Sustainable travel

What does Ghent University to reduce CO2 emissions from academic business trips? Which cities are easily accessible by train? And how can you get started yourself? Let us inspire you!

Zakenreis 2

Sustainable travel policy

Ghent University commits itself to fly less, more thoughtfully and more sustainably, and thus to reduce the CO2 emissions of its air travel by at least 1/3rd by 2030 in comparison with the reference year 2019.

Zakenreis 1

Cities easy to reach by train

If we can get somewhere within 8 hours by train, we do so. With this webtool, we show which cities are easy to reach by train, how to book them, what other people's experiences are, etc.

Treinlanschap

Guidelines sustainable travels

In order to reduce CO2 emissions by 1/3 by 2030, trains should be chosen instead of planes where possible, but also the number of journeys should be reduced. The following guidelines apply:

  • Reduce travel through online meetings and conferences. This is what Ghent University supports.
  • If we can get somewhere within 8 hours by train, it's expected to do so.
  • Train, bus and boat journeys are subsidised by 30 EUR for tickets > 100 EUR or by 100 EUR for tickets > 200 EUR. Here the way how to do it.
  • In international research collaborations, Ghent University takes the lead by making prior arrangements concerning travel behaviour. Here an example of such a charter.

  • For each flight, a contribution of 50 EUR/tonne of CO2 is charged. This contribution is used to realise a CO2 reduction in a climate project, to subsidise train journeys and to feed a provision for 'living labs'.

Vliegen is voor vogels

You want more?

Then you are absolutely right. How do we balance the need for an academic institution to be internationally active with the need, again according to academia, to take into account the urgency of the climate issue? Weigh in on the debate!

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