Brand new, Interactive and User-friendly: the new online version of the Commission’s Environmental Statement!

The EMAS coordination team proudly presents the online version of the Commission’s Environmental Statement – offering quick insights into specific topics of interest and easy access for all.

You no longer need to sift through a large report to find information

Some of you might know the extensive document summarising the European Commission’s environmental performance in the framework of the Environmental Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and the Greening Communication. It includes reporting on the carbon emissions, energy, water and paper consumption and waste generation of the Commission’s services and Executive Agencies in Brussels, Luxembourg, Grange, and the JRC sites as well as its EMAS-registered Representations in the Member States.

For anyone looking for specific information, the new online version is the place to go! A great achievement!  Let’s have a look at the new functionalities.

Find the number you’re looking for, explore a case study or browse one specific area of interest

Under nine concise titles, the web page summarises the Commission’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact, focussing on the carbon footprint. The overall framework is presented along with the main areas of action: buildings, mobility, circularity, biodiversity, and awareness, followed by the main conclusions. Under these headings the current status and Commission targets are presented. In the interactive graphs, the data for each site can be selected for display by a simple click. The user-friendly design and new infographics make it an interesting read and a good link to share.

The Environmental Statement also includes case studies for example on sustainable events and circular economy, water use, biodiversity, greening mobility by staff involvement in the EU Mobility week and many more. These specific examples provide greater insight into the Commission’s efforts and achievements in greening its activities.

The Commission reduced its carbon footprint by 30% in 2023 compared to 2019. The 14% rebound in the carbon footprint observed in 2022 compared to 2021 has slowed: in 2023 the increase was less than 4% compared to 2022. The Commission has continued to reduce its footprint thanks to EMAS measuring the environmental impact and reporting it at Commission level for several years. Whilst progress towards 2030 targets is encouraging, achieving them will require full implementation of the communication on Greening the Commission. The Commission is carrying out a progress review that considers the status of actions and targets, proposing a path towards 2030 and beyond.

The pdf version will still be available for those looking to deep-dive into the many aspects of the Commission’s greening efforts, in an easily downloadable format.

A big thanks to all EMAS colleagues, the relevant Green Teams in each service and Agency and everyone making the EMAS advancement possible and contributing their valuable input to the Commission’s climate neutrality commitment. And thanks also to the Office of Publication for supporting the development of the html site.

Picture: Commission’s EMAS coordination team (HR.D.7), from left to right: Sofia Gregou, Michael Rourke, Lara Krönke, Celso Sanchez Martinez, Elisabetta Tonin and Jessica Howet

The new online version of the Commission’s Environmental statement provides an engaging and informative overview of the Commission’s emission targets, along with the challenges and successes in achieving these goals.

Check it out yourself or share it with your peers: Environmental Statement 2024 - results 2023 | Directorate-general of Human Resources and Security (DG HR)

Related links: 

• What is behind the Commission’s greening efforts: find out more about the Eco-Monitoring and Audit scheme (EMAS) 
• The bigger picture: The European Green Deal