Voluntary commitment to refrain from short-haul flights
It is still possible to make a declaration of self-commitment
Travelling by plane is the most climate-damaging option to travel. A flight from Berlin to San Francisco and back leads to CO2 emissions of approx. 6 tons per person. This is more than half of the average annual CO2 emissions caused by every German citizen. According to calculations by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the introduction of harmful gases into high air layers increases the climate impact by a factor of 2-5.
Universities face particular challenges in this field of action. International cooperation is indispensable for scientific work and constitutes an integral part of image of research-oriented universities. However, the travel associated with such cooperation represents one of the most important institutional sources of greenhouse gas emissions. By switching to climate-friendly means of transportation and using virtual communication, we as researchers, lecturers and members of management and administration can also contribute to reducing or limiting greenhouse gas emissions caused by mobility.
Motivated by the commitment of pupils, students and scientists to “Fridays for Future”, we join the initiatives of other universities, including TU Berlin, Humboldt University Berlin and FU Berlin. The voluntary commitment to avoid short-haul flights of up to 1,000 km is represented by signing a declaration of commitment. This ambitious goal was deliberately chosen.Travel times beyound 1,000 km can vary depending on available connections. The joint appeal of participating universities usually implires travelling up to 12 hours.
Short-haul flights can reliably be replaced by climate-friendly rail travel.
It is our goal to collect as many as possible 500 voluntary commitments. Sign today and please forward the link to this website to the colleagues in your area!
Source: FU Berlin
Signatories
| Achimova | Asya | Dr. | Department of Informatics, Cofnitive Modeling Group |
| Albiez | Marius | Dipl. Geoökol. | Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS) / Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) |
| Anthes | Nils | Dr. | Animal Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology |
| Athanasiadi | Kiriaki | B.A. | Politikwissenschaft / Islamwissenschaft |
| Baayen | Rolf Harald | Prof. Dr. | Seminar für Sprachwissenschaft |
| Beier | Judith | M.Sc. | Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie, Paläoanthropologie |
| Betz | Carina | M.Sc. | Work Group Nature and Sustainable Development, IZEW |
| Betz | Oliver | Prof. Dr. | Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Institut für Evolution und Ökologie |
| Bornemann | Matthias | Dipl. soz. | Kompetenzzentrum für Nachhaltige Entwicklung, IZEW |
| Bossdorf | Oliver | Prof. Dr. | Fachbereich Biologie, Institut für Evolution & Ökologie |
| Bossert | Leonie | Dipl. LaÖk | IZEW |
| Braun | Lara | M.A. | Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, AG Vegetationsökologie |
| Bulut | Özgür | Dr. | Institut für Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie, Paläoanthropologie |
| Butz | Martin V. | Prof. Dr. | Computer Science, Cognitive Modeling |
| Cortés-Rodriguez | Alvaro | M.A. | SFB 833 (A7) |
| Dietrich | Jenny | IZEW | |
| Eder | Tobias | M.Sc. | Dez. VIII-3 Umwelt- und Energiemanagement |
| Eissler | Annette | Zentrale Verwaltung, Dezernat VIII/2 | |
| Engels | Eve-Marie | Prof. Dr. | Lehrstuhl für Ethik in den Biowissenschaften |
| Fabi | Sarah | Dr. | Cognitive Modeling |
| Fiebig | Brigitte | Botanischer Garten | |
| Foerster | Katharina | Prof. Dr. | Institut für Evolution und Ökologie |
| Francken | Michael | Dr. | Fachbereich Geowissenschaften / Institut für Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie |
| Gall | Corinna | M.Sc. | Institute of Geography, Chair of Soil Science and Geomorphology |
| Gropper | Stefanie | Prof. Dr. | SFB 1319 |
| Grundmann | Diana | Dr. | Competence Center for Sustainable Development |
| Hagendorff | Thilo | Dr. | IZEW |
| Handwerker | Jan | Dr. | Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung / Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) |
