transportation where possible. The office also participates in the Bike to Work Challenge, a campaign aimed at encouraging commuters to cycle to work during the months of May and June to reduce CO2 emissions and foster healthy habits for physical exercise.

Globally, UNHCR is transforming its large international fleet of vehicles to be more environmentally friendly. To reduce the environmental impact of necessary vehicle travel, UNHCR launched ridesharing through its Smart Fleet programme. This programme optimizes fleet usage, using an innovative booking and dispatch technology platform in partnership with the UN World Food Programme (WFP), to unite separate vehicle bookings when personnel travel to nearby locations. By reducing the number of vehicles travelling on the same route, unnecessary CO2 emissions can be avoided. The organization is also introducing fuel-efficient vehicle models and transitioning to electric vehicles where operational contexts allow.

Additionally, UN FLEET, a joint initiative by UNHCR and the World Food Programme, offers a diverse and sustainable fleet of vehicles to all UN organizations, ensuring safer and more efficient global mobility.

Waste management

At its Geneva Headquarters, desk bins have been removed to encourage personnel to sort waste in collective recycling bins on each floor. Alternatively, a Tidy Box can also be used, a portable, fully washable desk bin made from 100% recyclable PET plastic.

UNHCR encourages reusing, recycling, and separating waste when possible. To support sustainable practices, UNHCR has implemented a single-use plastic-free office strategy and a green meeting guide with best practices. Additionally, a tipsheet for Facility Managers promotes waste reduction initiatives across UNHCR’s 560 offices. To address and develop strategies on waste management, UNHCR has also published a Waste Management Concept Note, aiming to mobilize external stakeholders to collaborate in reducing the overall supply environmental impact and optimize resource utilization.

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

The post UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency first appeared on 2050Today.

UN Human Rights – Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 09:30:00 +0000

UN Human Rights – Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Signatory institution of the 2050Today Charter - ACTION PLAN adopted

With every passing week, we witness the devastating impact of the triple planetary crisis of the climate emergency, biodiversity loss and pervasive pollution. My Office will continue to engage in global climate negotiations. We will advocate for higher ambition, including steeper downward emission reduction trajectories, stops to public fossil fuel subsidies and investments and call for an evidence-based Global Stocktake that can inform the concrete, realistic and human rights-based action we need.

Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

The UN Human Rights' climate Plan in a nutshell

GHG Reduction Objective by 2030 : - 40%

by implementing its climate action Plan, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights aims to reduce its overall GHG emissions (from 2022 levels) by 40%

MOBILITY emissions reduction ≤ 45%

Actions completed in 2024 : 11

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 29

WASTE emissions reduction ≤ 30%

Actions completed in 2024 : 27

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 15

Contribution to climate action

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization, by all people, of all human rights. The Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and international human rights laws and treaties established those rights. As the leading UN entity charged with promoting and protecting human rights for all, United Nations Human Rights is working to advance the effective implementation of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, including in the context of sustainable environmental management. 

Alignment with the strategy for sustainability management in the United Nations system, 2020-2030

An Organizational Effectiveness Action Plan for Sustainable Environmental Management was established for 2021-2023 and further extended to deepen sustainable environmental management in OHCHR from 2024-2027.

This plan includes a commitment to establish an Environmental Management System (EMS) by 2025 as outlined in the UN strategy and to ensure its implementation.

OHCHR established an internal Working Group on Sustainable Environmental Management (SEM Group) in July 2020. The SEM Group works to integrate sustainability efforts into the organization as a whole.

OHCHR also continues to collect data for the calculation of GHG emissions in accordance with Greening the Blue guidelines and reporting criteria and has already implemented a number of sustainable initiatives relating to travel, ICT, facilities and staff awareness. The office has also established a green fund for field initiatives, and a carbon levy on travel is intended to be implemented from 2024 to support the establishment of an EMS.

The office is also exploring issues related to integration of sustainability and rights in procurement and had been actively engaged in the development of Phase II of the UN Sustainability Strategy.

Emissions reduction

OHCHR is a member of the UN Environment Management Group (EMG) and the UN Working Group for Sustainable Environmental Management (previously the IMG). The office has participated in the Greening the Blue initiative since 2010, in line with the SG’s climate neutral strategy to report, reduce, and offset. To this end, the office created an Emission Reduction Plan (ERP) in 2011 signed off by the then High Commissioner and implemented a wide range of related sustainability action points from 2012-2019.  

