Appeal for a 50 percent reduction of CO₂ emissions from UiB flights

We encourage the Rector and the university management [GK1] at all levels to promote measures that ensure that CO2 emissions from employees' flights are cut by half within a few years, at the latest by 2025. We want a strong action plan that not only helps to reduce our total greenhouse gas emissions, but that also stimulates each of us as academics to act in ways that are compatible with responsible politics of limiting global warming, and which may serve as an example for other institutions and businesses.  

The message from climate research and the results of the climate negotiations in Katowice are clear: The global temperature rise must be limited to well below two degrees Celsius, preferably down to 1.5 °C, if large climate damage is to be  avoided. This requires action.  

As an educational institution, the university has a particular responsibility to ensure that dangerous and irreversible climate changes do not occur. Teaching, research, dissemination and—of course—the university's climate footprint must therefore be in line with the climate goal. We, university employees and students, therefore make a common front for a change that can make a difference.  

A reduction in flights does not have to be at the expense of research, teaching and international cooperation. Many flights can be replaced by travels by train, video conferences or local seminars.  

UiB profiles itself as Norway's leading university in the work for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The rector has set the goal that UiB should be climate neutral by 2030. We know that emissions from flights have increased and make up a large part of UiB's climate footprint. In the further work on the strategic plan at UiB, greater emphasis must be put on climate and sustainable operations. A significant step is a change in how we travel. In order to achieve large emission cuts, we must fly less.  

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's latest report, the world's greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by half by 2030 compared to emissions in 1990. With regard to our own flights, the transition can begin immediately. We are convinced that increased awareness and critical assessment of the necessity of flights can halve emissions from employee flights within a few years.  

Jostein Bakke, MN; Magne Bergland, IT; Helge Bjørlo, SA; Astrid Blystad, SiH, Daniela Elena Costea, MED; Ragnhild Freng Dale, UiB alumni; Helge Drange, MN;  Lars Thore Fadnes, MED; Ida Fauskanger, SA; Ragnar Fjelland, SVT; Kristin Guldbrandsen Frøysa, MN; Eira Vilde Martinsen Garrido, Studentparlamentet; Anders Goksøyr, MN; Borghild Gramstad, SV; Håvard Haarstad, CET; Øyvind Halskau, MN; Gabriel Hes, student MN; Maren Iversen, Studentparlamentet; Thor Olav Iversen, SVT; Marco van Hulten, MN; Else Jerdal, HR; Christian Jørgensen, MN; Nikolai Klæbo, leder, Studentparlamentet; Gunnar Kvåle, SiH; Trygve Lavik, HF; Gry Ane Vikanes Lavik, UB; Gro Therese Lie, HEMI; Ingunn Lunde, HF; Andrea Melberg, SiH; Bente Moen, SiH; Karen Marie Moland, SiH; Anders Molven, MED; John Gunnar Mæland, MED; Kerim Hestnes Nisancioglu, MN; Miguel Angel Quesada-Pacheco, HF; Hanne Riese, PSYK; Ingvild Fossgard Sandøy, MED; Gunnar Skirbekk, SVT; Silje Skjelsvik, MN; Kristin Torp Skogedal, SA; Vegar Fosso Smievoll, student JUR; Siri Smith, MED; Sigrun Stefnisdottir, MED; Eva Svensson, SV; Jorunn Sørdal, SA; Idun Bjørlo Tandstad, JUR; Andreas Trohjell, Studentparlamentet; Endre Tvinnereim, CET; Vigdis Vandvik, MN; Ellen Vikersveen, HF

NB: When you sign, you will receive an email requesting you to confirm your signature. Please do so right away. We also encourage you to email your colleagues and fellow students and ask them to sign the petition. 

Contact information

Helge Bjørlo, helge.bjorlo@uib.no; Helge Drange, helge.drange@uib.no; Ida Fauskanger, ida.fauskanger@uib.no; Gunnar Kvåle, gunnar.kvale@uib.no; Vigdis Vandvik, vigdis.vandvik@uib.no. 

Helge Bjørlo, Helge Drange, Ida Fauskanger, Gunnar Kvåle, Vigdis Vandvik    Contact the author of the petition