Statement of Commitment on Climate by Humanitarian Organisations

Publication language
English
Pages
2pp
Date published
14 Dec 2020
Type
Plans, policy and strategy
Keywords
Environment & climate, NGOs, Climate Action (SDG)
Countries
France
Organisations
Groupe URD

The actions of solidarity organizations, crucial as they may be, can nevertheless generate environmental and climate impacts. For the humanitarian sector, taking these issues into account is a question of overall coherence of action, exemplarity and respect for the principle of “do no harm”. 

For several months, the members of the Humanitarian Environment Network prepared a letter of commitment to reduce CO2 emissions written by organizations of international solidarity. In order to assume their responsibilities, to give impetus and set an example, Groupe URD, ACTED, Action contre la Faim, ALIMA, CARE France, Electriciens Sans Frontières, Médecins du Monde, Première Urgence Internationale, Secours Islamique France and Solidarités International commit to :

    - Measuring the environmental and carbon impacts of their actions;
   -  Reducing their carbon footprint;
    - Adapting their humanitarian action to meet these new challenges;
   -  Communicating;
    - Encouraging others to raise the ambition.

A co-signed statement of commitment endorses these decisions, which will then be adapted to the functioning of each organization. 

The Humanitarian Environment Network (REH) works on these impacts and proposes awareness-raising tools for NGOs and other international aid stakeholders. See in particular the latest downloadable posters to be used by everyone: on the network’s page: https://www.urd.org/fr/reseau/reseau-environnement-humanitaire/

Authors: 
Groupe URD