In response to the UN Climate Neutral initiative, OHCHR has reported its carbon footprint since 2010 (2009 data) in accordance with Greening the Blue standards. The footprint originally covered only operations at the headquarters in Geneva. Since 2018, the full organizational footprint has been reported, initially using proxies. From 2021, increased efforts were undertaken to engage country and regional offices in data collection for carbon footprint reporting. As a result, the number of locations providing data increased from 13 in 2021 to 37 in 2023.

Since 2020, OHCHR has also collected additional data for its carbon footprint for its headquarters in Geneva under the 2050Today reporting mechanism. As a signatory of the 2050Today Charter, OHCHR will participate in a number of collaborative efforts.

The OHCHR footprint varies year on year due to changes in reporting standards, mandates, office size and priorities. Nevertheless, as calculated per capita (t CO2e/staff), the United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR) footprint has been significantly reduced in recent years, and the 10% reduction target for 2020 (against the 2010 emission baseline) was met.

Environmental training for personnel

To enhance staff capacity and knowledge on sustainable environmental management and human rights, OHCHR developed and launched an internal online course on SEM and human rights. All staff are encouraged to undertake this training, and it is also included in the OHCHR Welcome Material for new staff.

The Greening the Blue tutorial has also been made available, and regular awareness initiatives, briefings and information material are disseminated to staff on a monthly basis. Staff are also engaged through the extended SEM Group and as sustainable focal points.

Staff awareness campaigns with regards to energy use, soft commuting, sustainable food consumption, waste management, and digital awareness are carried out on a regular basis. The SEM Group engages in staff broadcasts, coffee briefings, and targeted campaigns, and also organizes an annual Green Week for engaging staff.

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

OHCHR Specifics

Reported emissions in the Mobility category relate to official travel and do not include staff commuting. Travel reported here include all itineraries organized through OHCHR and originating in Geneva for all travel categories (Staff Members, Meeting Participants, Independent Experts, Consultants and other). CO2 emissions for flights are measured according to the Greening the Blue Methodology.

Carbon Footprint

The post UN Human Rights – Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights first appeared on 2050Today.

IOC – International Olympic Committee

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:52:00 +0000

IOC – International Olympic Committee

Signatory institution of the 2050Today Charter - ACTION PLAN adopted

The IOC's climate Plan in a nutshell

GHG Reduction Objective by 2030 : - 50%

by implementing its climate action Plan, IOC aims to reduce its overall GHG emissions (from 2016-2019 levels) by 50%

BIODIVERSITY

Actions completed in 2024 : 24

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 10

ENERGY emissions reduction ≤ 70%

Actions completed in 2024 : –

Actions to be implemented by 2030: –

FOOD emissions reduction ≤ 30%

Actions completed in 2024 : 47

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 14

MOBILITY emissions reduction ≤ 40%

Actions completed in 2024 : –

Actions to be implemented by 2030: –

WASTE emissions reduction ≤ 30%

Actions completed in 2024 : 26

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 6

Contribution to climate action

The strategic intent for the IOC organisation is to become a role model in sustainability by 2030. The IOC Sustainability Strategy is framed around three spheres of responsibility and five focus-areas. The spheres of responsibility represent the IOC as an organisation, as owner of the Olympic Games and as leader of the Olympic movement. The five focus areas are: infrastructure including natural sites, sourcing and resource management, mobility, workforce and climate.

The IOC’s Climate Commitment includes 3 main actions:

Reducing our emissions in line with the Paris Agreement

We are doing this by reducing air travel, improving energy efficiency of IOC buildings, phasing out uses of fossil fuels and increasing the proportion of zero and low carbon products. These actions conclude in the goal to reduce 50% of direct and indirect carbon emissions by 2030 (baseline: 2016-2019), with an intermediary target of -30% by 2024

Compensating more than 100% of our residual emissions, mostly though the Olympic Forest project.
Using our influence to encourage our stakeholders and Olympic fans to take action against climate change.

More info here: The IOC’s climate commitment

Thematic actions

Biodiversity

Various biodiversity enhancement measures were integrated in the design of Olympic House, e.g.:

Half of the site area is vegetated, and the building includes 2,500 m2 of vegetated roof
Only indigenous plant species have been used, including pollinating plants
Environmentally-friendly gardening practices, involving no chemical pesticides
Outdoor lighting optimised so as to minimise ‘light pollution’.

Since the construction of the building, beehives and wild bee shelters were installed, and the lawn was converted into a flower meadow to further increase biodiversity and watering needs.

