Statement by the Director General of the UPU International Bureau: “Post for Planet”

October 14, 2022English

We can no longer ignore the climate emergency. Drastic changes in our environment are beginning to have dramatic impacts on our daily lives and livelihoods. The scientific consensus is clear: human activities are driving climate change. International organizations, governments and civil society have called for urgent action from all sectors to avoid the worst impacts of this crisis.

The postal sector employs more than 5 million people who work from more than 600,000 offices in 192 countries. It delivers hundreds of billions of postal items per year. There is no doubt that the postal sector and its partners have the responsibility to take concrete actions to reduce their carbon emissions.

We must drive change within our own sector. To mark this year’s World Post Day, we have chosen the theme “Post for Planet”.

As a global player in the delivery of goods and essential services, Posts are in a prime position to lead the way for their partners across the entire global supply chain. They can be a front runner to improve climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience within other sectors.

Fighting climate change is no small task. Real action requires real investment, but these investments will pay dividends towards our future. Action on climate change will also drive progress on social and economic development goals. We must think about our impact beyond our offices, our networks and our borders.

Every person, business and nation on this planet has a stake in this fight. We must all work together to secure a better future for generations to come. I urge the governments of UPU member countries to work with both public and private partners to secure climate investments for the postal sector. I call on Posts to revive the spirit of innovation that helped them support their communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Use this experience to find innovative solutions that will reduce your carbon footprint, and let it serve as a benchmark for finding appropriate and impactful responses to support your communities. Finally, I ask the billions of people who use the Post each day to support our sector as we work to build a better, brighter future.

I wish you fruitful World Post Day celebrations.

Masahiko Metoki
Director General