Flying less is key to University’s green ambitions

Colleagues are encouraged to choose the greenest transport option at all stages of University travel, and consider if they need to travel in person at all, as the University works together to significantly reduce emissions from business travel.

A third of Reading’s emissions in 2018/19 were the result of business flights, making it essential to reduce the number of these to support the University’s strategic aims on sustainability, playing our part in the global effort to reduce carbon emissions and avoid the worst impacts of climate change. 

An updated Travel Policy is currently in development by the University, which will include an updated process for booking business travel, with flights within mainland UK and many European destinations no longer being an option other than in particular individual circumstances.

With the Policy set to come into effect in summer 2023, an agreed set of sustainable travel principles underpinning it are being shared to encourage colleagues to plan ahead well in advance of the new policy being launched.

For business travel, the principles include:

• Using videoconferencing or another digital option as an alternative to travelling in person wherever viable.
• Choosing the lowest carbon travel option wherever possible when travelling is necessary, including during the stay at the destination.

• Avoiding air travel for University business to destinations within mainland UK, and to nearer Western European destinations where rail travel is viable . Where flights are necessary, they will be by economy class, irrespective of distance, as this presents the lowest carbon cost.
• Exploring options for an air travel levy, with funds used for carbon reduction efforts.

The University recognises that some colleagues may be less able to choose low-carbon travel options due to their circumstances – such as having caring responsibilities or a disability. The Sustainable Travel Principles state that such circumstances will not prevent those colleagues having equal opportunity to travel, and dispensation can be considered on an individual basis, as is already the case.

In recognition of the often longer travelling times on lower carbon transport, colleagues will also be given opportunities to reduce the impact of the journey on them. This could include booking a sleeper train or being granted additional time on arrival to rest before starting their business activities.

Case study

The Department of Meteorology has been running a scheme for a number of years, highlighting and championing alternatives to flying to colleagues within the department.

The Dr Carbon scheme allows colleagues to share their stories of travelling by train or other lower-carbon modes of transport to events like research conferences.

Professor Bill Collins, who has led the Dr Carbon work, said he had found communicating options and individual experiences among colleagues to be most useful in changing behaviours. He said advantages to travelling by train over plane included journeys being ‘less frantic’ and often arriving much closer to conference destination.

The Meteorology scheme has had a positive impact on changing travel habits and created a more sustainable culture among its colleagues ahead of these behaviours becoming an expectation across the University as part of the forthcoming Sustainable Travel Policy.

Read one PhD student’s account of their recent train journey to a conference in Vienna on the Staff Portal.