As part of its climate commitment, the IOC created an Olympic Forest as a way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while delivering long-term social and biodiversity benefits.

The IOC is a signatory of the Sports for Nature Framework, which it co-created in partnership with IUCN, UNEP and CBD.

Energy

Comprehensive energy efficiency measures are implemented across the three main premises of the IOC: The Olympic House (the IOC’s headquarters) and the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland; and Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS)/Olympic Channel Services (OCS) facilities in Madrid, Spain.

100 per cent of the electricity used in our buildings in Lausanne and Madrid is produced from renewable sources.

The construction of the new headquarters, the Olympic House, which was inaugurated in 2019, achieved three widely recognized certifications:

- The highest (Platinum) level of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4 standard. To date, with 94 points, Olympic House is the highest-scoring LEED building in its category (Building Design & Construction)

- The highest (Platinum) level of the Swiss Sustainable Construction Standard (SNBS), being the first international headquarters, and the second building overall, to get certified at this level

The Minergie-P label, which guarantees that the building uses less energy per square metre than the Swiss average.

Olympic House has continued to receive international acclaim since its inauguration – including receiving the European 2020 US Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award.

The new offices use half the energy per square metre than the previous headquarters.

At The Olympic Museum, the ongoing 10-year energy efficiency action plan has already delivered significant energy savings and fossil fuels have been almost completely eliminated.

Overall, carbon emissions of our buildings have already been reduced by over 70% compared to our baseline period (2016-2019).

Food

Food purchases of the IOC restaurant are annually evaluated using the Beelong Eco-Score method and the results communicated to the staff.

Key indicators include: the proportion of local and seasonal products, the proportion of food with organic or other sustainability labels, the proportion of non-endangered fish, the proportion of vegetarian meals served, food waste production, quantities of disposable items used and CO2 emissions.On this basis, annual improvement targets are defined in collaboration with our catering partner, as part of a continuous improvement approach.

Mobility

Business Travel: Specific sustainability principles have been integrated in the organisation’s travel policy, such as no flights for trips shorter than four hours. New ways of collaboration and smart travel rules have been implemented, supported by setting carbon budgets per department and communicating individual travel-related CO2 data.

Staff commuting: Staff mobility plans – including various incentives for sustainable and active mobility, such as secured bike parking spaces, subsidies for sustainable mobility, preferential access to car park for car poolers and low emission cars, e-car chargers and daily car park fees in Lausanne – have been implemented successfully.

IOC car fleet: Fuel consumption of the IOC car fleet has constantly decreased since our baseline period, thanks to local transport optimisation measures and efforts to reduce the carbon intensity of vehicles on lease. The fleet is mostly composed of plug-in hybrid vehicles, full electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles.

2050Today Award: In 2025, the IOC won the 2050Today “Low carbon” Award. This award recognizes a large-scale project that has achieved a significant and measurable reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the participating institution. Between the 2016-2019 and 2021-2024 benchmark emissions, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has reduced its carbon footprint by 30%, an intermediate step toward its goal of a 50% reduction by 2030. To achieve this goal, the IOC has set carbon budgetsfor each department.

Sustainable IT

We monitor the carbon footprint of our digital activities, including carbon emissions from data centers and cloud services.

The following key actions are taken to minimise the IOC’s digital footprint:

We include sustainability criteria in main hardware procurement projects.
We work with a specialised company to recondition and resale a maximum of old equipment.
We use external data centers supplied with renewable energy.
We are piloting the integration of eco-design principles in the development of selected applications and websites developed by the IOC.

These actions were identified following a comprehensive assessment of the environmental of IOC’s digital activities.

Waste management

To achieve a measurable reduction in waste quantities efforts have been focused on our five main waste streams: plastic, food, electronic waste, waste from events/exhibitions, and paper/publications. The IOC has been working to eliminate single-use plastics across all facilities: most single-use items used in catering activities have been replaced with reusable ones, while the remaining single-use items are made of compostable materials.

We are continually looking for new ways to reduce waste and increase the percentage of waste that is reused or recycled. It is an important criteria of our sustainable procurement approach and a key objective of our ISO 20121 Event Sustainability Management System.

Carbon Footprint

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories.

Energy and water : It takes into account the amount of the consumed electricity produced and purchased by the institution. The energy consumed to heat and/or cool the institution’s building area and the consumed water are included as well.

Mobility : It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food : The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods : The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste : The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

The publication of the carbon footprint is currently being updated.

In the meantime, you can access the IOC's Climate Commitment here.

