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Our MSc graduate Rocco Bagutti was awarded the semester prize for his Master's thesis "Academic air travel at UZH's Department of Geography: Assessing the willingness and reduction potential of voluntary reduction measures" from the Faculty of Science, University of Zurich.
MSc thesis Rocco Bagutti: Academic air travel at UZH's Department of Geography: Assessing the willingness and reduction potential of voluntary reduction measures.
A master’s thesis investigated the willingness of the staff of the Department of Geography to implement measures to reduce air miles and the impact on greenhouse gas emissions. The result: There is no easy way forward to reduce academic air travel. The thesis was awarded the semester prize from the Faculty of Science, UZH.
“Last call for passengers to Los Angeles International Airport.” That’s your flight. You grab your bags and head to the gate. “I shouldn’t fly; it’s bad for the environment.” You board the plane. “But I need to attend this conference. Everyone in the field is going, and I don’t want to miss out. It’s not my fault they chose LA.” Full thrust. You rush towards the clouds. Your round trip emits more CO2 than the average person in more than 80 countries produces in a year.
If that sounds familiar to you, congratulations, you’re likely a researcher! Attending conferences overseas, participating in meetings abroad, teaching classes at other institutions, and conducting fieldwork in remote areas – air travel is a central aspect of academia, and many scientists fly multiple times per year for their work.
While academic air travel is often considered crucial for a successful career, it also represents a significant environmental burden. At the University of Zurich, prior to COVID-19, the largest share of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was caused by the air travel of its academic staff, mainly due to abroad conference participation.
