Reducing emissions,mitigating climate change

Fewer business trips, new electric vehicles and environmentally sound air-conditioning units – GIZ is taking action around the world to achieve the ambitious climate targets it has set itself.

GIZ staff in Albania cover over 1,000 km a month by electric scooter. This impressive tally is one of the achievements of the changes to GIZ’s mobility management in Albania. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the mobility sector, GIZ Albania has adopted a whole raft of measures in keeping with the principle of ‘Avoid-Shift-Improve’. All staff agreed not to use cars for work-related journeys of less than one and a half kilometres. To make that work in practice, electric scooters and company bicycles were procured, and bike stands installed at GIZ’s Tirana office. Close monitoring of all business travel also identified potential for pooling car journeys and using the smallest vehicle possible in all cases. All in all, GIZ Albania managed to save about two tonnes of greenhouse gases in the mobility sector in 2022.

Foto: Mehrere Fahrräder stehen nebeneinander vor einem Gebäude mit einem Schild: „German Development Cooperation Office“. — © GIZ / Ariela Hajdarmataj

With projects like mobility management in Albania, GIZ locations round the globe are helping achieve GIZ’s climate goals. Overall emissions are to be reduced as far as possible by 2025 to make an active contribution to achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement on climate change. In 2021, GIZ was one of the first development organisations to sign up for the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This means it is pursuing ambitious reduction targets that are broken down into various categories of emission source, termed scopes, in line with international directives. We are taking various steps at all of our locations to move towards these targets.

Switching to electric vehicles is one important factor in the field of mobility, for example. GIZ’s Kinshasa office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for instance, has managed to procure an electric vehicle in spite of the many challenges this involved. The country does not yet have a charging infrastructure and no electric vehicles are available on the local market, but the office was able to install its own charging point. In September 2022, it took delivery of its first electric vehicle which has a range of up to 440 kilometres.

All in all, GIZ’s emissions in Scopes 1 and 2 in 2022 were twelve per cent lower than 2019. The switch from natural gas to biomethane inside Germany played no small part in this. Outside Germany, the use of electric cars and the installation of PV systems were important measures. Wherever possible, energy-efficient and environmentally sound air-conditioning systems have been procured. GIZ has also held special events at several locations to raise the awareness of staff in the field of energy and resource consumption.

With regard to indirect emissions along the value chain (Scope 3), significant savings have been made in terms of business travel in particular. Emissions caused by business trips dropped by 34 per cent in 2022 as compared to 2019. This was made possible by new guidelines on the reimbursement of travel expenses and new opportunities for online cooperation. Staff are also given guidance to make them aware of how to make air travel as CO2-efficient as possible and on whether the trip is in fact necessary.

You will find more information on the principles of our climate management and our emission reduction in various sectors in the GRI Index under ‘Material topic 1: Climate protection’.

Below you will find information about the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) sustainability standards:

