Reducing our carbon footprint

UNDP is committed to reducing the planetary pressures, this includes greening our operations.

January 26, 2023

Over the past several years, UNDP Iran has been implementing different projects in cooperation with national and international partners across the country to support a transition to energy efficient buildings and to electric vehicles.

UNDP is uniquely positioned for connecting countries to knowledge, best-practices, and resources. The Organization prides itself for being nimble, innovative, and adaptable.

We lead on climate action by example. In August 2019, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner launched the "Greening Moonshot" committing the Organization to reduce its operational carbon footprint by 50% by 2030. In line with this commitment, in Iran we have taken some steps to achieve this goal.

Solar Panels on the rooftop of the building where UNDP Iran is located

UNDP was the first and the only UN agency in Iran supporting the “Tuesdays Without Car” initiative by encouraging colleagues to bike to work. It was a gesture to contribute to green mobility and to illustrate the fact that each person can have a role in the overall result of reducing air pollution.

Tehran is one of the most congested cities in the country and transportation sector, probably generating the greatest share of Green House Gases (GHGs). UNDP’s Office in Tehran is replacing its fleet with hybrid and electric vehicles. We are the first organization to migrate our parcel and delivery operations to a fully Electric Motorbike.

The Electric Motorbike is equipped with two batteries, each covering 110km, that can be charged and used interchangeably. This will allow the Country Office (CO) to reduce the use of office cars and ensure 75% less GHGs emission as well as higher efficiency during the rush hour. It is financed by UNDP Regional Bureau’s Moonshot Funding which previously also financed the procurement of solar panels installed on the rooftop of the building where the CO is located to prevent burning of fossil fuels and instead to provide renewable energy.

UNDP is committed to continue its efforts to support the country in implementing projects that bring a more sustainable and greener future for the people and the planet. No matter how small an action may seem, we are running out of time and climate change is a real threat. Replicating and scaling existing initiatives, using what we have learnt, and enabling even more ambitious transformation will allow us to run UNDP’s operations in an environmentally sustainable manner consistently across the Organization.