Общеорганизационная экологическая ответственность

A roadmap for a new decade of sustainability in FAO

Walking the talk

Corporate Environmental Responsibility Strategy 2020-2030

The new Corporate Environmental Responsibility Strategy 2020-2030 serves as both a mandate and a roadmap for a 45 percent reduction in the absolute amount of CO2e emissions released into the atmosphere by 2030, compared to 2018 levels. This is in line with the overarching Strategy for Sustainability Management in the UN System 2020-2030, as well as international science-based climate targets. The new strategy is therefore designed as a statement of intentions, firmly establishing FAO within the global community, and as a contributor to environmental stewardship worldwide.

Overview

The new strategy is in continuation of the previous corporate environmental responsibility strategy 2017-2020, which has already seen some excellent results. It primarily targets energy efficiency measures in facilities, fleet management, and air-travel. These areas represent the largest source of the Organization’s emissions over which FAO has operational and financial control, and the operational areas for which CO2e emissions are currently explicitly monitored and quantified through the annual environmental inventory exercise conducted by the CER team.  The Strategy further outlines goals and targets to improve efficiency, reduce waste generation, and ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into procurement processes, event organization, information technologies, and staff core competencies.

Aims and Objectives

The goals of the strategy will require the systematic integration of environmental considerations throughout FAO divisions.

To this end, the following objectives have been established, to be met by 2030:

  • Committing to a 45% reduction in GHG emissions from FAO facilities and operations;
  • Improving waste management by integrating systematic waste monitoring, minimizing solid waste generation, and reducing landfilling. Activities will be instigated that promote waste separation, and improve recycling schemes, and phase out single-use plastics;
  • Increase water use efficiency by enhancing efforts to monitor, measure, and report water usage, while encouraging water efficiency, and improving waste water treatment;
  • Addressing energy use by increasing the share of renewables and avoiding the use of diesel generators, while at the same time reducing energy needs through behavioural changes and awareness campaigns;
  • Environmental mainstreaming in programmes and operations;
  • 75% of FAO employees and 100% of facility managers, procurement officers and administrative assistants, will receive environmental training;
  • A 45% reductions in GHG emissions from all official air and non-air travels;
  • Systematically integrate environmental considerations into procurement actions;
  • Make 100% of events with over 300 participants sustainable or climate neutral;
  • Align IT functions with the ambitions of the strategy, by using energy efficient equipment, enabling virtual working, safely disposing of e-waste, and instituting a one device policy.