Postal sector reaches 2020 target of 20% CO2 emissions reduction six years ahead of schedule

The International Post Corporation (IPC) said today that participants in its EMMS programme have collectively reached the 2020 targets of 20% CO2 reduction compared to the 2008 baseline six years ahead of schedule.
 

At the 15th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP15) in Copenhagen (Denmark), CEOs from 20 global postal operators committed to working together in order to collectively reduce the group’s carbon emissions by 20% by 2020 and to improve Carbon Management proficiency to 90%.

In 2014, six years earlier than anticipated, the group, which in the meantime expanded its reach and scope, reached the first programme milestone of reducing carbon emissions by 20%.

Herbert-Michael Zapf, President and CEO of IPC, said: “Meeting our 20% emissions reduction target six years early demonstrates the commitment, motivation, and strong leadership that the EMMS participants have maintained throughout the programme. We are very proud of announcing this great achievement just before COP21 in Paris, France, where world leaders will meet with the aim of finalising a new international agreement to limit global temperature rise to below 2ºC.”

Just in its seventh year, the EMMS programme continued to make very good progress. The group’s own yearly emissions have decreased by 20.6% since 2008, from 8,879,000 tonnes to 7,050,000 tonnes. By aggregating savings since 2008, this equates to a cumulative 8,178,000 tonnes of carbon emissions that have been avoided over the entire period. Carbon Management proficiency improved to an average of 81% for the group (2008: 56%).

Zapf continued: “While these reductions are a significant achievement, it is essential to stress the importance that posts participating in the programme continue their efforts to achieve further reductions. This will require more significant and longer-term investments, which we have already seen are highly effective. Improving energy-efficiency in buildings, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, and switching to alternative fuels for vehicles are key measures that posts are investing in.

"Not only do these initiatives have considerable environmental benefits, they also yield financial savings. For example, using conservative estimates the group has achieved a financial saving of €904m (US$1,199m) through reduced fuel and electricity use since the start of the programme in 2008.”
 
IPC published the 2015 IPC Postal Sector Sustainability Report at the occasion of its Board meeting in New York, USA.