# Climate, Environment, and Conservation – United States Department of State

- Assistant Secretary Noyes Travels to Colombia Office of the SpokespersonAssistant Secretary for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) Julieta Valls Noyes will travel to Bogotá, Colombia May 27-30. She will accompany Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma and other delegation members in the 11th round of the U.S.-Colombia High-Level Dialogue to underscore areas of shared interest including migration management, counternarcotics and security, human rights and equity, education, economic opportunities, energy transition, and climate action. Assistant Secretary Noyes will also meet with PRM partners, staff and applicants at the Bogotá Safe Mobility Office and the Resettlement Support Center, and UNHCR and IOM representatives.
- The 36th Annual ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue Office of the SpokespersonThe United States and ASEAN held the 36th annual ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue on May 24 in Washington, D.C., to discuss expanded cooperation under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink co-chaired the dialogue with Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General of ASEAN Cooperation Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro.Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink reaffirmed the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ASEAN centrality and the security and prosperity of our regional partners, including through its support for the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. The co-chairs celebrated the major milestones of the U.S.-ASEAN partnership in recent years, including the upgrade of our ties to a CSP in 2022 and the launch of the U.S.-ASEAN Center in Washington, D.C., in 2023.Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink discussed pressing geopolitical issues with his ASEAN counterparts, including how best to:  facilitate a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific; support peaceful arbitration of disputes; and promote sovereignty in the region. He underscored the United States’ close coordination with ASEAN to support Burma’s path to inclusive democracy, in line with the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus. The Assistant Secretary called for the military regime to immediately end the violence, release those unjustly detained, and allow unhindered humanitarian access to all those in need.  He further expressed the need to uphold freedom of the seas and adherence to international law in the South China Sea.Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink underlined the United States’ commitment to strengthening strong trade and investment relationships with and between ASEAN countries, highlighting the United States as the top source of foreign direct investment in the region. In addition to promoting an inclusive digital economy, Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation on climate change, cybersecurity, the development of emerging technologies, upholding freedom of navigation, and promoting the unimpeded flow of lawful commerce. He further highlighted the importance of people-to-people ties and U.S.-ASEAN efforts to deliver concrete benefits for our combined one billion people. He also reiterated U.S. support for Timor-Leste&#8217;s full ASEAN accession.Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink reiterated U.S. support for Lao PDR’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2024, and both co-chairs said they looked forward to joining the upcoming ASEAN Regional Forum and East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meetings in Vientiane June 7-8.
- First Meeting of the United States – Switzerland Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation Office of the Spokesperson													HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;First Meeting of the United States &#8211; Switzerland Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										First Meeting of the United States &#8211; Switzerland Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation																																		Media Note																														May 24, 2024																																							The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States and Switzerland at the first U.S.-Swiss Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology.Begin Text:On May 24, 2024, the United States and Switzerland convened in Bern for the inaugural Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on science and technology to further strengthen the partnership between their scientific communities. Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI) Martina Hirayama and U.S. Chargés d&#8217;Affaires, a.i., Bradford Bell, opened the JCM. Ambassador Jacques Ducrest, Head of International Relations at SERI, co-chaired the discussion with Rahima Kandahari, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Oceans, and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES). State Secretary Hirayama emphasized the paramount importance of the United States as a key partner for Switzerland in science and technology and underscored the critical role of international collaboration for Switzerland. Deputy Assistant Secretary Kandahari applauded the 171 years of diplomatic engagement between the two countries and emphasized how science and technology cooperation exemplifies the mutual benefits of the productive U.S.