World Environment Day is celebrated every 5 June to encourage worldwide awareness and action for the environment. This year’s theme, “Seven billion dreams. One planet. Consume with care,” draws attention to the need for the responsible management of the planet’s natural resources.
In this context, UNAIDS is doing its part. The organization was recently declared climate neutral for 2012 and 2013. UNAIDS achieved this goal by following the United Nations Climate Neutral Strategy, which requires United Nations organizations to annually reduce and measure their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) resulting from their facilities and operations such as travel.
The Secretariat has successfully collected and submitted these data for its headquarters as well as all country and regional offices since 2009.
Through the development and implementation of the UNAIDS Secretariat emissions reduction strategy (ERS), UNAIDS successfully reduced its GHG emissions by 14% from 2010 to 2013, almost tripling its ERS commitment of a 5% reduction.
UNAIDS has met the Secretary-General’s call for the United Nations to be climate neutral by 2020 and joins a limited group of United Nations organizations that are either wholly or partially climate neutral. The Secretariat is committed to continuing to reduce its GHG emissions by making reductions of emissions part of its business.
“I encourage all [UN bodies] to commit to achieve a net-zero climate footprint (climate neutrality) by 2020 and consider to accelerate this to become climate neutral by the end of 2015…”
Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General
“Addressing climate change is a priority for UNAIDS not only in the way we operate but also in increasing our understanding of the implications climate change has on the AIDS epidemic and our response to it.”
Michel Sidibé, Executive Director, UNAIDS
