Can we get to overseas conferences without wrecking the planet?

Written by Dr Alison Chisholm, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, and Dr Juliet Carpenter, Director of Research at the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation, Kellogg College.

As two researchers standing on the deck of a ferry crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, watching enormous container ships slide past against the backdrop of two continents,  we were struck by how this was no ordinary conference commute. As academics increasingly grapple with the climate impact of work travel, our journey from Oxford to Marrakesh by train and sea offered a compelling alternative to flying.

Travel to global conferences is seen as one of the ‘perks of the job’, and it’s generally considered important for networking and disseminating our research. It can also be a sign of our professional status, it gets us out the office or lab to experience new places and keeps our interest fresh^[1].

As individuals with institutional standing and influence, academics have a responsibility to reduce air travel to limit their individual carbon footprint.

But… we know the climate crisis demands urgent action and that air travel is about the most carbon-intensive individual activity there is. Estimates of the proportion of universities’ emissions from flights varies from around 10% (Universities of Helsinki and Oxford) to over 70% (University of British Columbia)^[2]. Whatever the exact figure, we know that academics’ contributions to their institutions’ CO2 emissions are significant.

So, can we square our love for being at important conferences, our mission to push the boundaries of knowledge in our field and progress our careers, with our desire to travel responsibly?

The good news: There is a way to get to conferences without damaging the planet. It may not always be the quickest, easiest, or cheapest option, but it comes with other benefits.

Two researchers from the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation (GCHU) and Primary Care travelled overland (and sea) to a conference on urban health  in Marrakesh and are ready to share all, the highs and the lows!

Our journey to Marrakesh

The route

• How did we get there?Click to view the Story map of the full journey

The journey took us from Oxford, via London, to Paris, Barcelona, and Algeciras, then over to Tangier, Casablanca and on to Marrakesh, a total journey of 60 hours door to door outbound, and 52 hours coming back.

This StoryMap shows the route in more detail (opens in new tab).

• How did we make it happen?

One of the barriers to train travel versus flying is the logistics: how do you find out about train routes, connections, ferries, and a myriad of different ticketing options available on different countries’ rail systems? It’s so simple to click on Skyscanner, and book a return flight to Marrakesh in a matter of minutes. Oh, that it were as simple for international train bookings! It requires dedication, perseverance and much time, to explore the options and work out the route. Which actually, itself, can be half the fun. A key resource for us was “The Man in Seat 61”, the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to travel in Europe and worldwide. Without that, we may well have given up our quest. And of course, were it not for the time, resources and support of our colleagues at the GCHU, Kellogg College and Primary Care, it could never have happened.

Travelling by train may not follow the path of least resistance, but a trans-European rail journey brings ‘wow’ moments that a plane trip can’t provide.

What were the ups and downs of travelling overland?

The ‘Wow’ Moments:

• The sense of journey and distance, the views while traversing multiple countries, the variety of habitats, climatic regions, terrains, agricultural methods and architecture.
• Witnessing evidence of rapid urban development underway, including the half-built stadium on the outskirts of Rabat, in preparation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and the 2030 World Cup.
• The crossing between Spain and North Africa including the sight of enormous cruise ships and container vessels passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.

• Postcard moments: Our walk along la coulée verte in Paris became an unexpected highlight – this elevated green walkway offered a secret garden perspective of the city, with Parisian bustle below while we strolled past colourful late November flowerbeds and art installations, a peaceful interlude in our long journey. Others included grabbing lunch under an orange tree in Malaga, the quirky Globales Reina Cristina hotel in Algeciras, railway stations old and new, and an “exhilarating” taxi ride from the port to the railway station in Tangier.