The weight of this CO2 footprint

If we were to give a concrete weight to this carbon footprint, it would represent the weight of the following number of elephants :

(average weight per elephant : 5’000 kilos)

1 107 Elephants

The rate at which nature can absorb this amount of CO2

This amount of CO2 was emitted in one year. How many century-old cedars does it take to absorb this carbon footprint in the same amount of time ?

(a 100 year old cedar absorbs on average 25 kg of CO2 per year)

221 400 cedars are required

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ILO – International Labour Organization

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:51:00 +0000

ILO – International Labour Organization

Associate institution of the 2050Today Charter - ACTION PLAN adopted

A net-zero economy is within reach if we combine ambitious climate action with productive employment and decent work creation and a just transition for all.

Gilbert F. Houngbo, ILO Director-General

The ILO's climate Plan in a nutshell

GHG Reduction Objective by 2030 : - 44%

by implementing its climate action Plan, ILO aims to reduce its overall GHG emissions (from 2019 levels) by 44%

BIODIVERSITY

Actions completed in 2024 : 9

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 1

ENERGY emissions reduction ≤ 70%

Actions completed in 2024 : 52

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 21

FOOD emissions reduction ≤ 20%

Actions completed in 2024 : 43

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 4

MOBILITY emissions reduction ≤ 35%

Actions completed in 2024 : 27

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 3

SUSTAINABLE IT emissions reduction ≤ TBD

Actions completed in 2024 : 27

Actions to be implemented by 2030: –

WASTE emissions reduction ≤ 30%

Actions completed in 2024 : 22

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 6

Contribution to climate action

The ILO has stated the importance of sustainability to its social justice mandate since the 1970s. Environmental sustainability initiatives have been incorporated in our operations and policies for many years. In 2007, the ILO implemented a series of measures to protect the environment in ILO Workplaces. These measures were later adapted and formalized in 2016 by introducing an Environmental Sustainability Policy and an Environmental Management System (EMS). The goal was to significantly improve the operations of the Organization, making them more environmentally friendly, and issuing the policy ILO wide to ensure greater accountability.

ILO set up its EMS in 2016, to enable a systematic, coordinated and integrated approach to achieving the objectives of its Environmental Sustainability Policy. The EMS is overseen by the Environmental Sustainability Committee. Every biennium, the Committee agrees on an Action Plan which includes GHG emission reduction targets, as well as many other environmental targets & objectives. The Committee meets biannually to review their progress.

Every year, as part of the Greening the Blue Report on Environmental Governance, each participating UN entity’s progress on the development of an Environmental Management System (EMS) is evaluated. For the 2022 reporting year, ILO’s progress on the EMS is rated as it approaches the EMS targets.

Considering environmental staff training, from August 2022, the ILO has made the full Greening the Blue tutorial available to all staff on our internal HR platform and has been promoting its uptake.

The ILO also engages in buying offsets. In 2022, the ILO emitted a total of 8,060 tonnes of CO2 equivalent from its headquarters and 48 field offices. 100% of these were offset with CERs purchased from UNFCCC’s Adaptation Fund. ILO has been offsetting its emissions since 2020 and has therefore achieved carbon neutrality.

Thematic actions

Energy

A notable emission reduction project is the second phase of the renovation of ILO headquarters which began in 2022. The first phase of the renovation was concluded in 2019, on the year of the Centenary of the organization. Energy efficiency measures included a complete re-insulation of the façade (including glazing) to meet standards, and the installation of LED lighting and high-performance energy recovery air-handling units. A water management system was also installed to reduce water waste and water saving devices were implemented throughout the building. Furthermore, the temporary building being used during the renovation is a pre-existing building which was used by another organization. The ambition is that once the ILO no longer requires the temporary building, it can be reused again by another organization.

The ILO HQ utilizes a smart and connected control system to manage energy consumption for the facilities. Through a staged approach, lighting, heating, and ventilation are reduced during periods of unoccupancy (i.e., nights and weekends). Additionally, a heat recovery system is utilized to warm fresh air for ventilation therefore lowering the use of boilers for warming.

In 2024, ILO will install 1,364 photovoltaic panels on the HQ roof covering 2,663 m2. The panels will have a peak power production of 572 kWc and will be entirely consumed by the building. ILO is currently connected to the GLN network which uses the cold water from Lake Geneva to cool the facilities. This includes the production of cold water and cooling the building during warmer months. In 2025, ILO will connect to the GeniLac network, which uses heat pumps to heat HQ also with water sourced from Lake Geneva; this will subsequently reduce the use of boilers for heating which will mainly be used as a back-up if needed.

