UN 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 UN" programme at the Secretariat in New York will make a 10 per cent saving in energy consumption.
Use of steam will be cut by more than 4 billion pounds, the equivalent of 300 tonne of carbon dioxide in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
The initiative is expected to save the world body $ 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 UN family and member States, he said: "ultimately, this will be important for our common efforts in addressing climate change issues."
The main UN premises in Bangkok, which houses over a dozen of the Organisation's entities, joined the Secretariat Friday in rolling out the "Cool UN" scheme.
Like the Secretariat in New York which is raising the thermostats by three degrees centigrade, ESCAP turned up the temperature by two degrees Celsius. Most of its staff members also came to work today in lighter clothing, including national dress.
"Cool UN" is just one of several schemes ESCAP is involved in to slash energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2002, it has cut back electricity consumption by 16 per cent annually by replacing old and inefficient appliances such as power transformers, elevators, air conditioners, lights and pumps.
