When you look at the numbers for travel in Lund University’s environmental report, it is evident that fewer flights per staff member has led to the University reducing its carbon dioxide emissions in 2019 compared with 2018. This is welcome given that the universities stand out among Swedish public authorities when it comes to high carbon dioxide emissions – and flights represent a significant proportion.
Academia is international and a successful doctoral student, senior lecturer or professor often has collaborations in other countries, which lead to air travel. At Lund University, it is particularly domestic flights, primarily to Stockholm, that have decreased. Instead, the number of train trips is increasing.
“This is probably due to a general trend in society of many people wanting to fly less for environmental reasons, whether we call it the Greta Thunberg effect or something else. However, we have also introduced new travel regulations, which have contributed”, says Claes Nilén.
The fact that we fly less does not mean that we travel less – quite the opposite. Over the past four years, the number of trips has actually increased and, on average, an LU staff member made four trips last year, within Sweden and abroad. The environmental coordinator Maria Nilsson has produced the travel statistics and she says there may be a small number of hidden statistics – those trips booked outside the University’s procured travel agency Egencia, despite this being prohibited.
“I am aware that staff have used small travel agencies that specialise in train travel in Europe. There may also be some cases in which staff have wanted to access really cheap flights, which are not available via a travel agency”, says Maria Nilsson.
In 2019, the number of flights at Lund University fell by 9.5% while train travel increased by 20%. An environmental target for Lund University is to increase the number of digital meetings instead and this has also progressed, despite planned activities not going ahead in 2019 according to the environmental report. Following an investigation into digital meetings, it was time for the implementation phase. However, last year the project was put on hold due to a lack of resources.
“Now a new project manager has taken over and we hope the target will be reached, despite the delay”, says Claes Nilén.
The carbon footprint from energy use and travel at the University is being regularly measured and reported. The new sustainability plan, which is currently out for consultation until 3 April – is one of the many activities to measure the environmental footprint of Lund University as a whole. The climate impact from the creation and consumption of products and services will also be calculated and monitored all the way from start to finish, including waste.
The fact remains - there is a long way to go for a sustainable Lund University when it comes to greenhouse gases. According to the target of the Climate Framework*, which Lund University has adopted, higher education institutions need to rapidly reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. For Lund University, this means halving its carbon dioxide emissions in three years.
“We need to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions significantly and rapidly – if we are to have a chance of being in line with the 1.5 degree target by 2030, in accordance with the Paris agreement and other international agreements.”
The sustainability plan for 2020-2026, which is out for consultation, does not have a defined target to reduce the number of flights. This constitutes a conflict in targets with the University’s remit to act internationally through research and education. In 2020, the coronavirus is likely to be visible in the flight statistics, but the long-term effect is still up to individuals and organisations, some of whom are producing their own stricter travel policies.
According to the sustainability plan, a workshop is proposed to discuss the risks and opportunities of reduced air travel as a first step. However, how does this tentative step fit with the target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50% in three years, which is also a target in the sustainability plan?
“Such a rapid reduction is a very significant challenge. The workshop will bring together wise people with responsibility for our entire organisation – they will discuss different approaches and I am convinced that together they will find measures to proceed with to be able to achieve a significant reduction in our environmental footprint.”
Claes Nilén also says we need to break the issue down and deal with it one part at a time, such as our travel, to be able to manage it, even though it is all connected.
“It is also important to ask ourselves the question ‘in my professional role, what can I do to make changes?’”
Other initiatives being proposed with regard to reduced carbon dioxide emissions include the purchasing of an amount of renewable aviation fuel for business travel and the establishment of a climate exchange fund, where it would be possible to pay into the fund for each flight that is taken. In this case, the pooled funds would go to internal sustainability measures and to ensure that more students and staff could participate in sustainability projects.