Other specific actions from ILO’s EMS action plan at HQ enabled the fine tuning of the energy system and has resulted in a 44% reduction in gas consumption from 2019 levels in 2023.

Food

The ILO HQ encourages sustainable food practices through our caterer Eldora. Eldora provides daily vegetarian options, nutritional and balanced meals, avoids highly processed products, and reduces food waste as much as possible. Furthermore, Eldora provides the Recircle lunch boxes in which staff can pay a deposit of 10CHF to use and keep or return later and receive their deposit back. This is also in an effort to reduce single use food containers for takeaway meals. ILO HQ also provides staff with free and accessible water and has distributed reusable water bottles and glass mugs to all staff to reduce single use cups.

Mobility

In order to support the staff at the ILO headquarters to use Ecomobility, additional bike racks were installed, including air compressors. In 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023 a bike to work event was organised to engage ILO staff in coming to work by bike. In 2019 charging stations for electric cars were installed. Regarding air travel, ILO has reduced its emissions by 45% from 2019 levels in 2022.

Sustainable IT

Through the EMS the ILO aim for 25% reduction of power use from computers, delivering equivalent output. The ILO also works on re-architecting the data centre network for overall increased energy efficiency, this included purchasing new data centre switches and replacing WIFI controller cards with appliances This resulted in a reduction in energy consumption by ILO data centres. Furthermore, ILO HQ has established an energy consumption baseline for laptop and desktops; these standards are used when ordering new equipment. Lastly, ILO has implemented an extended warranty contract with our IT equipment provider to reduce the number of PCs and laptops that need to be replaced.

Waste management

Improved waste management practices are a key element in ILO’s efforts to improve environmental sustainability. At the ILO HQ in Geneva, 80% of the waste volume is recycled or composted. At the HQ, a centralized waste management system was implemented with the purpose of increasing the recycling of major waste streams. Waste recycling centres with bins for organic, paper, glass, aluminium, PET and batteries were placed in strategic areas on each floor and replaced individual waste bins. The strategy was accompanied by campaigns to sensitize and engage staff to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. This successful experience is now being replicated in other ILO buildings worldwide. In addition, the current Environmental Sustainability Action plan focusses on waste reduction initiatives, such as paperless processes & meetings or the removal of single-use items in catering…

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Special features of the ILO 2020
The ILO’s GHG emissions have decreased significantly from 2019 to 2020, due to the travel restrictions imposed by COVID19. The very significant reduction in the air travel footprint outweighs an increase in the facilities footprint. This increase in the facilities footprint is due to a new ventilation procedure linked to COVID19. 100% fresh air must be supplied 24 hours a day to ensure the safety of building occupants and to comply with REHVA recommendations (no recycled air). This means increased heating and cooling to ensure that the fresh air is at an adequate temperature to keep the occupants comfortable.

Carbon Footprint

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GICHD – Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:49:00 +0000

GICHD – Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining

Footprint and emissions by scope

According to the GHG Protocol, the distribution of emissions is done by scopes:

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

Mobility

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

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DNDi – Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:43:00 +0000

DNDi – Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative

Signatory institution of the 2050Today Charter - ACTION PLAN adopted

The DNDI's climate Plan in a nutshell

GHG Reduction Objective by 2030 : - 40%

by implementing its climate action Plan, DNDi aims to reduce its overall GHG emissions (from 2022 levels) by 40%

ENERGY emissions reduction ≤ 65%

Actions completed in 2024 : 4

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 51

FOOD emissions reduction ≤ 20%

Actions completed in 2024 : 11

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 22

MOBILITY emissions reduction ≤ 34%

Actions completed in 2024 : 18

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 16

WASTE emissions reduction ≤ 30%

Actions completed in 2024 : 19

Actions to be implemented by 2030: 4

Contribution to climate action

Overall policy
Engaging in climate action is very important for the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) since, in its work, it witnesses the significant effects of climate change on health. It is for this reason that the initiative has committed to developing innovative treatments for climate-sensitive diseases while reducing its carbon footprint and environmental impact. The initiative is committed to halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and establishing new partnerships to strengthen collective impact. DNDi has partnered with the Climate Action Accelerator to assess its 2019 baseline emissions and has developed a Climate and Environmental Roadmap to guide organizational efforts to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. The roadmap outlines the steps necessary to reduce emissions within the organization’s control, including those from offices and travel, as well as emissions resulting from DNDi’s work with partners.

