Our environmental and climate impact in figures
Verifiable figures and data play an indispensable role in our efforts to steadily reduce our environmental impact. Here are the key indicators.
Our environmental footprint is determined by our consumption of electricity, gas, oil, water, fuel and many other factors. To help us improve steadily, we record key climate and environmental data each year for our locations inside and outside Germany. Inside Germany, we use the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), which involves an external validation of data. Outside Germany, we have developed our own management tool – the Corporate Sustainability Handprint® (CSH) – to provide a standardised framework for local sustainability management, which can be implemented in a way that suits the country context. Both tools provide data on our greenhouse gas emissions. Our measurements are based on the international Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP). As of fiscal 2021, we also made some changes to our assessment system to bring it into line with the requirements of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Wherever possible, these changes were also made retroactively to ensure data comparability. Further information about the methods we use to calculate climate and environmental data can be found in the section entitled Notes on calculation methods Notes on calculation methods.
GIZ’s total emissions
27,735
Scope 1+2
326,510
Scope 3
Selected GIZ climate and environmental data 2023:
Scope 3| Germany | Abroad | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Purchased goods and services5 in t CO2e | 132,223 | 136,910 | 155,341 | 139,122 | 138,011 | 61,789 | 54,815 | 84,035 | 68,151 | 67,975 |
| Fuel and energy-related emissions6 in t CO2e | 312 | 368 | 288 | 241 | 276 | 8,276 | 6,322 | 5,652 | 6,876 | 6,505 |
| Business trips in t CO2e | 23,275 | 3,179 | 2,798 | 13,239 | 17,602 | 86,254 | 19,481 | 22,724 | 59,531 | 78,362 |
| Commuting7 in t CO2e | 3,042 | 1,587 | 1,078 | 4,903 | 3,926 | 10,008 | 4,396 | 4,624 | 13,974 | 13,854 |
| Events in t CO2e | / | / | 36 | 81 | 407 | 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.
Achievement of SBTi target8
| Entire company | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Scopes 1 + 2 in t CO2e | 32,709 | 27,265 | 26,721 | 28,380 | 27,735 |
| Scope 3 in t CO2e | 325,157 | 227,058 | 276,540 | 306,037 | 326,510 |
8
The totals deviate in part from previously communicated figures because data quality has improved thanks to more accurate recalculations.
GIZ’s Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for 2023 are around 15 per cent lower than the values for 2019. However, the strong downward trend that we have experienced in the past few years, in which the COVID pandemic had a major influence, could not be continued in all areas:
- We were able to save even more energy at our German sites and also switched to biomethane. Scope 1 emissions outside Germany also fell slightly. However, in 2023 we used more electricity at our locations outside Germany, which in turn led to an increase in Scope 2 emissions.
- Following a significant reduction during the COVID years, Scope 3 emissions are back at the 2019 level. This means that we are currently not achieving our targeted reduction of 10 per cent. The emissions caused by business trips are lower than the 2019 figure. However, emissions from purchased services have risen as the procurement volume has increased again.
- GIZ ensures that its service providers are aware of the need to reduce emissions. Unfortunately, the impact of this cannot yet be quantified and is therefore not reflected in the emissions figures. You will find more information here
Scopes 1 + 2: Limiting global warming to 1.5 °C
(direct emissions)
Scope 3: Limiting global warming to significantly less than 2 °C
(indirect emissions)
Mobility
| Germany | Abroad | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Total flights in 1,000 km | 69,621 | 9,515 | 8,252 | 41,831 | 56,738 | 361,454 | 78,670 | 81,902 | 250,994 | 312,600 |
| Distance flown per staff member in km | 13,434 | 1,646 | 1,430 | 6,930 | 9,046 | 19,830 | 4,149 | 4,106 | 12,492 | 15,692 |
| Total rail trips in 1,000 km | 12,357 | 3,195 | 1,833 | 6,447 | 8,768 | Data not mapped in the CSH | / | / | / | / |
| Distance travelled by rail per staff member in km | 2,384 | 553 | 318 | 1,068 | 1,398 | Data not mapped in the CSH | / | / | / | / |
| Germany | Abroad | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Total energy consumption in kWh | 24,114,794 | 23,015,555 | 23,240,630 | 20,429,619 | 20,570,353 | 80,277,407 | 66,123,732 | 66,416,385 | 75,989,840 | 71,491,450 |
| Total energy consumption per staff member in kWh | 4,387 | 3,826 | 3,864 | 3,255 | 3,164 | 4,404 | 3,487 | 3,330 | 3,782 | 3,589 |
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