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UNFPA in Uzbekistan Takes Up Commitment to Become Climate Neutral

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN - On 11 February 2010, UNFPA< United Nations Population Fund in Uzbekistan, conducted a learning session on climate neutrality and environmentally friendly behavior for its staff members. 

In line with the United Nations Climate Neutral Strategy, UNFPA is committed to pursuing climate neutrality as part of its broader efforts to move towards sustainable management practices. UNFPA is obliged to eliminating the negative environmental effects stemming from its facilities and operations, and conducting its work in such a way as to enhance, rather than detract from, the natural world. 

"In the face of new environmental challenges, the United Nations and Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon have made a commitment to lead by example and make UN operations and facilities more sustainable to the environment and to development all over the world," - commented Ms. Nuzhat Ehsan, UNFPA Representative a.i. in Uzbekistan. "Led by this commitment, UNFPA in Uzbekistan starts implementing the strategies for becoming more neutral and is ready to share knowledge on this issue with all its partners and counterparts." 

Some of the activities of the climate-neutral strategy include estimating greenhouse gas emissions UNFPA produces and ensuring the amount is consistent with accepted international standards, and undertaking efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions to the extent possible. 

As the first step in this initiative, UNFPA staff members learned small yet useful tips on how to become more environmentally friendly at work and how to ensure conservation of water, electricity, heat and paper.  

The learning activity participants were educated through a set of interactive tools and were called to share the knowledge and skills they received with their family and friends, thus, ensuring that the concept of environmentally friendly practices is applied by broader audiences in the country. 

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UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programs to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

For additional information please contact:

Mr. Maksim Fazlitdinov 

Programme Associate on Advocacy/Communication

UNFPA/Uzbekistan

Fazlitdinov@unfpa.org