Roadmap implementation phase
DNDi has kicked off the implementation phase by nominating a core team to lead various workstreams that will operationalize the steps outlined in the Roadmap, with participation from all nine DNDi offices in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America, and covering the following areas:

Thematic actions

Energy

The initiative is committed to reducing the energy consumption of its buildings by 2030, which will contribute to 7.7% of the emissions reduction effort. DNDi will assess the feasibility per regional office of a range of energy solutions, e.g., following sustainable standards when buildings are constructed or renovated; improving building insulation; regulating room temperatures; replacing generators with solar panels; and seeking greener alternatives for electricity contracts. DNDi aims to source 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2026, and 80% by 2030.

Food and biodiversity

DNDi’s meetings and other events will start reducing food-related emissions through the use of lower-impact ingredients and reduced, recycled, and recyclable packaging. DNDi also plans to create a circle of optimization and reuse in relation to the provenance of the products proposed daily to its employees. This means using local products provided in packaging that is biodegradable and transformed into compost to be reused again as fertilizer in the gardens and farmlands of local producers.

Mobility

Mobility, and more specifically air travel, accounts for a large proportion of DNDi’s emissions. For this reason, DNDi aims to reduce the number of kilometres travelled by its employees, fly with lower-emission airline companies, and reduce business class journeys by 80%. Rail journeys and lower-emission cars will be prioritized when feasible. To complement this measure, incentives to encourage the use of public transport and “soft mobility” will be established, with the aim of considerably reducing the number of employees using their cars to commute to work.

Sustainable IT

DNDi is focused on selecting green partners to provide or power DNDi IT services. In addition, DNDi is engaged in several actions to minimize its impact on the climate: promoting the use of a single phone, promoting the leasing of IT equipment whenever possible, and encouraging the recycling of electrical and electronic equipment. In this way, the initiative hopes to reduce the number of smartphones used by employees by 30% by 2030, and to identify one employee per office responsible for the recycling of IT equipment.

Waste management

DNDi’s office in Geneva has successfully implemented a system of centralized waste and recycling collection points per floor. There is no longer a waste bin beside each desk, and instead the office provides:
• Waste and paper collection points near printers and in several locations through office corridors, and
• Waste, PET, glass, and aluminium collection points in meeting rooms and all kitchens.

An audit of each floor was conducted with external advisors to assess layout, distances, and waste management needs, with the goal that there is a centralized waste collection point not far from each desk.

Footprint and emissions by scope

Scope 1 represents direct emissions linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Scope 2 represents indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain (i.e. purchased good or services, business travel, employee commuting).

The 2050Today carbon footprint takes into account the reported emissions generated by the activities of the institution over one year and is divided by categories:

Energy and water

It takes into consideration business travels and commuting (on a survey basis).

Food

The CO2 impact of food includes the catering of the institution and individual consumption (on a survey basis) during working hours.

Purchased goods

The perimeter of purchased goods is set to a list of new office equipment, new mobility equipment (vehicles) and construction materials.

Waste

The perimeter of the waste inventory is set to waste production from facilities and internal operations of the institution

It has to be noted that the collected data of the 2050Today members resulting in each carbon footprint are not yet fully standardized and might not be entirely complete. Data collection is being progressively harmonized and improved. Therefore, direct comparisons between tCO2 / employee among institutions – be it in general or per sector – are not yet possible nor relevant.

To ensure the reliability, the accuracy and a recurrent updating of the carbon footprint assessment, 2050Today is advised by an international Carbon Footprint Scientific Committee.

Carbon Footprint

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CERN – European Organization for Nuclear Research

Jean-Pierre Reymond — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:41:00 +0000

2050Today Members

CERN – European Organization for Nuclear Research

Today, climate change and protecting the environment are among the greatest challenges that humanity faces. At CERN, we are actively investigating how we can continue to advance the frontiers of human knowledge while minimising the environmental footprint of our facilities and being a positive contributor of solutions

Fabiola Gianotti, Director General of CERN

Contribution to climate action

CERN’s strategy for environmentally responsible research

Over the decades, CERN has become a byword for excellence in research, establishing itself as a model for scientific collaboration across borders, technological innovation, training and education.

Today, environmental responsibility has joined this list. Good environmental stewardship stands prominently among the Management’s objectives and is embedded in every corner of the Organization, with a strategic, proactive approach across the Laboratory and among CERN’s worldwide scientific community.

