University’s green travel initiative wins award

A carbon budget initiative that allocates each area of the University a maximum emissions quota for their business travel has won a national award.

The scheme was introduced in September 2023 and also monitors carbon emissions from travel for every School and Directorate to ensure every journey is carefully considered and encourage the greenest option to be used.

The scheme saved more than 5,000 tonnes of carbon in 2023/24 compared with five years ago – a 64% reduction in emissions.

Just over a year on from its introduction, the business travel carbon budgets scheme was this month named Decarbonisation Project of the Year in the 2024 Energy Managers Association (EMA) Energy Management Awards.

The EMA has been the voice of energy management professionals across all sectors for more than a decade and its annual awards aim to increase recognition for sustainable energy projects and inspire others to take action.

How the carbon budgets work

Reducing business travel by aeroplane and car are key targets in the University’s new Travel Plan 2024-29 and crucial to our net zero ambitions.

In 2018/19, business travel accounted for a third of the University’s carbon emissions. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, during which very little business travel took place, we therefore took the opportunity to take action to prevent travel emissions from returning to these previously high levels.

The carbon budgets cap the emissions each part of the University is allowed to produce from travel each academic year. The cap is calculated based on the business need for travel for different areas.

Data from our Travel Management Company and purchase card company allow a carbon impact to be calculated for each journey. Each School and Directorate is given quarterly reports on their emissions, showing their progress against our target of maintaining current reduced levels of travel emissions.

Swapping planes for trains for international travel is one way teams can significantly reduce their emissions, with our Travel Policy now requiring colleagues to choose the greenest transport option for business journeys wherever possible.

The scheme has given Schools and Directorates more insight into their carbon emissions and more accountability, which is bringing about behaviour change across the University.

Since the launch of the carbon budgets, there has been a 70% reduction in emissions from journeys to mainland Europe and a 52% reduction in flights to European destinations reachable within 8 hours by train.