-Switzerland relationship.The U.S. delegation included leaders and experts from the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Energy, National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST), U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Department of State. The Swiss delegation comprised leaders and experts from the State Secretariat for Education Research an Innovation (SERI), State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS), Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM), Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), Swiss Innovation Agency Innosuisse, Swiss Polar Institute (SPI), Swiss Quantum Commission (SQC), the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), and the ETH AI Center. The meeting was convened under the bilateral Agreement Relating to Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the two governments signed in 2009.The two countries are sister republics with shared values, anchored by a collective commitment to build resilient, inclusive democracies, and advance human rights. This in-person bilateral dialogue on science and technology cooperation broadens and strengthens our collaboration and commitment to each other. Continued scientific engagement and people-to-people ties between the United States and Switzerland will not only propel both economies forward, but also lead toward a more resilient future.The United States and Switzerland collaborate on virtually every pressing challenge of our time, from critical and emerging science and technology to addressing the climate crisis to creating a more prosperous future for our peoples. Both partners work to create inclusive scientific research communities to consider the importance of preserving principles for scientific cooperation, such as promoting the integrity and security of the international scientific enterprise, to encouraging the participation of researchers and organizations from all sectors in cooperative activities.The JCM reaffirmed the U.S.-Swiss commitment to continue our close partnership and coordination on science and technology cooperation.End Text.For further information, please contact OES-Press@state.gov.						Tags																					Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs																								Office of the Spokesperson																																														Science, Technology, and Innovation																																							Scientific and Technological Cooperation																															Switzerland
- United States Welcomes Lithuania’s Signing of the Artemis Accords Office of the Spokesperson													HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;United States Welcomes Lithuania’s Signing of the Artemis Accords				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										United States Welcomes Lithuania’s Signing of the Artemis Accords																																		Media Note																														May 15, 2024																																							Lithuania became the 40th signatory to the Artemis Accords on May 15 at a ceremony held in Vilnius.&nbsp; The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by the United States and seven other countries to set out a practical set of principles to guide space exploration.&nbsp;&nbsp;Minister of Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė signed the Accords for Lithuania with U.S. Ambassador Kara C. McDonald as witness.&nbsp; NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy welcomed Lithuania via a recorded message.&nbsp;&nbsp;The U.S.-Lithuania relationship has never been stronger.&nbsp; From collaboration in security and defense, to partnerships in trade and investment, the relationship between our two countries continues to flourish across a wide range of areas. We extend that partnership into outer space, through the Artemis Accords.&nbsp;Lithuania joins 39 other nations –&nbsp;Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay – in affirming the Accords’ principles for sustainable civil space activity.  The Department of State and NASA lead the United States’ outreach and implementation of the Accords.&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information, please visit https://www.state.gov/artemis-accords/.  For media inquiries, please contact OES-Press@state.gov. 						Tags																													Artemis Accords																															Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs																								Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs																								Lithuania																								Office of the Spokesperson
- Under Secretary Fernandez’s Travel to New York for the Cobalt Congress HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Under Secretary Fernandez’s Travel to New York for the Cobalt Congress				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Under Secretary Fernandez’s Travel to New York for the Cobalt Congress																																		Media Note																														May 13, 2024																																							Today, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez is in New York, New York, to participate in the 30th Cobalt Congress, where he will speak about the United States&#8217; foreign policy goal to expand and build secure, sustainable, and resilient critical minerals supply chains through the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) and associated initiatives such as the MSP Forum.The MSP is a collaboration of 14 countries and the EU, formed to catalyze public and private investment in responsible critical minerals supply chains globally. The MSP Forum is a mechanism to formalize and expand MSP engagements with minerals producing countries, focusing on advancing projects with high environmental, social, governance, and labor standards and promoting discussion of policies that contribute to diverse and resilient supply chains.During the Cobalt Congress, Under Secretary Fernandez will engage senior business leaders and policy makers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Europe, and the United States to discuss U.S efforts to support the U.S.-DRC-Zambia tripartite memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop an electric vehicle value chain, how the MSP can identify opportunities to advance diverse, and secure cobalt supply chains and meet local beneficiation goals.To learn more about Cobalt Congress’ press coverage and livestream, visit the Cobalt Congress webpage.  You can also learn more about the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP). To stay up to date, follow Under Secretary Fernandez on X:&nbsp;@State_E,  LinkedIn:&nbsp;@State-E,  and Facebook:&nbsp;@StateDeptE. For media inquiries, please contact&nbsp;E_Communications@state.gov.						Tags																					Bureau of Energy Resources																																Energy																															New York																								Office of the Spokesperson																																Official Domestic Travel																															Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