Material topic 1: Climate protection

GRI			UNGC	SDG	DNK
3-3	Management approach disclosures	Foundation Basic principles: GIZ is firmly committed to the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree target. The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and climate action is a key concern. The issue is one of the priorities of our materiality analysis. GIZ is helping its partners in countries of assignment to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. At the same time, we are setting ourselves goals to reduce our own carbon footprint, in line with the most rigorous science-based, transparent standards and benchmarks. For GIZ’s climate management, prevention takes priority over reduction, while offsetting of unavoidable emissions is a last resort. GIZ bases its climate management on the findings of climate research. In 2021, we were the first development cooperation company to join the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). GIZ is thereby pursuing ambitious emission reduction goals that are broken down into different scopes, or emission sources, in line with international standards. As far as possible, GIZ also records greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that occur in the upstream and downstream value chain – Scope 3 – as well as the direct and indirect emissions in Scopes 1 and 2. GIZ can control and influence these indirect emissions only to a very limited extent. Offsetting: The emissions that GIZ cannot avoid are offset by retiring high-quality climate certificates from projects where GHG emissions were successfully reduced. We have offset emissions in Germany since 2013 and emissions abroad since 2020. GIZ offsets all direct Scope 1 GHG emissions. It also offsets a number of easily measurable indirect GHG emissions in Scopes 2 and 3 such as those generated by energies, air travel or commuting. For 2022, these are emissions from commuting in Germany and from business trips in Germany and abroad, events in Germany, and fuel- and energy-related emissions in Germany and abroad. Other emission sources are outside GIZ’s control and can be mapped only in part using rough estimates. They are not offset. To offset emissions, GIZ acquires certificates from climate change mitigation projects which meet not only environmental but also social sustainability criteria. They comply with the Gold Standard requirements, one of the most rigorous international quality standards, and are verified by the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). You will find more information on how GIZ’s CO₂ emissions are recorded and offset in the Integrated Company Report 2021 and Climate and Environmental Data 2022 „Klima- und Umweltdaten 2022“. Objectives: Climate change mitigation is at the heart of GIZ’s Sustainability Programme 2021–2025 and reducing GHG emissions at GIZ locations worldwide is our top priority. By 2025, GIZ will reduce its emissions to such an extent that it actively contributes to implementing the Paris Agreement. GIZ has pledged to reduce its direct and indirect emissions – Scopes 1 and 2 – by 30 per cent by 2025 compared to 2019. 2019 was selected as the base year for the targets because from 2020 onwards the COVID-19 pandemic caused distortions. GIZ has committed to reducing absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services, fuel and energy-related activities, business travel and staff commuting by 10 per cent between 2019 and 2025. Again, 2019 was used as the base year for measuring progress. The data are updated annually and, if new information is available, findings from previous years are corrected. Taking 2019 as a benchmark, GIZ intends to cut its GHG emissions resulting from air travel inside and outside Germany by 25 per cent by 2025. The Sustainability Programme 2021–2025 now shifts the focus more to the potential outside Germany. Photovoltaic (PV) systems are to be installed at many locations, for instance. This will reduce CO₂ emissions, save energy costs and may reduce fuel consumption by generators during power cuts. More information on the environmental management system can be found at 3-3 Management approach protection of natural resources Measures The next step will be to expand the scope of GIZ’s annual Climate and Environmental Report to include our sub-contractors. Since 2022, we have endeavoured to include the GHG emissions resulting from air travel undertaken by our service providers and a description of our reduction efforts in our detailed monitoring system. Scopes 1 and 2: In 2022, GIZ switched from natural gas to biomethane in Germany and expanded the use of electric vehicles. Energy-efficient refurbishments have also been initiated and PV systems and heat pumps have been installed. An energy-saving campaign was also carried out at GIZ locations in Germany. Measures conducted abroad in 2022 included installing five new PV systems on a total of 34 office roofs around the globe, procuring additional electric vehicles and organising awareness-raising events for employees on topics such as sustainable mobility and energy and resource consumption. Wherever possible, low-energy, climate-friendly air conditioning systems (‘green cooling’) were procured, though these are only available to a limited extent on markets abroad. Scope 3: Step by step, GIZ is improving its monitoring system, enabling it to record other key emissions more accurately, and to reduce these wherever possible. However, a number of targeted measures have also contributed to cutting emissions. Wherever possible, business travel is being replaced by online meetings or reduced by grouping appointments. The approach proved successful during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, all events now meet sustainability criteria and their GHG emissions are accounted for. Measures to raise awareness among our service providers of online training courses, for instance, and standardised information on climate-friendly travel in our contract documents may also help to reduce GHG emissions in the value chain. Progress made The degree of achievement [of Scope 1 and 2 climate goals] in 2022 is a reduction of 12 per cent. Savings in direct Scope 1 emissions occurred mainly in Germany as a result of the switch to biomethane and of energy savings. However, these savings were cancelled out in total by an increase in emissions from fuels for vehicles and generators abroad. Indirect energy-related Scope 2 emissions also increased in the previous year. This is primarily due to increased electricity consumption at locations abroad. The current degree of achievement in Scope 3 is a reduction of 6 per cent compared to 2019. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is reflected in emissions trends. Scope 3 emissions decreased mainly due to reduced mobility during the pandemic, but rose again in 2022. Emissions generated by commuting have increased, as a new survey on commuter behaviour in Germany has shown. Major increases have occurred with regard to the emission factors and the journey to work. The fact that very few events took place during the coronavirus pandemic meant that the CO₂ footprint in this area was correspondingly small. Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to calculate the effects of sensitising our service providers, as GIZ – like many other companies – can only use the financial procurement volume and relatively imprecise emission factors to estimate GHG emissions from procurement. In other words, the volume of emissions reported here varies only according to the volume of services we purchase and therefore cannot reflect the effect of measures. Further information: Climate management at GIZ Avoiding emissions is our top priority	8, 9	11, 13	13

