Recommendations

How can the university and departments do better to reduce academic flying emissions?

Awareness

Raise visibility and awareness in teaching and research; gain and motivate trendsetters by factsheets on flight emissions and alternatives to air travel.

Alternatives

Information events on flight emissions and alternatives to air travel.

Award

Give visibility to role models and awarding an Excellence Award for Sustainable Travel.

Courses

Consider flight emissions when developing the curriculum (e.g. local excursions), while also promoting courses and colloquia on flight reduction, compensation, etc.

Low-carbon culture

Work with colleagues, institutional actors, and funders to value alternative metrics of success and encourage the promotion of low-carbon research as a viable alternative to a high-carbon research career.

Carbon taxes

Set up a “Climate and Environmental Fund” that would receive levies for long-haul travel or energy-intensive research through carbon taxes.

Prioritize

Establish guidelines for flights (e.g. 1 intercontinental flight per faculty member per year)

Track

Track travel distances and flight emissions at an individual and department level for academic purposes, via a centralized system to figure out the current estimates.

Technology

Expand video conferencing and the corresponding infrastructure.

Land Travel

Encourage staff and students to set concrete goals on reducing flight-based travel through and opt for land-based travel adopting trains and buses.