The Secretariat is looking into ways to minimize its own environmental impacts, with a focus on (i) office activities and procedures, (ii) meetings and (iii) reporting. Some examples include switching to 100% post-consumer recycled paper for fax machines, printers and photocopiers and replacing Styrofoam paper plates, cups and plastic utensils used for receptions hosted by the Secretariat. We are also liaising with the Federal Republic of Germany, the host country for COP 9 as well as UNESCO and FAO and host organizations of SBSTTA-12 and SBSTTA-13 for greening of event sites and meetings. Other activities include the calculation of carbon emissions resulting from staff travel that will be offset through tree planting activities under the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 16 November 2006 between the CBD and the Green Belt Movement.

Acting on the Secretary General’s call for a carbon-neutral United Nations, the Executive Secretary of the CBD and the Governor or Parana have launched a groundbreaking initiative to offset all carbon emissions arising out of the CBD Secretariat’s operations between COP 9 and 10 (estimated at around 10,200 tons of carbon equivalent). The initiative is part of a larger award-wining project called Riparian Reforestation Programme, led by the Parana State government, which already planted more than 80 millions of seedlings all over the State.

See the communique (English. French, Spanish, Portugese): "State of Parana delivers on its commitment to offset carbon emissions of the operations of the CBD Secretariat"

UNEP/CBD/COP/9/INF/42 A First Step towards Environmental Reporting (2006- 2007)