To this end, the EHPS is also organizing a number of conferences. A study involving the Johannes Kepler University Linz explored the idea of offering hybrid conferences and if they might benefit the environment.

Academia is all about sharing information and ideas. Conferences and symposia that bring scholars, researchers, and scientists from all over the world together are an ideal opportunity to support progress and drive advancement forward. When traveling to attend these conferences, however, academics generate far more greenhouse gas emissions than non-scholars.

Univ. Prof. Dr. Gudrun Sproesser, head of the JKU Department of Health Psychology, remarked: “We have now conducted a study on this issue.” Air travel to attend an intercontinental conference can generate two to five tons of CO₂, well above the annual limit of 1.5-2.3 tons of CO₂ per person required to combat climate change and comply with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees by 2030.

Tremendous Savings Potential
Research shows that hybrid-held conferences and symposia can reduce CO₂ emissions by over 50% compared to those requiring on-site attendance. Sprosser adds: “This is, however, more of the maximum figure. It also depends on where the conference venue is physically located, and whether or not it is fairly accessible by car or train, as well as other factors.” Even if the conference venue was in a relatively comparable location, the savings to attend hybrid conferences could be as much as 15% compared to on-site conferences.

While the study looked at conferences organized by the European Health Psychology Society, the findings could also apply to other academic conferences. “The key takeaway is that by making online conference participation more attractive, we can minimize the need to travel and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.”

This is not just a symbolic gesture, but in fact highly significant: When it comes to attending conferences and symposia, air travel accounts for 80-96% of emissions, making up the lion's share of CO₂ pollution. Accommodation (10%) and catering (3%) are much less significant.

Increasing the Number of Hybrid Conferences
Sproesser feels that in general, switching entirely to attending conferences and symposia online is not the solution: “The opportunities to connect with others, make new contacts, and share ideas and information in person would be lost.” Given the large number of scientific conferences and symposia, reducing transatlantic air travel in particular would, however, contribute significantly to more sustainability. The study has now been published in the renowned journal “Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine”.

Sproesser believes that people are starting to re-think the situation, and a number of conferences and symposia bear the Austrian Eco-label. Nevertheless, she believes much more can be done. And she herself? The JKU researcher remarked: “Over the past few years, I’ve considerably changed the way I travel. If possible, I try and avoid air travel and I take public transportation whenever I can.”

The paper is available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21642850.2024.2447454, opens an external URL in a new window