| Harvati | Katerina | Prof. Dr. | Paleoanthropologie / Fachbereich Geowissenschaften |
| Heyer | Helene Helix | B.Sc. | Studentin, TU Berlin, Institut für Ökologie, Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung – Forschungsfeld Unternehmensverantwortung und Konsum |
| Hinneberg | Heiko | M.Sc. | Institut für Evolution und Ökologie - Vegetationsökologie |
| Hoinle | Birgit | M.A. | IZEW |
| Humaidan | Dania | M.Sc., M.D. | Fachbereich: Informatik, Cognitive Modellierung, Tuebingen |
| Ioannidou | Melania | M.Sc. | Paleoanthropology Working Group, Institute of Archaeological Sciences |
| Jäger | Gerhard | Prof. Dr. | Philosophische Fakultät, Fachbereich Neuphilologie, Seminar für Sprachwissenschaft |
| Janzing | Dominik | PD Dr. | Amazon Development Center Tübingen |
| Jenewein | Anita | VIII.3 Umwelt, Energie und Klima | |
| Karlbauer | Matthias | M.Sc. | Kognitive Modellierung, Wilhelm Schickard-Institut für Informatik |
| Keicher | Dominik | Juristische Fakultät - Lehrstuhl Prof. v. Bernstorff | |
| Keppner | Miriam | M.A. | Institut für Politikwissenschaft / Zentrale Verwaltung Dez. V |
| Kienzle | Marita | Dezernat VIII-2 | |
| Klarmann | Tobias | Dipl. Jurist | Juristische Fakultät - Lehrstuhl Prof. v. Bernstorff |
| Kleinser | Petra | Dipl.-Päd. | Career Service - Studium Professionale |
| Knippertz | Peter | Prof. Dr. | Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung (IMK) / Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) |
| Koch | Moritz | M.A. | Organismische Interaktion |
| Köhler | Heinz | Prof. Dr. | Biologie, Institut für Evolution und Ökologie |
| Kramm | Matthias | Dr. | Lehrstuhl für Ethik, Theorie und Geschichte der Biowissenschaften (Akademischer Rat) |
| Kückes | Alexander | B.A. | Institut für Geographie, Forschungsbereich Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung |
| Liesche | Ilona | M.Sc. | VIII.3 Umwelt, Energie und Klima |
| Lohmann | Johannes | Dr. | Fachbereich Informatik, Lehrstuhl für kognitive Modellierung |
| Lundershausen | Johannes | Dr. | IZEW |
| Mey | Toni | M.A. | Sozialwissenschaften / Politikwissenschaften |
| Michiels | Nico | Prof. Dr. | Animal Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, Department of Biology |
| Oelmann | Yvonne | Prof. Dr. | Geowisenschaften |
| Ogrzewalla | Hedwig | Zentrale Verwaltung/Abt. Umwelt- und Energiemanagement | |
| Otte | Sebastian | Dr. | Fachbereich Informatik / Kognitive Modelierung |
| Parodi | Oliver | Dr. phil. Dipl.-Ing. | Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS) / Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) |
| Pianka | Bernadette | Biologie, Mikrobiologie | |
| Potthast | Thomas | Prof. Dr. | Lehrstuhl für Ethik, Theorie und Geschichte der Biowissenschaften, IZEW |
| Ratzbor | Ronja | M.Sc. | Department of Plant Ecology |
| Rauschkolb | Robert | M.Sc. | Biologie, Evolution und Ökologie |
| Rosner | Hans-Joachim | Dr. | Fachbereich Geowissenschaften / Geographisches Institut |
| Sändig | Jan | Dr. | SFB 923 "Bedrohte Ordnungen" |
| Schäffler | Manfred | Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Chem. | Zentrale Verwaltung, VIII/2 |
| Schlager | Claudia | Dr. | Career Service |
| Schlee | Matthias | Dr. | IZEW |
| Schlößer | Pascal | M.A. | Praktische Philosophie |
| Schopp | Kerstin | M.A. | Kompetenzzentrum für Nachhaltige Entwicklung, IZEW |
| Seitz | Steffen | Dr. | Institute of Geography / Chair of Soil Science and Geomorphology |
| Sievi | Luzia | Dr. | IZEW |
| Späthe | Jana | B.Sc. | Studentische Hilfskraft & Masterandin, Umweltwissenschaften / Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (KIT) |
| Spindler | Mone | Dr. | IZEW |
| Stegemann-Philipps | Christian | M.A. | GRK 1808 Ambiguität |
| Stelzer | Volker | Dr. rer. Nat. | Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS) / Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) |
| Straßburger | Gudrun | M.A. | Career Service |
| Thamm | Carmen | Dr. | Europäisches Zentrum für Föderalismus-Forschung Tübingen |
| Thomann | Julian | Student | |
| Tielbörger | Katja | Prof. Dr. | Plant Ecology Group, Department of Ecology and Evolution |
| Tremmel | Jörg | apl. Prof. Dr. Dr. | Institut für Politikwissenschaft |
