UN calls for postal sector to reduce emissions

The head of the Bern-based Universal Postal Union has urged postal services around the world to reduce their CO2 emissions.

Edouard Dayan’s call for action comes after the UPU – the United Nations specialised agency for postal services – reported that it estimates at least 26 million tonnes of C02 emissions were produced by its 191 members’ postal vehicles and buildings in 2008.

A statement from the UPU’s headquarters said that on the eve of the World Climate Conference in Copenhagen, the sector was committed to helping curb climate change and finding more eco-friendly ways to process and deliver mail items.

It added that postal services, employing more than five million people, operated a global network of more than 600,000 post offices and almost one million postal vehicles.

The UN estimates total annual worldwide greenhouse gas emissions at 38 billion tonnes, meaning that postal operations produce 0.07 per cent of these emissions.

“The UPU will work with all its partners, including the UN Environment Programme, to encourage the polluters of today and tomorrow to reduce their environmental impact in the long term,” Dayan said.

swissinfo.ch