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, Gret, 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. It will notably be presented during the “Climate” round table of the National Humanitarian Conference to be held on December 17, 2020.
The Humanitarian Environment Network (REH) works on these impacts and proposes awareness-raising tools for NGOs and other international aid stakeholders. See for exemple the downloadable posters to be used by everyone on the network’s page: The Humanitarian Environment Network – Groupe URD