| Triebskorn | Rita | Prof. Dr. | Institut für Ökologie, Physiologische Ökologie der Tiere |
| van den Dool | Joos | Ir. (Dipl-Arch. Universiteit Gent) | ZV Dezernat III - Studium und Lehre / Career Service |
| Vondermaßen | Marcel | Dr. | IZEW |
| Weynand | Maike | Work Group Nature and Sustainable Development, IZEW | |
| Willems | Franziska Merle | M.A., M.Sc. | Insitut für Evolution und Ökologie |
| Woll | Silvia | M.A. | Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS) / Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) |
| Zarfl | Christiane | Jun.-Prof. Dr. | Angewandte Gesowissenschaften |
| Zentgraf | Ulrike | Prof. Dr. | Fachbereich Biologie /ZMBP |
Further Reading
In the interest of sustainable development, travel patterns are coming increasingly into focus and are being scrutinized more and more in light of universities’ social responsibility. (When) Is it still justifiable today to fly to another continent for a conference or for research purposes? (When) Should we instead rely on online formats? In their article “The End of the Bonus Mile,” Marius Albiez and Kerstin Schopp present arguments for and against limiting air travel per person from the perspective of sustainable development.
Albiez, Marius und Schopp, Kerstin (2023): "Das Ende der Bonusmeile?". In Brand, Cordula; Meisch, Simon; Frank, Daniel; Ammicht-Quinn, Regina: "Ich lehne mich jetzt mal ganz konkret aus dem Fenster: [...]". Eine Festschrift für Thomas Potthast. Tübingen Library Publishing (23), S. 163-171.
Arsenault, J., Talbot, J., Boustani, L., Gonzalès, R. and Manaugh, K. (2019): “The environmental footprint of academic and student mobility in a large research-oriented university”, Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 14 No. 9, p. 95001, doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/ab33e6.
Bjørkdahl, K and Franco Duharte, A.S. (ed) (2022): Academic Flying and the Means of Communication. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Biørn-Hansen, A., Pargman, D., Eriksson, E., Romero, M., Laaksolahti, J. and Robert, M. (2021): “Exploring the problem space of CO2 emission reductions from academic flying”, Sustainability, Vol. 13 No. 21, p. 12206, doi: 10.3390/su132112206.
Glover, A., Strengers, Y. and Lewis, T. (2018): “Sustainability and academic air travel in Australian universities”, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 19 No. 4, pp. 756-772, doi: 10.1108/IJSHE-08-2017-0129.
Hölbling, S., Kirchengast, G. and Danzer, J. (2023): “Unmasking mobility patterns: international travel behavior and emissions of scientists in a higher research institution”, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 24 No. 9, pp. 355-371, https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ijshe-03-2023-0081/full/html.
Hoolohan, C., McLachlan, C., Jones, C., Larkin, A., Birch, C., Mander, S. and Broderick, J. (2021): “Responding to the climate emergency: how are UK universities establishing sustainable workplace routines for flying and food?”, Climate Policy, Vol. 21 No. 7, pp. 853-867, doi: 10.1080/14693062.2021.1881426.
Levine, C., Ryan, D., Ryan, K., Miller, E.C., Morgan, B., Taylor, J.O., Voskuil, L.,Williams, D., Kreisel, D., Roop, H., Wheeler, S., Bloom, A.J., Howart, R.W., Atkinson, D.R. and Jonsson, F.A. (2019): “12 Scholars share ideas for reducing carbon eemissions in academic travel”, Inside Higher Education, https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2019/04/18/12-scholars-share-ideas-reducing-carbon-emissions-academic-travel-opinion.
Schmidt, A. (2022): “University air travel and greenhouse gas mitigation: an analysis of higher education climate policies”, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 23 No. 6, pp. 1426-1442, doi: 10.1108/IJSHE-07-2021-0318.
Wynes, S. and Donner, S.D. (2018): “Addressing greenhouse gas emissions from business-related air travel at public institutions: a case study of the University of British Columbia”, Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, available at: https://pics.uvic.ca/sites/default/files/AirTravelWP_FINAL.pdf
Tips for traveling without flying
- London to Germany by train: https://www.seat61.com/Germany.htm
- Europäische Bahnreisen: https://rail.cc/