GRI

UNGC

SDG

DNK

3-3

Management approach disclosures

Foundation

Basic principles:
GIZ is firmly committed to the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree target. The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and climate action is a key concern. The issue is one of the priorities of our materiality analysis. GIZ is helping its partners in countries of assignment to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. At the same time, we are setting ourselves goals to reduce our own carbon footprint, in line with the most rigorous science-based, transparent standards and benchmarks.
For GIZ’s climate management, prevention takes priority over reduction, while offsetting of unavoidable emissions is a last resort.
GIZ bases its climate management on the findings of climate research. In 2021, we were the first development cooperation company to join the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). GIZ is thereby pursuing ambitious emission reduction goals that are broken down into different scopes, or emission sources, in line with international standards.
As far as possible, GIZ also records greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that occur in the upstream and downstream value chain – Scope 3 – as well as the direct and indirect emissions in Scopes 1 and 2. GIZ can control and influence these indirect emissions only to a very limited extent.
Offsetting:
The emissions that GIZ cannot avoid are offset by retiring high-quality climate certificates from projects where GHG emissions were successfully reduced. We have offset emissions in Germany since 2013 and emissions abroad since 2020.
GIZ offsets all direct Scope 1 GHG emissions. It also offsets a number of easily measurable indirect GHG emissions in Scopes 2 and 3 such as those generated by energies, air travel or commuting. For 2022, these are emissions from commuting in Germany and from business trips in Germany and abroad, events in Germany, and fuel- and energy-related emissions in Germany and abroad. Other emission sources are outside GIZ’s control and can be mapped only in part using rough estimates. They are not offset.
To offset emissions, GIZ acquires certificates from climate change mitigation projects which meet not only environmental but also social sustainability criteria. They comply with the Gold Standard requirements, one of the most rigorous international quality standards, and are verified by the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). You will find more information on how GIZ’s CO₂ emissions are recorded and offset in the Integrated Company Report 2021 and Climate and Environmental Data 2022 „Klima- und Umweltdaten 2022“.
Objectives:
Climate change mitigation is at the heart of GIZ’s Sustainability Programme 2021–2025 and reducing GHG emissions at GIZ locations worldwide is our top priority. By 2025, GIZ will reduce its emissions to such an extent that it actively contributes to implementing the Paris Agreement.
GIZ has pledged to reduce its direct and indirect emissions – Scopes 1 and 2 – by 30 per cent by 2025 compared to 2019. 2019 was selected as the base year for the targets because from 2020 onwards the COVID-19 pandemic caused distortions.
GIZ has committed to reducing absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services, fuel and energy-related activities, business travel and staff commuting by 10 per cent between 2019 and 2025. Again, 2019 was used as the base year for measuring progress. The data are updated annually and, if new information is available, findings from previous years are corrected.
Taking 2019 as a benchmark, GIZ intends to cut its GHG emissions resulting from air travel inside and outside Germany by 25 per cent by 2025.
The Sustainability Programme 2021–2025 now shifts the focus more to the potential outside Germany. Photovoltaic (PV) systems are to be installed at many locations, for instance. This will reduce CO₂ emissions, save energy costs and may reduce fuel consumption by generators during power cuts.
More information on the environmental management system can be found at

3-3 Management approach protection of natural resources

Measures

The next step will be to expand the scope of GIZ’s annual Climate and Environmental Report to include our sub-contractors. Since 2022, we have endeavoured to include the GHG emissions resulting from air travel undertaken by our service providers and a description of our reduction efforts in our detailed monitoring system.
- Scopes 1 and 2:
  In 2022, GIZ switched from natural gas to biomethane in Germany and expanded the use of electric vehicles. Energy-efficient refurbishments have also been initiated and PV systems and heat pumps have been installed. An energy-saving campaign was also carried out at GIZ locations in Germany. Measures conducted abroad in 2022 included installing five new PV systems on a total of 34 office roofs around the globe, procuring additional electric vehicles and organising awareness-raising events for employees on topics such as sustainable mobility and energy and resource consumption. Wherever possible, low-energy, climate-friendly air conditioning systems (‘green cooling’) were procured, though these are only available to a limited extent on markets abroad.
- Scope 3:
  Step by step, GIZ is improving its monitoring system, enabling it to record other key emissions more accurately, and to reduce these wherever possible. However, a number of targeted measures have also contributed to cutting emissions. Wherever possible, business travel is being replaced by online meetings or reduced by grouping appointments. The approach proved successful during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, all events now meet sustainability criteria and their GHG emissions are accounted for. Measures to raise awareness among our service providers of online training courses, for instance, and standardised information on climate-friendly travel in our contract documents may also help to reduce GHG emissions in the value chain.

