This Strategy includes an analysis of the current environmental performance of the Organization in the areas of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, energy efficiency, sustainable procurement, waste management and water usage. The Strategy also identifies the key steps needed to improve its ecological footprint. Fao Fountain.

Since 2008, FAO adhered to the Moving Towards a Climate Neutral UN initiative and began its long-term collaboration with the UN Issue Management Group on Environmental Sustainability Management. The Organization has monitored the carbon footprint of its functional operations (facilities management, travel and fleet) and worked on several projects to lower its environmental impact as a whole (cumulative reduction of over 10 000 000 kg of CO2 and over USD 1 000 000 since 2008).

On June 2016, FAO launched its Corporate Environmental Responsibility Policy to reduce and eventually eliminate its potentially negative impact on the climate. As a result, the Organization has already offset its emissions relative to 2014 and 2015.

As part of the 2030 Agenda and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, with this Strategy FAO is committing to:
• Continue monitoring the environmental impact of its functional operations;
• Improve its ecological performance and reduce its GHG emissions by 5.4% (as compared to the 2015 baseline) both at Headquarters and in Decentralized Offices and continue offsetting the remaining emissions that cannot be reduced;
• Embrace the circular economy principle when procuring goods and services and managing waste;
• Develop Environmental Management Systems for Offices.

Executive summary

In the past 8 years, FAO has monitored the carbon footprint of its functional operations (facilities management, travel and fleet) and worked on several projects to lower its environmental impact, in line with the Moving Towards a Climate Neutral UN initiative and in collaboration with the Issue Management Group on Environmental Sustainability Management.

On occasion of the World Environment Day in June, 2016, the Organization launched its Corporate Environmental Responsibility Policy “as part of FAO’s commitment to reducing and eventually eliminating its potentially negative impact on the climate.”1 In line with the 2030 Agenda, FAO is committing to lower its environmental impact even further in order to fulfill the Organization’s mandate and Corporate Environmental Responsibility Policy. This Strategy includes an analysis of the current environmental performance of the Organization in the areas of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, energy efficiency, sustainable procurement, waste management and water usage. The Strategy also identifies the key steps needed to improve its ecological footprint, namely:
• Adhere to the internal Corporate Environmental Responsibility Policy;
• Continue monitoring of the environmental impacts from functional operations (i.e. Greenhouse Gas emissions, waste production, water usage) through annual Inventory exercises2 in compliance with UN-wide standards and in collaboration with the UN Issue Management Group for Environmental Sustainable Management (IMG);
• Reduce approx. 5.4% of emissions stemming from functional operations in Headquarters and Decentralized Offices by 2020 (as compared to the 2015 baseline) through: -Energy use reduction measures -Transition from fossil-fuels to renewables;
• Continue offsetting the remaining emissions that cannot be reduced through internal funding mechanism(s), as described later in this document;
• Implement a circular economy strategy through: -Improved waste and water management practices, -Further efforts to sustainably procure goods and services;
• Develop Environmental Management Systems to systematically improve the environmental footprint of key FAO Offices.

Download complete publication