Modern day research is characterised by innovation, whether it’s discovering a life-saving treatment, bettering our understanding of global phenomena or investigating sustainable practices, it aims to benefit our lives on a social and environmental scale.  

However, somewhat contradictorily, such advancements come at a significant environmental cost. Each stage of the research cycle, whether it involves wet lab work, computational analysis, or dissemination, is associated with substantial energy consumption, resource depletion, and waste production, thus contributing significantly to climate change (1). With global temperatures already at an alarming 1.1-1.3°C above baseline levels, predicting to rise to 3°C at our current rate (2), it is pivotal that we all take urgent action to protect our planet.  

Since 2021, the collective efforts of scientists across the world are beginning to make a positive change through the development of sustainable lab programmes such as Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) and Green lab initiatives. These initiatives enhance the sustainability of lab operations by implementing and sharing best practices.  

Sustainable action must extend beyond the laboratory. As some of the world’s most highly regarded and influential individuals, scientists must challenge traditional academic norms and behaviours, setting a precedent for others to follow.  A great place to start would be to consider one of the biggest factors that contributes to a scientist’s carbon footprint, aviation.  

The problem 

Overseas travel to global conferences and meetings is central to networking and knowledge exchange, sparking collaboration between scientists and institutions – but at what cost?  

One case study suggests that approximately 70% of carbon emissions during a 4-year PhD are due to travel, of which 95% is due to air travel specifically (3). The annual Society for Neuroscience (SFN) meeting brings together ~30,000 attendees from across the globe, each of whom on average travel 7,500 km to the US (1). This results in a staggering 22,000 metrics tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to the estimated annual footprint of 1000 medium-sized laboratories (not counting their estate-related footprint). If all 8.4 million researchers were to travel to just a single conference every year, the annual carbon emissions from scientific conferences would exceed that of the entire country of Uganda (1).  

This is particularly alarming given that the per capita carbon footprint is expected to increase significantly in many developing countries over the next 50 years due to better living standards​​ (4). Scientists in developed nations need to take immediate action to reduce emissions. 

What can we do?  

Scientists are in a unique position to lead by example. Several strategies have been proposed to reduce their carbon footprint from air travel: 

Changes to global conferences and meetings 

Reducing the frequency of large, global gatherings from every year to biennially would halve their carbon emissions. Whilst virtual meetings and conferences post-COVID significantly reduce carbon emissions and increase accessibility and convenience, they are not a perfect replacement. Many participants feel disengaged and miss the social interactions. Rather, the hybrid multi-location model may be more favourable for larger meetings, whereby synchronous local hubs are set up in strategically chosen locations (1). In this way, attendees would only have to travel to their closest hub. Additionally, with the rise of virtual reality technologies, it may not be long before virtual attendees could interact ‘in person’ through virtual avatars. We should also consider working with companies providing a professional and engaging virtual or hybrid experience.  

Policy changes 

Institutions should adopt travel policies that favour train travel over flights. For example, the University of Groningen’s travel policy prohibits business air travel for distances less than 800 km or when the journey can be completed by train in less than 9 hours (1). This policy has resulted in a 2.5% decrease in CO2 emissions from air travel. It should also be made clear that opting for cheap air travel is not the standard. Instead, subsidies should be provided for train travel. Imposing an additional sustainable levy on flights could further deter individuals from flying, with the revenue directed towards subsidizing alternative ground transportation options (1). 

Cultural shifts 

Promoting cultural and behavioural changes among scientists is crucial to reducing frequent air travel. Senior figures in the lab should foster a culture where the environmental harm associated with frequent air travel is openly discussed and actively discouraged unless necessary.   

To mitigate the environmental impact of modern scientific research, it is essential for scientists to adopt sustainable practices both in and out of the laboratory. By challenging traditional norms, reducing reliance on air travel, and embracing innovative approaches for effective collaboration and dissemination, the scientific community can lower its carbon footprint and set a powerful example for others to follow.  

References: 

(1) Freese et al, 2024. The relevance of sustainable laboratory practices. RSC Sustainability, 2, pp. 1300 – 1336 

(2) Rae et al, 2022. Climate crisis and ecological emergency: Why they concern (neuro)scientists, and what we can do. Brain and Neuroscience Advances 6, pp. 1-11.  

(3) Achten WMJ, Almeida J and Muys B, 2013. Carbon footprint of science: More than flying. Ecological Indicators, 34, pp. 352-355 

(4) Nathans and Sterling, 2016. Point of View: How scientists can reduce their carbon footprint. eLife, 5, e15928. 

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