The 10:10 project ambitiously aims to unite every sector of British society with one simple aim: to cut our carbon emissions 10% by the end of 2010. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff will be making significant contributions with changes to their travel arrangements.
Air travel for an ambassador has always been particularly glamorous in the business class seats, with premium air mile accounts and late night cocktail parties in the highest available comfort. However, all is about to change. Even Her Majesty’s representatives will be curtailed by the government's drive to reduce carbon emissions through the new 10:10 campaign.
Foreign and Commonwealth travellers have been asked to fly using economy class seats – even the top members and their families. The shift from wide seats with bags of legroom to the 'cattle class' is said to make significant impact upon climate change. Joining more than 61,000 other members, the government is keen to help reduce carbon emissions through aviation linked to its 291 global posts. It will commit to a reduction of in flight heating and air conditioning and aim to replace one in ten flights by using video conferencing. Ambassadors are also beginning to cycle to work, as ambassador Alex Ellis now does in Portugal.
"Economy seats take up less room on a plane, and aviation emissions are calculated by the amount of room a person takes up on a plane," explained a government spokesman. "Therefore business or first class have higher emissions than economy." Foreign Office staff are no longer entitled to fly first class.
However, 10:10's director Eugenie Harvey, and the foreign secretary David Miliband are both entirely committed to the campaign, and the changes would not only help to save the environment but also save significant amounts of money. "This whole challenge is about looking for the gaps and cracks, the little things that go unnoticed, and see how we can start with some of those to chip at this much bigger ambition [to cut global emissions]," added Harvey.
Miliband said: "By signing up to and delivering on the 10:10 commitments, the FCO will signal its determination to play its own part in turning Copenhagen's intent into the reality of a low-carbon future."
The Foreign Office is the world's fourth government to commit to 10:10; the other three departments are Energy and Climate Change, headed by the foreign secretary's brother, Ed Miliband; International Development; and Customs.