Progress made

The degree of achievement [of Scope 1 and 2 climate goals] in 2022 is a reduction of 12 per cent. Savings in direct Scope 1 emissions occurred mainly in Germany as a result of the switch to biomethane and of energy savings. However, these savings were cancelled out in total by an increase in emissions from fuels for vehicles and generators abroad. Indirect energy-related Scope 2 emissions also increased in the previous year. This is primarily due to increased electricity consumption at locations abroad.
The current degree of achievement in Scope 3 is a reduction of 6 per cent compared to 2019. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is reflected in emissions trends. Scope 3 emissions decreased mainly due to reduced mobility during the pandemic, but rose again in 2022. Emissions generated by commuting have increased, as a new survey on commuter behaviour in Germany has shown. Major increases have occurred with regard to the emission factors and the journey to work. The fact that very few events took place during the coronavirus pandemic meant that the CO₂ footprint in this area was correspondingly small.
Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to calculate the effects of sensitising our service providers, as GIZ – like many other companies – can only use the financial procurement volume and relatively imprecise emission factors to estimate GHG emissions from procurement. In other words, the volume of emissions reported here varies only according to the volume of services we purchase and therefore cannot reflect the effect of measures.

Further information:
Climate management at GIZ
Avoiding emissions is our top priority

8, 9

11, 13

GRI

UNGC

SDG

DNK

305-1

Direct GHG emissions (Scope 1)

	Germany				Abroad
	2019	2020	2021	2022	2019	2020	2021	2022
Heating [in t CO2e]	2.760	2.228	1.125	911	1.850	1.975	1.918	1.233
Fuel for company vehicles in t CO2e	23	13	10	8	11.550	8.236	9.248	10.741
Coolants in t CO2e	31	23	8	32	4.048	3.849	4.111	4.055
Generators in t CO2e	3	7	6	6	1.765	2.303	1.379	2.641

[1] Due to improved data quality, these figures partly deviate from previously published data.

[2] Emissions from electricity were calculated using the market-based method domestically.

7-9

8, 13

305-2

Indirect energy-related GHG emissions (Scope 2)

	Germany				Abroad
	2019	2020	2021	2022	2019	2020	2021	2022
Electricity in t CO2e [2]	361	289	240	191	9.693	7.582	8.044	8.435
District heating in t CO2e	177	171	211	171	351	563	423	218
District cooling in t CO2e	47	36	50	51	76	0,5	0	0

[1] Due to improved data quality, these figures partly deviate from previously published data.

[2] Emissions from electricity were calculated using the market-based method domestically.

7-9

8, 13

305-3

Other indirect GHG emissions (Scope 3)

	Germany				Abroad
	2019	2020	2021	2022	2019	2020	2021	2022
Purchased goods and services [5] in in t CO2e.	132.223	136.910	155.341	139.122	61.789	54.815	84.035	68.151
Fuel and energy-related emissions [6] in t CO2e.	312	289	217	184	8.276	6.322	5.652	6.898
Business trips in t CO2e	23.275	3.179	2.798	13.239	86.254	19.481	22.724	59.531
Commuting [7] in t CO2e	3.042	1.587	1.078	4.903	10.008	4.396	4.624	13.974
Events in t CO2e	Data not mapped		36	81	Data not mapped in the CSH.

[5] Estimate based on financial data. These are only emissions from purchased services since these are essential for GIZ. This excludes construction services.

[6] Due to improved data quality, figures may differ in part from previously published data. An estimate was made for foreign countries for the years 2019 and 2020.

[7] Commuter traffic abroad was roughly estimated for 2019 using flat-rate values. From 2020, the values are derived from an extrapolation based on the results of an internal survey of selected locations abroad.

7-9

8, 13

305-5

Reduction in GHG emissions

Direct and indirect GHG emissions from buildings and vehicles are down by about 12 per cent on 2019. Indirect emissions from the upstream and downstream value chain have decreased by roughly 6 per cent.

	Entire company
	2019	2020	2021	2022
Scope 1 + 2 in t CO₂e	32.709	27.274	26.777	28.693
Scope 3 in t CO₂e	325.157	226.979	276.457	306.003

[8] The totals deviate in part from previously communicated figures because data quality has improved thanks to more accurate recalculations.

7-9

8, 13

305-7

Nitrogen oxides (NO_x), sulphur oxides (SO_x) and other significant airborne emissions

	Inland				Ausland
	2019	2020	2021	2022	2019	2020	2021	2022
NO_X (nitrogen oxides) in kg	8.822	4.394	3.148	13.115
SO₂ (sulfur dioxide) in kg	4.964	2.036	1.551	4.880
PM10 (coarse particular matter) in kg	233	82	76	563

[9] Data for 2020 and 2021 have been recalculated based on new data.

8, 13

Below you will find information about the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) sustainability standards:

Material topic 1: Climate protection

GIZ uses tracking technologies from various providers