Andrea Gokus, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Physics at Washington University in St. Louis, is advocating for a reduction in the carbon emissions associated with air travel to professional conferences, which make up a significant portion of the emissions produced by researchers in academia. In a paper published in PNAS Nexus, Gokus and her collaborators estimated the CO2-equivalent emissions for conference travel to all 362 open meetings in the field of astronomy in 2019, totaling an estimated 42,500 tons or about 1 ton per participant per meeting. Gokus emphasizes the importance of networking and discussing new scientific developments at meetings but suggests adjustments can be made to reduce their hefty carbon cost.
One solution proposed by Gokus is the use of virtual meetings, which can almost completely eliminate CO2-equivalent emissions due to travel. Despite the efficiency of virtual meetings for reducing emissions, they are often not regarded as efficient networking opportunities. Gokus suggests that meeting organizers should consider holding conferences as close as possible to the majority of participants to reduce the need for long-distance travel. Gokus and her co-authors are members of the organization Astronomers for Planet Earth and advocate for sustainable practices in astronomy.
In addition to virtual meetings, Gokus and her co-authors propose hybrid formats and meetings held at a small number of physical hubs that can be virtually linked. This approach has the potential to reduce long-haul travel, particularly intercontinental flights, which contribute the majority of emissions. The authors suggest maximizing the time spent at travel destinations by visiting collaborating institutes and choosing train or bus connections during such visits. These choices not only make astronomy meetings greener but also promote inclusivity within the discipline.
Gokus emphasizes how making meetings more sustainable can also make astronomy more inclusive, benefiting researchers from less-wealthy institutes, those farther from major hubs, individuals managing complex visa bureaucracies, researchers with disabilities, and those with caretaking responsibilities. In her own research on active galactic nuclei, specifically blazars, Gokus focuses on high-energy emissions and studies the processes occurring in their jets using instruments covering the electromagnetic spectrum. She stresses the importance of using technology to foster a more inclusive collaborative approach in advancing our understanding of the universe.
Overall, Gokus and her co-authors’ findings and suggestions for reducing the carbon footprint of conference travel in astronomy can be applied to other academic disciplines. By working together as a community to make meetings more sustainable, researchers can promote inclusivity and advance scientific understanding while also reducing environmental impact. Gokus highlights the importance of collective action in achieving these goals, emphasizing that there is no Planet B and that sustainable practices are essential for the future of academia and the planet.