Driven by this commitment to environmentally responsible research, CERN has implemented many initiatives over the years that were key to reduce the impact of its activities on the environment. CERN is fully committed to environmental protection and transparent reporting. CERN’s public environment reports set out reporting frameworks, setting and monitoring concrete goals for constant improvement. The reports address many environmental topics, including the six thematic sectors that are considered by the 2050Today initiative, for which highlights are provided below.

Thematic actions

Biodiversity

623 hectares of land are made available by the Host States (Switzerland and France) to CERN. This area comprises 116 hectares of green spaces, 136 hectares of woods and forests and 258 hectares of agricultural plots leased to local farmers.

CERN’s Masterplan reflects the Organization’s vision in terms of future campus development for the period until 2040 for both of its main sites, Meyrin and Prévessin. It enables CERN to understand the practical consequences of development and to manage it in a responsible way. From measures to preserve biodiversity to optimised mobility solutions, careful building management and consolidation and the integration of facilities into the surrounding landscape, the Masterplan takes into account the current and future needs of the Laboratory, along with those of its neighbours, including potential development outside the current fenced area.

CERN harbours 18 species of orchid on its sites alongside a vast variety of flora, including some endangered species as confirmed by an in-depth biodiversity inventory carried out in 2022. A further 62 species of Lepidoptera and 32 species of Orthoptera were identified in this context.

For more information see: https://hse.cern/environment-report-2021-2022/biodiversity

Energy

The overarching principles of CERN’s energy strategy can be summarised in three key concepts : use less, increase efficiency and recover waste energy.

The Laboratory is committed to increasing energy reuse and to limiting rises in electricity consumption to 5% up to the end of its third operations period, known as Run 3 (baseline year: 2018), while delivering significantly increased performance of its facilities.

In recent years, major efforts to reduce electricity consumption have been undertaken, through optimisation and dedicated actions, resulting in savings of some 100 GWh/year since 2010. CERN was awarded the ISO 50001 energy management certification in February 2023. In this context, the Organization published an Energy Policy in October 2022, designed to continuously improve CERN’s energy performance by keeping the energy required for its activities to a minimum, improving energy efficiency and recovering waste energy.

For more information see: https://hse.cern/environment-report-2021-2022/energy

Food

CERN has several restaurants, cafeterias and vending machines on its sites, all run by external companies. The main provider is NOVAE, which operates three restaurants, five cafeterias and the majority of the vending machines. NOVAE has a well-defined sustainability roadmap, which favours fresh, seasonal produce from local suppliers and includes continued efforts to optimise its carbon “foodprint” (a term coined by NOVAE). The company aims to have 100% of its staff trained in environmental matters and 40% of all meals served vegetarian by 2025. At CERN, the “ReCIRCLE” project is in place, whereby meals are served in reusable packaging, and efforts to reduce single-use plastics continue.

For more information see: https://hse.cern/environment-report-2021-2022/emissions

Mobility

Business travel

A Duty Travel Working Group was set up in April 2022 to develop recommendations for CERN-wide duty travel with the goal of reducing travel-related emissions. These recommendations were approved and implemented in 2024 including a decision tree to raise awareness among the CERN personnel and engage them in the collective effort. The recommendations broadly include: reducing travel (especially by air); using overland transport (especially trains) where possible, taking into account time and cost efficiency; for distances of between 700 and 1000 km, the use of overland transport (especially trains) is encouraged; if flying is unavoidable, to fly efficiently by selecting the most direct route and standard economy class. Complementary guidelines for the environmentally responsible organisation of events and the related travel were also provided to the CERN personnel.

Personnel commutes

CERN’s goal for 2025 is to keep individual motorised vehicle commuting constant, despite a growing scientific community, and to encourage alternative modes of transportation, such as public transport, cycling and car pooling. At the end of 2022, a survey showed that 61% of CERN personnel use individual motorised vehicles for their commuting, a reduction of 7% compared to the last survey in 2018. Overall, the fraction of those walking and cycling increased and constitutes 24% of all commutes (17% in 2018).

CERN has a fleet of approximately 550 bicycles that are available free of charge to its personnel, and operates a rental car fleet and a shuttle service for inter- and intra-site mobility. A dedicated mobility working group meets regularly to review all aspects of mobility services and processes, including safety, parking, green mobility, public transport and site access. Its activity is aligned with the general objectives that have been set for mobility in CERN’s 2040 Masterplan and in the mobility plan.

