1

Sustainable TravelHow to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from travel

Division of Technology, Industry and Economics

United Nations Environment Programme

Sustainable United Nations

SUN

• Role of travel

• Current situation

• Ways to reduce emissions

• A strategy for reducing travel emissions

Reducing Reducing emissions from emissions from traveltravel

SUN Existing travel rules

Staff missionsStaff missions

Most direct and Most direct and economical routeeconomical route

More than 9 hours = More than 9 hours = business classbusiness class

Other travelersOther travelers

Cheapest optionCheapest option

What is missing?What is missing?

Travel planning & Travel planning & approval process differs approval process differs between organizationsbetween organizations

SUN Ways to reduce travel emissions

• Avoid unnecessary travelAvoid unnecessary travel

• Select the best mode of travelSelect the best mode of travel

• Coordinate missions and meetingsCoordinate missions and meetings

• Limit number of participantsLimit number of participants

• Use local staffUse local staff

• From missions to e-missionsFrom missions to e-missions

• Inform and motivate staffInform and motivate staff

= Adopt Sustainable Travel Policy= Adopt Sustainable Travel Policy

SUN Avoid unnecessary travel

• 55% of travelers think that their missions are not always productive,

• 38% consider them first and foremost great ways for socializing,

• 19% feels travel makes them less productive, and

• 41% think it disrupts work-life balance.

(UK Business Traveller 207)

UN travel approval process is geared at adherence with UN travel policy (…most direct and economic route). It does not ask: “Could this mission be reasonably avoided, conducted in a more efficient manner, or replaced with other means of communication?”

The no-nonsense way: Just cut it by XX%

SUN

•Train better than road•Road better than air•Hybrid/fuel efficient cars better than SUV•Economy air better than business air•Business air better than first class air•Modern aircrafts better than older ones*•Direct flights better than the ones with stopovers

Select the best mode of travel

SUN

•Economy 1,0•Business 2,1•First class3,4

Air travel factors

Distance / aircraft •Boeing 737-800 •Airbus 320 •Airbus 380•Boeing 787

• Passenger load

• Not all factors included in GHG calculator.• BUT mode of air travel still has a climate impact

SUN Road Travel Opportunities

•Maintenance•Driver behaviour•Fuel quality•Emission control technologies•Advanced vehicles & fuels

www.unep.org/tnt-unep/toolkit.htm

SUN Coordinate missions and meetings

OR

SUN Limit number of staff

OR

SUN Use local staff

OR

SUN From missions to e-missions

Already hereAlready here Phone conferencing Phone conferencing e-mail & direct scanninge-mail & direct scanning Video conferencingVideo conferencing Personalized video linksPersonalized video links On-line class roomsOn-line class rooms

“ICT develops with a pace of about 1000 times faster than other technology sectors. What was science fiction ten years ago is old news today” (Bill Gates)

OutgoingOutgoing Telex, telefax, land lines (?)...Telex, telefax, land lines (?)...

IncomingIncoming Virtual presenceVirtual presence Avatars Avatars

SUN Phone conferencing

Connects several Connects several participants to the same participants to the same phone conversation.phone conversation.

Limited by quality of phone Limited by quality of phone lines and time differences lines and time differences between locations.between locations.

Sometimes unclear who Sometimes unclear who talks (max number of talks (max number of participants <10)participants <10)

Moderation becoming more Moderation becoming more sophisticatedsophisticated

Can be complemented with Can be complemented with Internet sites where Internet sites where participants can display participants can display documents, pictures etc.documents, pictures etc.

SUN e-mail

E-mail offersE-mail offersExchange of text messagesExchange of text messages+ documents, pictures, videos+ documents, pictures, videos+ sharing of schedules, + sharing of schedules,

address address books, to-do listsbooks, to-do lists

+ direct scanning of documents+ direct scanning of documents+ one-to-one or mailing lists+ one-to-one or mailing lists+ electronic signatures+ electronic signatures

E-mail provides a way to exchange information between two or more people with minimal costs and in a way that is generally far less expensive than physical meetings or phone calls.

SUN Video conferencing

Provides real-time picture and sound Provides real-time picture and sound connections between one or several locationsconnections between one or several locations

Works best with only two locations. Quality Works best with only two locations. Quality deteriorates with increasing number of deteriorates with increasing number of locations and participantslocations and participants

Additional screen/camera may be added to Additional screen/camera may be added to share documents/powerpointsshare documents/powerpoints

Can be expensiveCan be expensive Often present – seldom usedOften present – seldom used

SUN Personalised video link

Software usually free (e.g. Skype)Software usually free (e.g. Skype) No additional costs for connection timeNo additional costs for connection time Connection between two or several usersConnection between two or several users Sharing of documents, movies, picturesSharing of documents, movies, pictures Requires band width and approval of ICT Requires band width and approval of ICT

administratoradministrator Large share of UN staff are already usersLarge share of UN staff are already users

Personalised video link is an Internet based sound & picture system, providing the same services as video conferencing but between computers/ laptops

SUN On-line class rooms

On-line class rooms On-line class rooms Good replacement for lecture style meetingsGood replacement for lecture style meetings Allows Q&A and sharing of presentations/documentsAllows Q&A and sharing of presentations/documents Can be combined with web-casts to connect remote Can be combined with web-casts to connect remote

participants to real meetingsparticipants to real meetings Internet based makes it cheaper and more reliable Internet based makes it cheaper and more reliable

than phone or video conferencingthan phone or video conferencing Restricted use if participants are from different time Restricted use if participants are from different time

zoneszones

Group conferencing / group learning provided through an Internet site connected to by participants.

