Director-General Champions Climate-Neutral UNESCO

UNESCO Headquarters, 27 May 2009

• © L. Brooks
• Now this is differential recycling!

"I have decided to personally champion our efforts, states Koïchiro Matsuura, because "to change what are essentially deep-rooted unconscious patterns of behaviour will require a major collective effort."

Director-General calls on UNESCO to compile inventory of greenhouse gas emissions for 2008 as part of UN Climate Neutral Initiative and Intersectoral Platform, UNESCO Action to Address Climate Change.

At a meeting of the UN Chief Executives' Board (CEB), UNESCO committed to the UN Climate Neutral Initiative and its target of moving towards climate neutrality by the end of 2009. As part of this ongoing process, an Inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is being compiled by every UN Institution and Agency, including UNESCO.

The ultimate goal for UNESCO is to achieve reductions in its GHG emissions and to serve as a model for others. UNESCO's GHG Emissions Inventory will include data on GHG emissions resulting from travel and office energy usage for UNESCO Sectors, Institutes and Field Offices worldwide for the calendar year 2008. Mr Matsuura has asked the UN Climate-Neutral Focal Point for UNESCO to lead this exercise with all Administrative Offices.

The 2008 emissions figures for UNESCO which result from the GHG Emissions Inventory will be submitted to the UN Environment Management Group, chaired by UNEP, and external assessors for review and be discussed by the CEB in October 2009. The validated figures will form part of the Secretary-General’s Report to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change -- 15th Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Contact:
::  J. Miller, UN Climate-Neutral Focal Point, UNESCO

Related links:
::  United Nations Environment Programme  (UNEP)

• Source:UNESCO SC
• 27-05-2009