For more information see: https://hse.cern/environment-report-2021-2022/emissions

Sustainable IT

By the time the HL-LHC starts up in 2029, the total computing capacity required by the experiments is expected to have grown by up to a factor of 10. To meet these increased needs, a new data centre has been inaugurated on CERN’s Prévessin site in February 2023. It is designed to be a modern and energy-efficient structure which will meet the new computing needs of the community. The objective is to achieve a power usage effectiveness (PUE—an indicator used for measuring the energy efficiency of a data centre) of around 1.1. The PUE of the existing CERN Data Centre in Meyrin is about 1.5. Energy efficiency is a key consideration for the building, which includes a system to recover heat to heat all 73 buildings on the Prévessin site.

Furthermore, to save resources and energy in the future, a key focus is on efforts to modernise code, develop ways for it to run more efficiently on the latest hardware and improve data management. Establishing innovative new approaches to key computing tasks, often based on machine learning and other related technologies, also contributes to reducing the overall amount of computing resources needed and thus plays a vital role in minimising energy consumption increases.

CERN’s service on Storage, Recuperation and Sales, which is part of the Site and Civil Engineering Department, also runs a campaign to collect broken or and unused IT equipment.

For more information see: https://hse.cern/environment-report-2021-2022/energy

Waste management

CERN’s scientific activities generate the majority of the Organization’s waste. The Laboratory’s conventional waste can be divided into three broad categories: campus, industrial and worksite waste. It is further categorised as either non-hazardous (e.g. metals, glass, paper and cardboard, household waste) or hazardous (e.g. chemicals). CERN’s objective is to increase its recycling rate for non-hazardous waste.

CERN’s approach to waste management follows the “reduce, reuse and recycle” principle. In this vein, the Organization aims to become an eco-exemplary campus, continuing to fully comply with the applicable French and Swiss regulations in terms of waste management and waste disposal. A dedicated waste management roadmap was published in August 2022, paving the way for additional and more refined objectives in the future.

The recycling rate for non-hazardous waste rose from 56% (baseline year: 2018) to 69% in 2022. A pathway for the recuperation, reconditioning and sale of viable equipment, including furniture, IT and electronic equipment, is in place.

For more information see: https://hse.cern/environment-report-2021-2022/waste

Footprint and emissions by scope

To be in line with the 2050Today initiative and provide a meaningful set of data in line with those of the institutions of International Geneva, the carbon footprint reported on these pages takes into account the emissions generated by the CERN campus activities and exclude emissions generated by CERN’s unique particle accelerator complex and large experiments. It was established in accordance with the internationally-recognised methodology of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which categorises the emissions into three scopes. Details of CERN specificities are provided below for each of the emissions categories considered in the framework of the 2050Today initiative.

The Organization’s campus data takes into account small experiments, laboratories, workshops, hostels and offices, and the computing centre, all of which are situated on the Meyrin and Prévessin sites. The total reported carbon footprint of all CERN activities is published in the CERN biennial environment reports, the latest spanning years 2021-2022, accessible here: https://environment.cern/environment-report.

CERN specificities

Energy: The associated CO₂emissions take into consideration the electricity and fossil fuel consumption for the CERN campus only. The CO₂ emissions associated to electricity were assessed on a location-based methodology (with EDF as main supplier), with average yearly emission factors taken from the ADEME Base Empreinte©, and that of fossil fuels by the Bilan Carbon® method.

Mobility: The associated CO₂emissions take into consideration business travel and commuting of members of personnel on the CERN payroll. For commuting, the resulting data are based on the results of a survey carried out among its members of personnel at the end of 2022.

Food: The CERN restaurants serve food to all customers on CERN premises. The CO₂ emissions reported here refer to all customers and not only CERN personnel. They were established with a calculation methodology aligned with the GHG protocol, with emissions derived from the Ecoinvent database.

Purchase of goods: scope 3 emissions arising from procurement, related to purchased goods and services and capital goods, were reported for the first time by CERN in its third environment report spanning years 2021-2022. Although not reported at campus level in the tables below as that level of granularity is not available, they can be consulted in full in the third CERN environment report, accessible here: https://environment.cern/environment-report-2021-2022/emissions.

Waste: The CO₂ impact of waste takes into account all CERN waste, including that arising from the accelerator complex, experiments and civil engineering. They were established with a calculation methodology aligned with the GHG protocol, with emissions derived from the Ecoinvent database.

Full time equivalent (FTE): only categories of personnel remunerated or receiving subsistence from CERN budgets are included.

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