On an annual basis, Greening the Blue provides information on the UN system’s environmental footprint and the efforts to reduce it.
Greening the Blue Annual Reports highlight the progress in the implementation of the
Sustainability Strategy I .
These reports are publicly available, assuring transparency of the environmental performance
and efforts and serving as a source of inspiration for other organizations to green their facilities and operations.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the UN system stem from facilities, vehicles, and travel. It includes all personnel assigned to UN offices and activities over which the UN has financial and/or operational control.
TOTAL GHG EMISSIONS 2018 – 2023
OBJECTIVE
Reduce absolute GHG emissions to limit the increase in global temperature to 1.5C.
Good Practice: UNDP’s Greening Moonshot commits to 50% emission reduction
Figures on waste and methods of disposal are collected from UN facilities and operations, including Peacekeeping and Special Political Missions.
OBJECTIVE
Prevent harm to the environment and local populations from solid waste from United Nations facilities, operations or activities.
Good Practice: In FAO HQ we finish our plate for the planet
When planning and constructing new premises, sites are recommended to be screened for potential adverse effects on biodiversity, with safeguards applied to avoid these impacts.
UN Common Approach to Biodiversity complemented by a guidance document 50+ ways to integrate biodiversity and nature-based solutions.
Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool provides data, tools and guidance that helps organizations act on biodiversity-related risks and opportunities.
OBJECTIVE
Avoid adverse impacts on biodiversity from United Nations’ facilities, operations and activities.
Good Practice: Ariana Park at UNOG Turns into an Urban Biodiversity Oasis
UN entities are expected to set up their own environmental management systems. EMS provides a systematic and efficient approach to continuously improve environmental sustainability efforts.
Out of 10 entities meeting the EMS criteria in 2023
8 entities have 1+ person
working full-time on
environmental management.
9 entities have objectives
in Senior Management
Performance Frameworks.
UNON exceeded EMS criteria
in 2022/2023 through
ISO Certification &
Enhanced EMS Controls.
OBJECTIVE
All UN Entities aim to have an updated Environmental Management System approved by Top Management.
The success of sustainability initiatives hinges on people.
Training, awareness raising, and capacity-building are key.
UN entities are actively training personnel and embedding environmental improvement requirements
into senior-level accountability and core competencies.
What are the environmental training requirements for UN entities?
What materials are used by the entities implementing trainings?
OBJECTIVE
The UN system aims to increase awareness, implement mandatory system-wide environmental training, and invest in job-specific environmental training.
Greening the Blue offers a dedicated environmental tutorial used by UN entities.
It allows users to discover their work-related environmental impact and ways to reduce it.
Available in:
English Spanish French
Discover 16 stories on environmental good practices from 14 UN entities
Sustainability performance of individual UN entities.
Learn how we collect and analyze data.
Access guiding material on emission reduction, offsets, sustainable buildings...