- Readout on Meeting of the U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s Office of the Spokesperson													HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Readout on Meeting of the U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Readout on Meeting of the U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s																																		Readout																														May 10, 2024																																							On May 8-9, the United States hosted in Washington, D.C., a meeting of the U.S.-China Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s, which is co-led by Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta and PRC Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin and includes relevant officials from the two countries.The in-depth discussions recalled the San Francisco summit between the two Presidents and focused on areas identified in the Sunnylands Statement, including energy transition, methane and other non-CO2 greenhouse gases, circular economy and resource efficiency, deforestation, and low-carbon and sustainable provinces/states and cities, as well as cooperating on multilateral issues related to promoting a successful COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.&nbsp; They exchanged experiences and challenges with respect to their respective climate policies and actions, with a view to responding meaningfully to the climate crisis and beyond.&nbsp;Recalling the Paris Agreement’s temperature goal and reaffirming the importance of demonstrating their leadership, taking into account different national circumstances and pathways, the two sides welcomed the call in COP 28’s Global Stocktake decision for Parties to submit on time 2035 nationally determined contributions (“NDCs”) that are economy-wide, cover all greenhouse gases, and are 1.5C-aligned; they further expressed their intention to engage in related technical and policy exchange.Recalling the U.S. intent to achieve 100 percent clean power by 2035, and the Chinese intent to phase down coal consumption during the 15th Five Year Plan and make best efforts to accelerate this work, including by accelerating renewables deployment, the two countries intend to intensify technical and policy exchanges on realizing their respective goals.The two sides intend to host a second “Methane and Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases Summit” at COP 29.&nbsp; The two sides committed to promote bilateral cooperation and conduct capacity building on deploying abatement technologies, as well as developing and/or improving respective MRV systems and standards aiming to achieve significant methane emissions control and reductions in the 2020s.&nbsp; Both sides noted with interest the Methane Alert and Response System of the UNEP International Methane Emissions Observatory.&nbsp; They will also engage in technical cooperation and capacity-building for measurement and abatement solutions of other non-CO2 greenhouse gases, including industrial N2O as well as tropospheric ozone precursors.Recognizing the importance of developing circular economy and resource efficiency in addressing the climate crisis, the two sides expect to conduct further technical exchanges on circular economy, including food loss and waste reduction, textiles, and recycling standards.Both sides look forward to the U.S.-China High-Level Event on Subnational Climate Action, to be held May 29-30, in Berkeley, CA.						Tags																					Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs																								China																																														Climate and Environment																															Office of the Spokesperson
- United States Hosts PRC Special Envoy for Climate Change Office of the SpokespersonOn May 8-9, the United States will host People’s Republic of China (PRC) Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin in Washington, DC, for a meeting of the bilateral Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s, aimed at accelerating concrete climate actions this decade.  The meeting will focus on areas identified in the Sunnylands Statement, including energy transition, methane and other non-CO2 greenhouse gases, circular economy and resource efficiency, low-carbon and sustainable provinces/states and cities, and deforestation, among others.  The Working Group is co-led by Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta and PRC Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin, and will include relevant officials from the two countries.
- Secretary Blinken’s Travel to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel Matthew Miller, Department SpokespersonSecretary Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel April 29-May 1 to meet with regional partners. The Secretary will discuss ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza that secures the release of hostages and how it is Hamas that is standing between the Palestinian people and a ceasefire. He will discuss the recent increase in humanitarian assistance being delivered to Gaza and underscore the importance of ensuring that increase is sustained. The Secretary will also emphasize the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading and discuss ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region, including through a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel.In Saudi Arabia, the Secretary will participate in a Ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council to advance coordination on regional security.  At the World Economic Forum’s special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development, the Secretary will coordinate with our partners to ensure continued progress on climate change mitigation and the global energy transition.
- Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation Forum on Innovative Financing Solutions for Marine Conservation Office of the SpokespersonSenior Coordinator for Atlantic Cooperation Ambassador Jessye Lapenn co-hosted the forum “Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation:  Innovative Financing Solutions for Marine Conservation” with The Pew Charitable Trusts and The Nature Conservancy on April 19.  This was the first public event held under the banner of the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, a new multilateral forum that recognizes the Atlantic Ocean as a community of like-minded nations with shared goals and challenges.During the forum, speakers shared experiences and best practices for countries seeking financing to support ambitious environmental and ocean conservation goals.  The Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation supports Atlantic countries in their efforts to grow their economies in a responsible and sustainable fashion.The Honorable Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Deputy Director for Climate and Environment at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Senior Coordinator Lapenn; Tom Dillon, Head of Environment at The Pew Charitable Trusts; and Andrew Deutz, Senior Director for Conservation Finance Policy at The Nature Conservancy delivered remarks.  Panelists included Belizean Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Christopher Coye; Gabonese Ambassador Noel Nelson Messone; the U.S. Development Finance Corporation; the Global Environment Facility; The Nature Conservancy; and Willis Towers Watson.Representatives from fifteen members of the Atlantic Partnership attended the forum, as well as innovative financing experts from development finance institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.For more information, please visit the Atlantic Partnership website.  For media inquiries, contact OES-Press@state.gov.
- Announcing the Winners of the 2024 Greening Diplomacy Initiative Award and the GDI-OBO Resilience Innovation Fund  HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Announcing the Winners of the 2024 Greening Diplomacy Initiative Award and the GDI-OBO Resilience Innovation Fund 				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Announcing the Winners of the 2024 Greening Diplomacy Initiative Award and the GDI-OBO Resilience Innovation Fund 																																		Media Note																														April 22, 2024																																							Secretary Blinken congratulates the winners of the 2024 Greening Diplomacy Initiative (GDI) Award and the GDI-OBO Resilience Innovation Fund.&nbsp; This year’s winners have gone above and beyond and showcase innovative and impactful initiatives in support of White House, Congressional, and Department mandates, including Executive Orders 14008 and 14057 and the Federal Sustainability Plan.For over a decade, GDI has catalyzed climate solutions within the U.S. Department of State’s management and operations to help conserve natural and financial resources, build climate resilience, and showcase U.S. innovation.&nbsp; Every year, GDI honors teams and initiatives that exemplify sustainable principles and practices in operations and public engagement.&nbsp;Winners of the annual GDI Awards, including the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) sponsored Resilience Innovation Fund, were announced at the Department of State’s Earth Day event.&nbsp; Acting Chief Sustainability Officer Caroline D’Angelo, OBO Director William Moser, and the Office of Management Strategy and Solutions Director Danny Stoian participated in the awards ceremony highlighting the Department of State’s sustainability and climate action achievements.The GDI Award for Excellence in Team Sustainability Performance recognizes achievements of groups or teams within posts, offices, and bureaus.&nbsp; The winners are selected by an intra-agency committee made up of representatives from the policy, functional, and regional bureaus, as well as senior leadership and former GDI winners.&nbsp; The People’s Choice Award winner is selected by a vote open to all Department of State employees; nominations consist of all the submissions for the GDI Award for Excellence in Team Sustainability.Winners of the GDI Awards:U.S. Embassy Islamabad is the overseas winner of the 2024 GDI Award for Excellence in Team Sustainability Performance. In 2023, U.S. Embassy Islamabad implemented initiatives to reduce energy use by 312,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy, saving $400,000 and reducing the Embassy’s annual carbon footprint by 250 tons.  