The ‘Down’ Moments:

• Cost of tickets: Train travel is not subsidised as aviation is, so can be more expensive, though European trains are generally less expensive than UK trains and booking well in advance reduces costs. If a trip includes overnight stays, accommodation costs need to be added, though many European destinations can be reached in a day, and otherwise sleeper trains can be a way to economise.
• Travel time: For long journeys, the travel time overland is significantly greater than flights, though for shorter trips, the overall door-to-door time can be comparable.
• Time spent booking: Most university travel systems assume we fly and are not set up to facilitate international train travel, so piecing together the elements of a long journey relies on patient research.

While the logistics of train travel do require more planning, understanding the climate impact makes clear why it's worth the effort.

Reasons for travelling overland: the climate impacts of flying

A direct, standard class return flight from London to Marrakesh produces 0.84 tonnes of CO₂ ^[3].

To put that figure into context, to get on track to limit warming to 1.5 degrees, annual per capita emissions need to drop to 2.3 tonnes CO₂ equivalent^[4] by 2030, then to 1.4 tonnes by 2040, and 0.7 tonnes by 2050.^[5]

Fifty-one countries in the world, accounting for about 18% of the world's population, have lower annual per capita emissions than this single flight^[6]!  Here’s a graphic with data for London to Marrakesh, and you can explore other routes on the Engaging Data website.

Emissions from train travel are much lower, estimated at 0.14 tonnes of CO₂e for the same round trip^[7]: 17% of the emissions from flying.

The impacts of a choice to not fly go well beyond our personal carbon footprint.

Two recent global surveys show that the majority of people want action to reduce emissions, but tend to underestimate everyone else's wish for the same (a phenomenon known as “pluralistic ignorance”).^[8][9] Believing they are alone in their concern about climate change, they feel disillusioned and disempowered, and as if reducing their own emissions would be pointless. This feeling is strongly reinforced by the knowledge that people who supposedly care about climate change are making high-emission choices like flying.

As individuals with institutional standing and influence, academics have a responsibility to reduce air travel to limit their individual carbon footprint. Having more high-profile and trusted people and organisations – like academics – demonstrating positive action on climate, in their work, behaviour, and advocacy can counter pluralistic ignorance and generate momentum for change^[10].

By taking the train instead of flying, we can meet our professional objectives and develop our careers, while not exacerbating the global problems that we aim to tackle through our work, and challenge the dangerous myth that no-one cares about the climate.

Overall reflections

• From an environmental and ethical point of view, cutting our emissions through train travel rather than flying is the right thing to do. It’s also more enjoyable! Travelling by train offers a sense of place, distance and wonder that enriches the experience of travelling.
• However, train travel is more available to some than others. It is costly financially and raises questions about “who gets to go?” For those of us who are wealthy on a global scale, the air miles should, arguably, be reserved for those who can only afford to get there by flying.
• Trusted public figures, like academics, demonstrating positive action on climate in their work, behaviour and advocacy can help dispel the widespread myth that taking climate action is futile, and help drive positive change.

Next Steps: Individual and Institutional Action

To make flight-free conference travel more accessible, we need action at both individual and institutional levels:

At Oxford:

• Make full use of the University's support for rail alternatives, including the new Travel Policy
• Cost up research grants to cover train travel rather than flying, explaining how this aligns with Oxford's environmental commitments and sustainability strategy
• Press for improvements to the University's travel booking service (currently Key Travel stops at Barcelona!)
• Support Oxford's target to eliminate 20% of flights by 2024/25 through our own travel choices
• For more information on Oxford’s sustainable travel policies see: https://sustainability.admin.ox.ac.uk/international-travel

Broader changes needed:

• Push for Universities to provide stronger incentives for responsible travel, building on things like Oxford's flight levy model
• Support institutions in developing better travel services that can book complete international rail journeys
• Campaign for systemic change nationally and globally – for example, sign up to the 'Flight Free UK' campaign (www.flightfree.co.uk). The University's flight levy is already funding environmental initiatives through the Oxford Sustainability Fund.

By combining institutional support with individual action, we can make sustainable academic travel the norm rather than the exception.

You can read more about the department’s Travel policy at https://www.phc.ox.ac.uk/intranet/finance/travel-insurance