Czech Foreign Ministry to get rid of plastics, increase eco-friendly efforts at embassies abroad

Prague, Nov 21 (CTK) – The Czech Foreign Affairs Ministry wants to stop using disposable plastics in its catering establishments and at social events, Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček (CSSD) said at an evening of voluntary commitments held in the ministry’s seat at the Cernin Palace tonight.

Besides, Petříček (junior government Social Democrats, CSSD) would like to create a compost for cut grass in the Cernin palace’s garden, he said.

Further measures are to be applied at Czech diplomatic missions abroad as well.

The aim is a more environmentally-friendly and sustainable operation of the office, Petříček said.

The ministry wants to motivate its employees to use other means of transport instead of cars and plans to contribute to their public transport fare. The office will also increase the number of hybrid cars in its car fleet.

The embassies should be able to buy electric bicycles instead of cars for their employees. “Where the territory allows this,” Petříček noted.

Within the Green Embassies programme, the ministry will establish a fund from which embassies can draw finances for its environmental projects.

Along with environmentally-friendly steps, the ministry intends to push for gender equality.

Other offices, firms, municipalities and non-profit organisations can also assume voluntary commitments. More information on the initiative is available on its website.

The evening of voluntary commitments is followed by the forum for sustainable development to be held by the Environment Ministry in Prague on Friday. It will deal with social impacts of the latest technologies and their use in practice.