What is the 2050Today Charter?
United by the vision of decarbonisation, 2050Today members have decided to take action to confront the challenges of climate change by implementing concrete measures. Permanent missions, international organisations, academia and civil society entities have resolved to measure and work towards reducing their emissions while expressing their desire to work together for effective, inclusive and sustainable climate action.
By establishing the 2050Today Charter, the signatory institutions have set up a coherent, mutually supportive, and effective framework for reducing the GHG emissions together. The Charter confirms and highlights the international Geneva climate action contribution. It structures the members participation within a common and jointly agreed framework.
The Charter in a nutshell
The 2050Today Charter is a mile setting frame of reference designed to support participating institutions in their journey towards a carbon-neutral International Geneva. The document represents 2050Today’s commitment to harnessing its influence and extensive network to unite institutions, along with key actors and stakeholders in International Geneva, in fostering sustainable practices and behaviours towards effective climate action.
The Charter establishes a unified framework, outlining specific objectives, actions, and targets that each participating institution can adapt to create a tailored action plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It further provides essential guidelines to assist staff and suppliers in grasping the environmental and climate impacts of their activities. In particular it addresses the possible implications on the energy used, the means of transport chosen, the products selected, the food offered, the ICT used, the waste produced, the biodiversity protection and the behavioural changes that might be required.
To achieve the decarbonation of their activities, the Charter signatories express their resolve to take the following actions and measures, consistent with their respective legal frameworks:
- Measure and assess their activities in accordance with internationnaly agreed sustainability and GHG emissions objectives
- Define their own sustainability objectives and action plan to reduce GHG emissions
- Communicate about their actions
The Charter has been drafted with the contribution of the 2050Today participating institutions, the relevant Swiss authorities and expert partners. Its content is the sole responsibility of 2050Today. The Charter was adopted by its first signatories on 5 December 2023. It is proposed to be a common framework and to provide practical guidelines. It is open for signature to all International Geneva institutions.
How the 2050Today Charter works
The 2050Today Charter is made of several components. It comprises firstly the climate action references, the principles, the reporting and timeline, the priorities, as well as the sectors of action.
Furthermore, it includes Guidelines by sector that enable the definition of an Action Plan:
- Biodiversity
- Energy
- Food
- Mobility
- Sustainable IT
- Waste management
These Guidelines are supplemented by Thematic Objectives providing detailed indications and resources for the definition of a comprehensive Action Plan sector by sector.
Lastly, an Assessment and Action Plan Tool is available either globally for all sectors or per specific sector to enable an in-depth assessment of the initial situation specific to each institution. Based on their own assessment, participating institutions can then define their action plan using the proposed objectives, actions, and targets.
8 Steps to implement the Charter
To implement the 2050Today Charter, institutions are guided and supported by the 2050Today team across eight stages. The diagram below illustrates the required implementation process for institutions :
1)
SIGN THE CHARTER
🕓 Month 1
Sign the Charter to start your institution’s climate journey and receive the support of 2050Today’s team.
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2)
SUBMIT YOUR DATA
Month 3
Submit your institution’s collected data to calculate the greenhouse gas footprint, based on the GHG Protocol methodology.
🔗 Tools available
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3)
RECEIVE & ANALYZE YOUR FOOTPRINT
Month 4
Access the results visualization platform developed by 2050Today and analyze your sources of emissions.
🔗 Tools available
- Carbon footprint online Platform
4)
IDENTIFY YOUR SECTOR(S) OF ACTION
Month 6
On the basis of your carbon footprint, select the areas in which your institution would like to act.
🔗 Tools available
7)
ADOPT YOUR ACTION PLAN
Month 12
Based on 2050Today recommendations, ensure the alignment of your institution’s action plan with the Paris Agreement reduction targets and adopt the final version.
🔗 Tools available
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6)
DEFINE YOUR DRAFT ACTION PLAN
Month 9
Define your institution’s action plan with specific measures to be implemented by year 1, 3 and 5 to reduce your emissions, and share it with 2050Today.
🔗 Tools available
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5)
ASSESS YOUR INITIAL SITUATION
Month 6
Using the 2050Today tool, review the recommendations and proposed actions to assess your initial situation in the selected sectors.
🔗 Tools available
8)
REPORT YOUR PROGRESS
Year 1, Year 3 and Year5
Share your progress on implementing your action plan with the 2050Today team and review the actions completed or pending after 1, 3, and 5 years.
🔗 Tools available
- Reporting Tool
Quick access
Click on the boxes to access the content of the 2050Today Charter, the Guidelines by sector and the Assessment and Action Plan Tools.
2050Today Charter © 2023 by 2050Today is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
