The Carbon Footprint of Conference Papers

Abstract

The action required to stem the environmental and social implications of climate change depends crucially on how humankind shapes technology, economy, lifestyle and policy. With transport CO₂ emissions accounting for about a quarter of the total, we examine the contribution of CO₂ output by scientific travel. Thankfully for the reputation of the scientific community, CO₂ emissions associated with the trips required to present a paper at a scientific conference account for just 0.003% of the yearly total. However, with CO₂ emissions for a single conference trip amounting to 7% of an average individual's total CO₂ emissions, scientists should lead by example by demonstrating leadership in addressing the issue.