With the adoption of its Greening Action Plan 2021-2022, ACER pledges to reduce its own carbon footprint as an organisation.
ACER’s desire to become greener and more digital as an organisation is not surprising for an EU Agency that plays such a pivotal role in the delivery of Europe’s ambition to be climate neutral by 2050.
Decarbonising the energy sector is a core pillar of the European Green Deal. Europe’s decarbonisation goals rely on integrated European energy markets. This lies at the heart of ACER’s work. Safe and sustainable energy is in turn a key enabler of a competitive and climate-neutral EU economy.
ACER Director, Christian Zinglersen, said:
“ACER’s mission is very important for the trajectory of the European energy system in so far as this relies on increasingly integrated energy markets. At the same time, we obviously also have a responsibility in what we do as individual staff members and as an Agency. Hence, we have committed actions in our Greening Action Plan.”
Dr Jochen Penker, Chair of ACER’s Administrative Board (AB), added:
“In line with the priorities of the current AB chairmanship, the Agency was invited in 2020 to prepare its first Greening Action Plan for 2021-2022. I commend the Director and his corporate services and facility management team as well as the “Greening Ambassadors” for their efforts towards a climate neutral Agency. Herewith, ACER has become a frontrunner among EU agencies, fully in line with its mandate and core values. We see the greening of our Agency as a responsibility and opportunity to be embraced by all. We expect to expand over time, learning from our own experience and that of others. The endorsement of the first action plan marks an important first step. It is the beginning of a longer journey.”
What’s in the ACER Greening Action Plan 2021-2022?
ACER has adopted its first Greening Action Plan identifying 17 concrete actions that aim to reduce the Agency’s carbon footprint in the course of 2021 and 2022, with a strong cross-departmental effort. These actions range from how we travel, what kind of electricity we consume (ACER switched to 100% renewables, starting from a share of 1,37 % in 2018), through to our search to rent a green and sustainable office premises, and including environmental aspects in all our tender specifications.
This commitment shows ACER’s readiness to implement concrete greening actions, and to support the efforts of its staff and members embracing innovation and sustainable ways of working.
Read more on the ACER Greening Action Plan (2021-2022).
