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UN agency pledges to reduce environmental impact of sustainable development forum

UN agency pledges to reduce environmental impact of sustainable development forum

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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other agencies have become the first intergovernmental organizations to sign up to ensure that the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) later this month does not contribute to harming the global environment.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other agencies have become the first intergovernmental organizations to sign up to ensure that the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) later this month does not contribute to harming the global environment.

In addition to UNDP, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank have signed up for the Johannesburg Climate Legacy, an initiative committing those who travel to the Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, to offset the environmental costs created by their travel.

The organizations will pay to "neutralize" the amount of carbon dioxide from emissions released by their commutes, paying the money to a trust fund that is part of the wider "Greening of the WSSD" programme set up by the Development Bank of South Africa.

"The Johannesburg Climate Legacy Initiative provides an excellent opportunity for UNDP to set an example in taking practical steps towards addressing climate change issues while providing tangible benefits to local communities," said UNDP Administrator Mark Malloch Brown.