Drivers, impacts and opportunities for change 10 June 2019 Opening - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

University air travel: Drivers, impacts and

• pportunities for change

10 June 2019

Opening remarks

Dr Erik Lithander Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement)

Workshop aims and agenda

Martin Wiles Head of Sustainability

• Help inform development of new business / academic

travel plan for the University

• Learn more about current business / academic air travel

patterns and the potential for change

• Share ideas on practical measures the University could

take to reduce reliance on air travel

Aims of the workshop

1110-1120 – Introduction

• Dr Erik Lithander – Pro-Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement
• Martin Wiles – Head of Sustainability

1120-1140 - University air travel: what do we know?

• James Ryle – Sustainability Manager (Transport, Special Projects)

1140-1250 – Roundtable discussions

• Constraints and opportunities for reducing air travel
• What can the University do to reduce reliance on air travel for business and academic trips

1250-1300 – Summary, next steps and close

Agenda

University air travel: what do we know?

James Ryle Sustainability Manager (Transport, Special Projects)

• Greenhouse gas emissions inventory (ISO14064)
• Expenses and purchasing card data
• Ian Allan Travel annual CO2 reporting
• Staff travel survey
• Interviews with 25 staff (workshop profiles only)

Data sources for air travel analysis

• All work-related travel undertaken by staff and

postgraduate students where paid for by University

• Includes travel funded by external bodies where booked by the

University

• Includes travel by visiting academics where funded and booked

by the University

• Excludes staff/PG travel where funded and booked by external

bodies

• Does not extend to other student study-related travel or

international student mobility

Scope of air travel analysis

Air 64% Road 15% Rail 21% Expenditure Total: £5.1m Air 87% Road 5% Rail 8% Mileage Total: 38.2 million Air 92% Road 6% Rail 2% Emissions Total: 10,443 tCO2e

Business travel spend, miles and emissions by mode (2017/18)

Business travel spend by faculty (2017/18)

100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 Arts Biomedical Sciences Engineering Health Sciences Science Social Sciences and Law Professional Services Expenditure (£) Air Taxi Car hire Rail Note:

• Excludes staff travel

expenses and coach/bus contract hire

• Data available pre-ERP
• nly i.e. Aug 17 – Apr 18

More than half of all air travel funded by academic research grants

Note:

• Excludes staff travel expenses
• Data covers Aug 17 – Apr 18 only

Research 56% Core 44%

% of all air travel expenditure by funding source

Air travel emissions have doubled since 2010

2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 tCO2e Transport-related emissions (tCO2)

Ferry Rail Road Air (domestic) Air (short haul) Air (long haul)

Image credit: University of Edinburgh Climate Strategy 2016-26

Scopes used for carbon emissions reporting

Emissions included in University’s carbon neutral target

Air travel accounts for 19% of total (known)

• perational carbon emissions

Scope 1&2 75% Air travel 19% Other Scope 3 6% Air travel share of total emissions, 2017/18 Scope 1&2 Air travel Other Scope 3

Per capita emissions from air travel rising against background trend of emissions cuts

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18

tCO2e per FTE (staff and students)

Trends in emissions per capita

Air travel emissions per capita Scope 1 & 2 emissions per capita

Increases in air travel emissions have all but cancelled out reductions in other areas

10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000

2010/11 2017/18

CO2 emissions: Scope 1 & 2 vs air travel

Scope 1&2 Air travel

• 5,739 tCO2e

+5,321 tCO2e

Reasons for business travel (all modes)

Notes:

• Based on 54% of respondents to 2018 staff

travel survey (n=3,184) who ever undertake business travel as part of their job

• Q: Why did you undertake business travel in

the last month?

• % of yes responses by reason (multi-answer)

4% 6% 15% 19% 26% 32% 49% Recruitment Trade show / hospitality event Training event Fieldwork / site visit Operational / admin meeting Research / industry collaboration Conference / sharing research

Findings from interviews

• Internationalisation driving growth in engagement with new markets and

partners across the world

• High premium on physical presence for building interpersonal relationships

and developing new opportunities

• Time and cost constraints are key in determining choice of air over rail for

domestic and European journeys

• Choice of virtual conferencing frequently frustrated by availability or

reliability of technology

• High levels of awareness and concern over environmental and human

impacts of air travel

• Self-regulation prevalent on grounds of cost, time and climate impacts while

policy and culture tend to make flying the obvious choice

Discussion 1

• 10 typical University travel scenarios (two per table)
• Q1: Why might flying be the first choice? (10 mins)
• Q2: Under what circumstances could a different choice be

made (10 mins)

• Consider:
• Type of engagement
• Cost, time, technology constraints
• Policy, cultural, human factors
• Feedback (1 min per scenario)

Discussion 2

• Q: What measures can the University take to reduce its

reliance on flying for academic and business travel?

• Individual idea generation (5mins)
• Roundtable discussions to sift, categorise (15 mins)
• Feedback (2 mins per table)

Next steps

• Interim review of Travel, Subsistence and Expenses policy
• Tender for travel management contract starting April 2020
• Conclusion of green fleet review
• Development of new business travel policy
• Further review of TSE and related policies