The UPU International Bureau, the organization’s secretariat in Berne, has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 33% compared to 2008 levels, emitting just 1,020 tonnes of CO2 in 2012.
The IB's newly renovated façade has reduced energy consumption by 42%.
These results are included in the report "Moving Towards a Climate Neutral UN", an inventory published this week by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
UNEP's "Greening the Blue" initiative tracks the greenhouse gas emissions of 64 UN agencies, funds, and programmes, which in 2012 totalled 1.71 million tonnes of CO2, 100,000 tonnes less than the previous year.
The inventory has been carried out ever since UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on UN system organizations to reduce the carbon footprint related to their activities and the management of their resources and facilities.
The UPU International Bureau had pledged to reduce its carbon footprint by 20% by 2012, and successfully met the challenge. On average, each of the UPU's 250 employees emits 3.76 tonnes of CO2, compared with 7.63 tonnes for each of the 220,000 employees UN-wide.
The International Bureau has taken several steps to reduce its carbon footprint. It renovated the facade at its headquarters building, increased the use of teleconferencing, invested in energy-efficient IT equipment, and uses hydropower. The renovation work alone reduced energy consumption by 42%, which translates into an annual savings of 110,000 USD on its energy bill. The paper used by the organization bears the label of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and a complete switch to recycled paper is under study.
Each year, the UPU carries out a carbon inventory of its member countries. In 2012, the world's Posts generated 60 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, representing 0.9% of the total emissions in the transport sector. Aware of the impact of their activities, several dozen postal operators have since implemented green measures to reduce their carbon footprints.
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