SUN Virtual presence

High quality video and sound links to simulate real-life High quality video and sound links to simulate real-life meetings.meetings.

Custom built rooms ensure identical environment, Custom built rooms ensure identical environment, direction of sound, and lighting, seamless pictures etcdirection of sound, and lighting, seamless pictures etc

Number of participants limitedNumber of participants limited Cost for one room about US$ 350.000. Predicted to Cost for one room about US$ 350.000. Predicted to

go below 50.000 within a few years time.go below 50.000 within a few years time.

High-quality real-life simulation video conferencing between custom built rooms

SUN Avatars

Avatars and virtual worlds are today used for Avatars and virtual worlds are today used for entertainment, dating services, discussions, entertainment, dating services, discussions, product development, PR, research cooperation product development, PR, research cooperation etc.etc.

Allows sharing and modeling of concepts and Allows sharing and modeling of concepts and projects, and visualization of ideasprojects, and visualization of ideas

Basic use is plug-and-play. More advanced use Basic use is plug-and-play. More advanced use requires more skillsrequires more skills

Based on high capacity Internet linksBased on high capacity Internet links

Two- or three dimensional representation of a person, used to interact in virtual worlds such as Second Life.

SUN Inform and motivate staff

Make it personal byMake it personal by Awareness and information Awareness and information

campaignscampaigns Provide GHG emission info on Provide GHG emission info on

each ticketeach ticket Provide incentives for effective travel habitsProvide incentives for effective travel habits Make it easy for the staff to be sustainable (admin Make it easy for the staff to be sustainable (admin

& technology)& technology)

Most staff receive little or no information about the impact of their travel. Likewise, there are few incentives for staff to seek to travel less, or to travel in more efficient ways. Making this issue personal is perhaps one of the most effective ways to reduce travel related emissions

SUN Ways to reduce travel emissions

• Avoid unnecessary travelAvoid unnecessary travel

• Select the best mode of travelSelect the best mode of travel

• Coordinate missions and meetingsCoordinate missions and meetings

• Limit number of participantsLimit number of participants

• Use local staffUse local staff

• From missions to e-missionsFrom missions to e-missions

• Inform and motivate staffInform and motivate staff

= Adopt Sustainable Travel Policy= Adopt Sustainable Travel Policy

SUN A sustainable travel strategy

1.1. Quantify emissionsQuantify emissions2.2. Identify modes of travel, reasons for travel, verify Identify modes of travel, reasons for travel, verify

actual travel approval processes, and travel actual travel approval processes, and travel purchase requirements.purchase requirements.

3.3. Identify current access to, and use of, alternative Identify current access to, and use of, alternative communication equipment. Identify needs for communication equipment. Identify needs for upgrades, training, awarenessupgrades, training, awareness

4.4. Establish sustainable travel policy, Establish sustainable travel policy, including time bound goals, and including time bound goals, and responsibility for action in each area. responsibility for action in each area.

5.5. Implement, monitor & report: Implement, monitor & report: Ensure resource allocation if Ensure resource allocation if needed BUT also calculate needed BUT also calculate savings from reduced travel savings from reduced travel and emissions.and emissions.

SUN What will SUN-EMG do? Provide the air travel calculator Develop the Sustainable Travel Guide, providing

guidance on: Case studies and examples of how travel can be

managed in a more sustainable way Standard templates for travel processes, policies,

requirements on travel agents etc. Information about requirements and costs of

communication systems that can reduce the need for travel.

Assist SUN clients to develop action plans to reduce travel related emissions

Explore opportunities for a update of UN travel (& ICT) policies.

SUN Conclusion

1.1. Travel is often a major source of GHG Travel is often a major source of GHG emissionsemissions

2.2. Emissions can be reduced by travelling more Emissions can be reduced by travelling more effective and by travelling less.effective and by travelling less.

3.3. Technically there are significant opportunities Technically there are significant opportunities for reducing travel related emissionsfor reducing travel related emissions

4.4. Current UN rules provide little incentive for Current UN rules provide little incentive for improved travel behaviourimproved travel behaviour

5.5. Implementation of Implementation of a coherent policy towards a coherent policy towards sustainable travelsustainable travel would include revision of would include revision of travel approval procedures, improved access travel approval procedures, improved access to alternatives to face-to-face meetings, and to alternatives to face-to-face meetings, and information and incentives to staff to travel information and incentives to staff to travel more sustainably.more sustainably.

6.6. There are always more than one way to do There are always more than one way to do things – keep an open mind!things – keep an open mind!