ICTA-UAB demands the UAB to reduce number of flights
Given our current climate emergency, recently acknowledged by the UAB, the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) has drawn up a proposal urging the University to put into action a new travel policy to tackle one of its most polluting activities: Flying.
Given our current climate emergency, recently acknowledged by the UAB, the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) has drawn up a proposal urging the University to put into action a new travel policy to tackle one of its most polluting activities: Flying.
The document, prepared by ICTA-UAB researchers, will be handed to the UAB governing team so that they may implement a list of concrete institutional measures to the university to enable and encourage UAB members to reduce their number of flights. By 2050, aviation has been projected to make up 27% of the remaining carbon budget to stay within 1.5°C of global warming. Only a small portion of people are responsible for most flights, but academics are clearly among them. The UAB booked 5,064 flights in 2018 alone, many of which could have been replaced by train journeys or been avoided completely.
The document responds to the recent claims made by numerous members of the academic and university community, and many institutions have begun to lead by example. The proponents of the proposal consider that, although the application of these measures individually by the UAB will not solve the global emissions problem, it will serve as a strong symbol that can inspire other institutions to act, improve the reputation of the university and increase pressure on national and international policy-makers.
The text calls on the UAB to establish rules to orient work-related travel in such a way that the sustainability objectives of the UAB can be attained. Among the proposed actions is the promotion of train and bus rides to cities reachable in less than 10 hours and prohibiting flights to cities reachable in less than 7 hours by train and bus. Likewise, it is claimed that the events held at or organized by the UAB and its community should target continuous reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
This set of policies would convert the UAB into a pioneering leader in the transition process to a more sustainable academic research.
Check the proposal: Climate Emergency Aviation Proposal