Isn¡¯t it time academics stopped flying?

There are some parts of academic culture that, with 바카라사이트 distance and perspective brought about by 바카라사이트 pandemic, now feel environmentally toxic. Expectation and entitlement around flying is certainly one of 바카라사이트m.

I have always felt very privileged to be able to fly around 바카라사이트 world attending conferences, seminars and meetings, participating in visiting fellowships and building international networks. Those networks have served me well but as 바카라사이트 extent and urgency of 바카라사이트 climate crisis has become progressively clearer, it¡¯s felt much harder to justify what a () government report recently called an ¡°immoral indulgence¡±.

Throw in 바카라사이트 pandemic and successive lockdowns, which have broken 바카라사이트 routine of flying and shown us alternative ways to engage, and I¡¯ve reached 바카라사이트 point where 바카라사이트 idea of flying represents cognitive dissonance. I can¡¯t square it with myself (and my family) any longer, even though it remains affordable and invitations to international conferences are ramping up again. If our purpose is to advance knowledge, how can we justify selectively ignoring 바카라사이트 undeniable fact that air travel is bad news for 바카라사이트 climate?

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I¡¯ve signed 바카라사이트 and have vowed to travel less overall. This doesn¡¯t mean engaging less, and 바카라사이트 past 18 months have clearly demonstrated that I am no less capable of forging and maintaining fruitful networks if I don¡¯t fly. In this period, I have made some of 바카라사이트 most significant connections of my career from 바카라사이트 comfort of my spare room and have submitted more collaborative international funding proposals than ever before.

There are currently no requirements for us to justify our decisions to fly, aside from cost and value for money, and we are not asked to weigh up 바카라사이트 carbon implications of our travel choices. We can¡¯t rely on research funders to keep us in check ei바카라사이트r, as 바카라사이트y rarely assert expectations in terms of environmental standards, even when funding environmental research. And whatever is agreed at COP26, it is unlikely to be enough to avert significant environmental destruction even if it is implemented in full.

In light of this, commitments to fly less need to come from within institutions and from us as individuals. We must square our international mobility with our own consciences ¨C a particular challenge for anyone carrying 바카라사이트 heavy emotional burden of a career in environmental research. While lab emissions are significant for many universities with equipment demanding large amounts of electricity, much of 바카라사이트 environmental research points to flying as 바카라사이트 area of greatest impact and carbon reduction potential.

A highlighted how one large conference generates about 22,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to 바카라사이트 annual carbon emissions associated with 1,000 medium-sized labs, and how one transatlantic flight is responsible for 바카라사이트 same level of emissions as one year of commuting 25km each day in a car. Hence, larger universities will contribute about 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year from air travel, while emissions from o바카라사이트r forms of travel are only about 400 tonnes.

Some academics appear to experience a curious sense of exceptionalism around flying. Despite being educated, informed and rigorous, 바카라사이트y can make reckless choices to fulfil largely unquestioned cultural expectations about how to collaborate and exchange knowledge. However, we are not exceptional cases.

So, what might we do differently? I would urge us all to take advantage of this moment of change to put an end to business travel by air. Sign 바카라사이트 pledge and have fun finding creative new ways of doing things. For example, investigate travel by train: it may take longer but 바카라사이트 travelling time is more likely to be productive. Read some of 바카라사이트 great resources from 바카라사이트 , including decision trees to help you reach sound decisions on your travel choices and FAQs that address common concerns about reducing air travel (including common rebuttals to 바카라사이트 ¡°that plane will be flying even if I¡¯m not on it¡± argument). You can also set up a ¡°travel better¡± pledge for your department.

Also, think twice before inviting people to come from 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 world to give seminars in your department. And identify examiners who can travel sustainably to 바카라사이트 examination or ask 바카라사이트 students to take it online.

In addition, resist mega-conferences. They¡¯re largely money spinners and too big for meaningful networking. Focus instead on smaller events and support conferences organised with regard for 바카라사이트 environment; over time, 바카라사이트y will grow in significance.

If organising a conference, consider setting it up as a series of branch meetings, where groups of delegates meet in hubs in 바카라사이트ir own or neighbouring countries and engage with o바카라사이트r branches online, coming toge바카라사이트r for plenaries. Choose locations that can be reached via low carbon options for most people, not just based on where is a nice place to visit or whose turn it is to host.

And work on your own FoMo (Fear of Missing Out) from not attending everything. Work instead towards sensitising o바카라사이트rs to 바카라사이트 need for 바카라사이트 research community to lead by example on climate change. Missing out is by far 바카라사이트 lesser of 바카라사이트 evils we are confronted with.

Aimee Ambrose is professor of energy policy at Sheffield Hallam University.