Postal sector pledges to slash global emissions 20 per cent

The postal industry today became the first services sector to set a global emissions target, announcing it will reduce carbon emissions 20 per cent on 2008 levels by 2020.

The International Post Corporation trade group said that 20 of its largest member's postal operators – including the UK's Royal Mail – will work together to collectively reduce their carbon emissions.

The announcement came as the operators involved, which collectively represent more than 80 per cent of global mail volumes, also published the first report on the environmental impact of the sector.

The report, which uses a common measurement and reporting framework developed to facilitate consistent sector-wide reporting on energy consumption and CO2 emissions, concluded that the 20 operators in the group currently emit 8.36m tonnes of CO2 a year.

It added that the firms will aim to bring annual emissions down to under 6.7m tonnes a year by 2020.

Jean-Paul Bailly, chief executive of the French post office, said the report and emissions target should serve as a template for other industries. "As the first services sector to unite on a global scale to tackle its industry’s global carbon footprint, we’re demonstrating what can be done when organisations work together," he said.

With their business models based on carbon-intensive transport operations, postal and delivery firms have been among the most progressive green businesses in recent years, investing in many high-profile initiatives to roll out electric and low-carbon vehicles.

Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, welcomed the announcement, hailing the new target as "an example of the vision and leadership required at all levels to effectively combat climate change".