According to the latest numbers from 2018 almost 30% of Erasmus University’s carbon footprint came from business travel by plane, which equals 3991 tons of CO2 on an annual basis. ESHCC is a relatively small faculty but we were responsible for almost 5% of the total business travel emissions.
That must change, that’s why PhD Candidate Shirley Nieuwland started to develop a policy to reduce the Carbon Footprint of ESHCC. And now we’re the first faculty of the Erasmus University with a Sustainable Travel Policy.
To reduce ESHCC’s carbon footprint we’ll restrict air travel within 700 km radius or 8 hours travel time and we’ll strongly recommend train travel (or bus/ferry) within an 850 km radius. and we’ll also start compensating CO2 emissions for all flights above 700 km radius.
By reducing our faculty’s carbon footprint, we can show that we are a frontrunner in contributing to a more sustainable future which is aligned to EUR’s strategy for 2020-2024.
Shirley Nieuwland: “I’m very happy that we’ve succeeded in creating a sustainable travel policy and I hope that we can be an example to other faculties, universities and organisations. This is a good first step towards a more sustainable university. I hope that this travel policy will also encourage people to question their own travel behaviour. Is travelling always necessary? And do we always have to fly? So basically, what else could we do besides the policy we have now?”
- CV
More about S. (Shirley) Nieuwland