Data from German nonprofit Atmosfair (2019) shows that a short flight within Europe carries 234kg of CO2 per passenger, more than the average produced by citizens of 17 countries annually.

As academics, we tend to fly more than the rest of the population due to the nature of our job. But responding to the climate crisis requires a change in culture, and I think academics ought to be exemplary. I personally use alternatives to flying whenever possible, for instance using virtual meetings, taking the train — and I don’t attend events (such as conferences) that require taking the plane anymore, unless I really have to. I also think it is important to tell our students and colleagues about our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint.