'Cool U.N.' prog begins; Ban attends office in causal dress

United Nations, Aug 2 (PTI) U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon
perhaps became the first Secretary General to shed formal
business suit and attend full day's work in causal dress as
the world body upped air conditioning temperature as a part of
its effort to curb green house emissions.

The three-pronged scheme seeks to limit the use of air
conditioning, slash carbon emissions and save money for the
United Nations.

"We are not just cutting back suits and ties," Ban told
reporters adding that the month-long "Cool U.N." programme at
the Secretariat in New York will make a 10 percent saving in
energy consumption. Use of steam will be cut by more than 4
billion pounds, the equivalent of 300 tons of carbon dioxide
in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.

The initiative is expected to save the world body U.S.D.
100,000. If the initiative is extended beyond August and into
the winter, savings will be even greater, Ban noted.

Calling on the support of the U.N. family and member
States, he said: "ultimately, this will be important for our
common efforts in addressing climate change issues."

The main U.N. premises in Bangkok, which houses over a
dozen of the Organization's entities, joined the Secretariat
Friday in rolling out the "Cool U.N." scheme.

Like the Secretariat in New York which is raising the
thermostats by three degrees centigrade, E.S.C.A.P. turned up
the temperature by two degrees Celsius. Most of its staff
members also came to work Saturday in lighter clothing,
including national dress.

"Cool U.N." is just one of several schemes E.S.C.A.P. is
involved in to slash energy consumption and greenhouse gas
emissions. Since 2002, it has cut back electricity consumption
by 16 percent annually by replacing old and inefficient
appliances such as power transformers, elevators, air
conditioners, lights and pumps.