CO₂ Budgets & the Future of Academic Events

As climate change continues to dominate global discussions, academia is increasingly grappling with the need to reduce its carbon footprint. The number of academic publications on the topic of climate change adaptation have been growing annually (+28%) since the 1970s to reach over 26,000 publications in 2021. Researchers are also more engaged in governmental strategies, public engagements and climate change conference (e.g. 3,000 scientists attended the COP28 in 2023).

In this context, CO₂ emission budgets, adopted by many universities and research institutions, are now reshaping how academics approach conference travel. For instance, the University of Amsterdam’s travel policy is to have reduced the CO₂ emissions caused by official travel by 25% compared to 2019 levels in 2026. These budgets are not only a response to environmental concerns but also a reflection of institutional commitments to sustainability.

This shift poses challenges and opportunities for researchers, event organisers, and the broader academic community.

CO₂ emission budgets: A Definition

CO₂ emission budgets are limits set by institutions to control the amount of carbon dioxide their operations produce. In October 2021 at the Times Higher Education Climate Impact Forum, over a 1000 pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

According to a survey carried on behalf of the University of Cambridge, nearly 2/3 of adults expect global research universities to come up with solutions to combat climate change…rather than being one of the problems.

For academia, this often translates into stricter guidelines for air travel, which is a significant contributor to an institution’s overall emissions. Scientific conferences can indeed generate millions of tons of CO₂ annually due to attendee travel (Klower et al. 2020). This can even be half the emissions for some universities (Helmers et al. 2021).

By allocating a finite volume of emissions per department or individual, universities encourage faculty to prioritise their travel, choosing trips that offer the highest impact or align most closely with institutional goals.

Implications for Researchers

Conferences are often a crucial platform for academics to showcase their work, continuous education, build professional networks, and gain visibility. The introduction of CO₂ emission budgets is forcing researchers to rethink their travel habits. Instead of attending multiple conferences annually, academics must now evaluate the necessity and value of each trip.

This prioritisation can lead to:

• Strategic networking: Academics may focus on events that offer the best opportunities for collaboration or career advancement.
• A focus on regional events: Researchers might be opting for conferences closer to home to minimise travel emissions.
• Virtual meetings: however, challenges like limited networking opportunities, “Zoom fatigue,” and the lack of informal interactions remain.

To support researchers in adapting to CO₂ budgets, many universities are introducing new policies and resources. These include:

• Funding for virtual participation: Institutions are reallocating travel budgets to cover registration fees for virtual conferences.
• Carbon offsetting programs: Some universities allow researchers to offset their travel emissions by investing gold standard carbon offsets (e.g. University of Amsterdam, University of Oxford or the MIT).
• Professional development: Workshops and training sessions to help researchers make the most of virtual networking opportunities.

Impact on conference organisation

Event organisers are also adapting to the new reality of CO₂ emission budgets. To attract academic audiences, conferences can:

• Emphasise sustainability: Many events now highlight their eco-friendly practices, such as using renewable energy, minimising waste, and sourcing locally.
• Offer flexible attendance options: Hybrid models cater to attendees with varying travel restrictions or preferences.
• Showcase local expertise: By partnering with regional institutions and experts, organisers can appeal to attendees who prefer shorter travel distances.
• Deliver more meaningful meetings: Organisers put more effort in ensuring the highest quality content, maximising engagement of participants and ensuring that the meeting has positive social and economic outcomes for the local community as well as the conference participants.

An example of this trend can be seen in the European Geosciences Union (EGU), which has begun encouraging smaller, regional meetings to reduce travel-related emissions (see Quinton 2020 for more examples). These localised events maintain the quality of discussions and networking opportunities while significantly cutting down on the carbon footprint of their attendees.

Looking ahead

As CO₂ emission budgets become more prevalent, the academic community need to continue innovating (see recommendations of Scheurer et al. in their Nature’s article, 2023). This includes developing technologies that enhance virtual interactions, rethinking the format of traditional conferences, strengthening the quality of the content presented, and fostering a culture of sustainability.

Institutions must also monitor the impact of these budgets to achieve their environmental goals without compromising the quality of these academic collaborations and the outputs they result in.

In the long run, by making conferences more purposeful, engaging, and inclusive, CO₂ emissions budgets are driving positive change, benefiting local communities while reducing environmental impact.

———————————————————————————–

Going further:

United National Environment Programme (UNEP), Press release, October 2021. Online

University of Cambridge, stories 2024. Online

Klower et al. 2020 An analysis of ways to decarbonize conference travel after COVID-19; Nature, Vol. 583, Online

Helmers et al. 2021 Carbon foot-printing of universities worldwide; Env. Science Europe, 33 (21). Online

Quinton 2020 Cutting the carbon cost of academic travel; Nature Reviews Earth & Envir., 1 (13), 2020, Online

Scheurer et al. 2023 Reducing air travel emissions in academia; Int. J. of sustainability in Higher Educ., Online