A Special Seminar entitled "Local Initiatives as a Follow-up of Copenhagen"

Mr. President of the State Council of Geneva [Guy Mettan]
Madam State Councillor [Isabel Rochat]
Mr. Director-General of the Services Industriels de Genève [André Hurter]
Mr. Deputy Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization [Jeremiah Lengoasa]
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is indeed a great pleasure to welcome you all to the Palais des Nations for this special seminar, dedicated to some of the defining challenges of our time: climate change and the risk of depletion of natural resources.

We are witnessing an alarming deterioration of our natural resource base and a rapid loss of biodiversity. Preserving our natural capital is a challenge that cuts across not only national boundaries, but also institutional lines. They require comprehensive responses, in true partnerships among different stakeholders. Today’s seminar is in itself an example of such a partnership, between the United Nations Office at Geneva and the Services Industriels de Genève – SIG – and I should like to start by thanking Mr. Hurter and his team at SIG for the excellent cooperation in organizing this event.

A sustainable energy supply is the necessary foundation of the green growth needed to address environmental challenges and to realize the Millennium Development Goals. These are global challenges – but they require practical, well-directed and responsible action at the local level. I am therefore pleased to see so many representatives of the local partners here. I hope that through the presentations and our discussion today, we can identify possibilities for developing new partnerships, or reinforcing existing ones, as part of these efforts in our Geneva context.

As a major service provider for the entire United Nations system, UNOG works consistently to integrate the environmental dimension across our work, as we provide indispensable infrastructure and key administrative services. Last year alone, we serviced more than 9,000 meetings and processed over 16,000 officials travels. There are over 2,800 offices at the Palais des Nations. It is clear that these are areas where UNOG – working for the entire system – has particular potential for limiting our collective carbon footprint. By installing solar panels and solar lights, eliminating wasteful practices, regulating temperatures and ensuring sustainable procurement – among many other measures – we have over the past eight years reduced electricity and fuel consumption by 20% and water consumption by over 40%. This also represents savings of almost 4.5 million dollars for our Organization.

As part of these efforts, as many of you will know, we have developed the Geneva-Lake-Nations Project through which the Palais des Nations is now cooled with 100% renewable energy from Lac Léman. We also introduced the Natural Gas Project, which ensures that the Palais des Nations is heated with natural gas. These two major infrastructure improvements that represent innovative partnerships with the Republic and Canton of Geneva and the Services Industriels de Genève will help to further reduce greenhouse emissions for greater sustainability in our buildings management. I greatly appreciate being able to thank again the Geneva State Council and SIG for the strong collaboration.

I have established a UNOG Climate Neutral Task Force, in the context of the Secretary-General’s efforts towards a climate-neutral and sustainable United Nations. We are now compiling a broader strategy for limiting further our emissions and our environmental impact, building on our achievements so far.

However, providing services here at the Palais des Nations presents us with unique challenges in reaching climate neutrality. Close to 80 years old now, the Palais does not conform to modern standards with respect to emissions and energy efficiency. These constraints will continue to limit how far we can go in optimizing service provision from an environmental point of view. This is a further reason that we are working with Member States towards the implementation of a Strategic Heritage Plan for the Palais des Nations to ensure its sustainable preservation as the collective heritage of the international community and as a hub for present-day multilateral diplomacy. We want the Palais to continue to be a platform for environmental action and in itself be an example of energy-efficiency and carbon-neutrality.

Ladies and Gentlemen:
Effective action at the local level requires the active involvement and determination of each and every individual. This is why the United Nations family in Geneva – as part of the International Weekend on 5 and 6 of June – will reach out to the local population in a system-wide celebration of World Environment Day on Saturday, 5 June 2010. Together with a multitude of partners, the United Nations will show what we are doing for a sustainable future for all. I would like you to remember that date, and I hope you will take part.

The celebration also takes place within the context of the International Year of Biodiversity. As some of you may know, UNOG last year was awarded a Certificate from the well-known Swiss non-profit organization Nature et Economie for the differentiated management of the park areas around the Palais des Nations. On 5 June, our remarkable Ariana Park will – on an exceptional basis – be open to showcase its rich biodiversity and how it is maintained. There will be a variety of activities on the Place des Nations, and the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO – will be open to the public also. We are working closely with colleagues throughout the United Nations system, including the Geneva Environment Network, WIPO and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and outside partners.

I am grateful for the generous support for the project from our host country at all levels – federal, cantonal and municipal – and I appreciate this opportunity to personally thank the Canton and the City of Geneva for the close engagement throughout the process. It is another example of our shared commitment to the environmental cause. I also appreciate greatly the support we have already received from a number of Member States and I hope that many more will take part. SIG is a key partner for the event and the public will be able to learn much about SIG’s action for the environment and about our joint projects. As I said, I hope that you will all take part and I invite you to learn more about our World Environment Day celebrations through the UNOG website.

Dear Friends:
The discussions at the United Nations Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen in December raised the political consciousness of the magnitude of our collective environmental challenges. As the international community prepares to take forward those efforts at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Mexico later this year, we need to transform that political commitment into real progress at the local level. At UNOG, we look forward to strengthening collaboration with our colleagues throughout the United Nations system and with our local partners to make that happen.

Thank you very much.