Reducing academic flying beyond COVID-19: Drivers, alternatives, and avenues for change

Abstract

This paper seeks to advance our understanding of the underlying reasons that sustain high levels of academic flying, and examines how a low-carbon academia with less air travel might come about. Data from 30 interviews with academics showed that expectations of internationalisation, networking, and ideals of a productive academic stand among the strongest drivers of academic flying. These drivers come forth from underlying objectives such as pursuing excellence in research and working towards successful careers. Findings from this research suggest that institutional and cultural change are prerequisites to mainstream practical alternatives to academic flying, such as wider use of digital communication tools, grounded travelling, and low-carbon conferences and meetings. We see a role for universities, grant-providing authorities, and other academic organisations to include environmental standards and criteria in internationalisation strategies, the concept of excellence, and funding evaluation processes. From our analysis of academics' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, we identify three factors that appear essential in determining whether digital communication tools can substitute for physical presence: (1) desired type of interaction, (2) existing social relations among participants, and (3) number of participants. Finally, we discuss whether and to what extent voluntary guidelines, the adoption of digital tools, and other soft measures may lead to cuts in academic flying at the scale and pace required for meeting climate targets, suggesting that enforcing limits on academic air travel might be unavoidable.