The team replaced over 1,000 filters to increase the efficiency of the HVAC system, increased wastewater recycling by 6.57 million gallons, reduced gas consumption by 4 percent, reduced fertilizer use by 200 kilograms per year, replaced plastic take-out containers for recyclable aluminum at an average of 2,000 dishes per week, and planted a citrus grove to act as a carbon sink.  Additionally, U.S. Embassy Islamabad partnered with several organizations such as the U.S. National Parks Service and Duke University to host events focusing on conservation, wildlife protection, air quality improvement, and other relevant climate topics.  In the past year, sections across U.S. Embassy Islamabad contributed more than $150 million in foreign assistance to help mitigate the effects of climate change.  $72.8 million in grant financing were secured for USAID’s Recharge Pakistan Project to improve water systems and expand green infrastructure.U.S. Embassy Bogota is the runner-up for the 2024 GDI Award for Excellence in Team Sustainability Performance. U.S. Embassy Bogota sponsored the Carrera Verde de Bogota (Bogota’s Green Race) and led multiple collaborative initiatives to generate buzz for the race.  This included a “launch event” where the DCM spoke in front of media outlets with other race sponsors and a partnership between the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and the National Police to showcase how U.S. Embassy Bogota helps Colombia address environmental crimes related to wildlife and timber trafficking.  The race ultimately saw over 6,500 participants fund the planting of 20,000 trees in a preserve near Bogota.  U.S. Embassy Bogota also purchased six electric vehicles (EV), which entered the fleet at the end of 2023.U.S. Embassy New Delhi is the winner of the 2024 People’s Choice Award for Team Sustainability Performance. With over 1,200 of votes casted, U.S. Embassy New Delhi emerged as the employee favorite.  U.S. Embassy New Delhi’s Resource Conservation Unit (RCU) championed the on-compound waste management program in 2020 and has expanded it in the past year to include project work debris from residential make-ready and renovations.  By selling the recyclable material, U.S. Embassy New Delhi reduced the inhouse labor cost and time required for storage and transportation.  The program diverted the waste going into landfills and reduced the U.S. Embassy New Delhi trash disposal cost by 70 percent, saving over $40,000 every year.  This endeavor also generated over $300,000 in revenue for U.S. Embassy New Delhi with the sale of over 430 tons of material, which accounts for 10 percent of the total city waste produced in a year.  U.S. Embassy New Delhi found ways to save time, money, and carbon emissions by upgrading the primary crew transportation from a pick-up truck to EV motor bikes (scooters).  By investing in over a dozen EV scooters, FAC staff saved on commuting time and labor hours since motor pool drivers were not required.  To reduce the environmental impact, the FAC/RCU team installed a solar charging station for the EV scooters and golf carts. Now in its sixth year, the Resilience Innovation Fund, sponsored by OBO, provides up to $1 million for innovative projects at posts that advance the Department of State’s resilience and sustainability in its operations and facilities.&nbsp; This year, 16 U.S. embassies and consulates will receive funding for a wide array of projects, including the installation of residential insulation, EV charging stations, irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting systems, low power consumption light upgrades, bicycle storage, and flood fortifications.Winners of the GDI-OBO Resilience Innovation Fund:U.S. Embassy LilongweU.S. Embassy BernU.S. Embassy WindhoekU.S. Embassy BeijingU.S. Embassy La PazU.S. Embassy Dar Es SalaamU.S. Embassy SofiaU.S. Embassy IslamabadU.S. Embassy KigaliU.S. Embassy AstanaU.S. Embassy RomeU.S. Embassy BudapestU.S. Embassy Santo DomingoU.S. Embassy BridgetownU.S. Consulate MonterreyThe American Institute of TaiwanThe Greening Diplomacy Initiative is managed by the Office of Management Strategy and Solutions (M/SS).  For more information on the Department of State’s sustainability efforts, GDI, or M/SS, please contact stategdi@state.gov or visit Sustainability at the U.S. Department of State.						Tags																					Colombia																																Embassies and Consulates																																							Greening Diplomacy Initiative																															India																								Office of Management Strategy and Solutions																								Office of the Spokesperson																								Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations																								Pakistan