The UK in Sweden: Security and Prosperity in a Greener World

Climate change has risen up the political agenda in recent years and the FCO has been quick to recognise the increasing importance of tackling environmental issues - Foreign Secretary David Miliband made tackling climate change central to our work, making it one of the four policy goals which make up the FCO strategy,  namely to:

promote a low carbon, high growth, global economy

Greening the Embassy Committee

Sweden takes green issues seriously, and in keeping with its host, the British Embassy in Stockholm has long been working to reduce its impact upon the environment.

Following the arrival of Ambassador Andrew Mitchell in March 2007, a “Greening the Embassy” Committee was formed as a specific forum for pooling green ideas and analyse how the business of the Embassy was impacting upon the environment.
The Committee was tasked with the specific objective “to reduce the environmental footprint of the British Embassy Stockholm”.

It was not difficult to engage Embassy staff. Environmental awareness is a popular and motivating idea that should need little selling – people want to make a difference and the responsibility for looking after the planet is important and something we can all contribute to.

Achievements to date

When John Ashton, the Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative on Climate Change, visited Stockholm in October 2008, he was impressed with the Embassy’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. The Embassy had managed within a year to reduced its emissions per member of staff from 11 tonnes per year to 7 tonnes per year. The areas in which the the reductions occurred fall into three main categories - transport, electricity and heating. These will be reviewed annually to measure the progress made against targets the Embassy has set itself.

 

Transport

Bicycles

Cycling to meetings in town has now become the accepted norm amongst Embassy staff, including the Ambassador who leads by example. Where this is not practical, staff are encouraged to use other green alternatives that might be available.

Telephone/videoconferencing

Telephone and videoconferencing is now used wherever practicable e.g. for the  meetings now being held regularly between the Embassies that make up the Nordic Baltic Network. These are seen as very effective methods to quickly reduce the Embassy’s carbon footprint.

SAAB biofuel flag Car

Upon his arrival in Sweden, the Ambassador was keen to ensure that the Embassy flag car was consistent with the Embassy’s green policy, even if this meant deviating from the traditional choice of vehicle. The current choice, the Saab 9-5 BioPower model meets this criteria. The Embassy continues to monitor the market for ever more environmentally-friendly models.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband and HM Ambassador Andrew Mitchell with the new flag car

Electricity

Green energy supply

The Embassy has its energy supply to the Embassy premises, Residence and all Embassy owned properties provided by a company licensed by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation to provide green electricity.

Lighting

The Embassy and the Residence now use energy efficient light bulbs both inside the buildings and for their exterior lighting. Embassy owned properties are also being converted.

Heating

District heating

The British Embassy in Stockholm switched to the green heating alternative of district heating in February 2008. The Ambassador’s Residence followed suit in November 2008, with a special inauguration by Sir Richard Branson, himself a champion for environmental issues

Richard Branson at the launch to switch the Ambassor's Residence to district heating

Warm air pumps

It is estimated that a house using electric radiators emits 3.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. With this in mind, the Embassy is installing of warm air pumps in its remaining residential properties. Warm air pumps are considered the greenest and most efficient way of heating small properties, with estimated savings of up to 50 per cent in consumption of electricity per property.

Other 'easy wins'

Purchase of eco-friendly products

The Embassy now ensures wherever possible that all products purchased meet the Embassy’s green agenda and in so-doing help reduce its impact upon the environment. This includes cleaning products, paper products and ‘green’ fire extinguishers. White goods are all AAA certified (the most environmentally friendly) and furnishings are purchased from local suppliers who are known to observe environmentally friendly policies.

Recycling

The Embassy is currently in discussion with a local waste contractor which offers to recycle the Embassy’s waste in the most eco-efficient way.

The challenge continues

The Embassy is now looking at personal carbon accounts (including ‘carbon trading’) for staff and, who knows, local electricity generation! Thanks to collaborative cross-working across the Nordic Network, best practice is now being shared across our Nordic Baltic posts who all have their own stories to tell.