Are we safe from getting fired when we refuse to fly?
In October last year, Dr. Gianluca Grimalda, a behavioral economist, was fired from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel) because he refused to fly. Dr. Grimalda has been avoiding air travel for many years. In order to minimize his CO2 emissions, he travelled mainly by land and sea to Papua New Guinea for field research. The IfW was aware of this and yet requested him to be back in Kiel within a few days at the end of the field trip – only feasible by plane. Dr. Grimalda remained true to his convictions and lost his job.
“Grimalda, who has avoided flying for more than a decade, said he had promised the people he met during his field work – some of whom had been displaced by rising waters – he would minimise his carbon emissions on his return journey.” October 12, 2023 The Guardian
“Dr. Grimalda said his fieldwork had lasted seven weeks longer than expected, partly due to a volcanic eruption and security threats; he said he was held hostage by a group of machete-wielding bandits.” October 12, 2023 The New York Times
“”I suspect that my involvement with civil disobedience in some climate-related protests last year maybe also was a factor in the stance of my employer,” the researcher, who is a member of Scientist Rebellion, adds.” October 25, 2023, Euronews
““By refusing to fly, Gianluca Grimalda is showing leadership at a moment when deep and rapid changes are required,” Schrage says. “Such behaviour should be encouraged, and not reprimanded.”” November 8, 2023, Nature
“As a committed “slow traveller”, Dr Grimalda refuses to fly unless strictly necessary in order to minimise carbon dioxide emissions, opting instead to travel by rail, road and sea on trips that can span months. When the Kiel Institute ordered his return last September, he presented them with an alternative six-week travel plan, offering to take unpaid leave for the duration.” March 4, 2024, Times Higher Education
“„Viele werden denken, dass es verrückt wäre, wegen eines Fluges einen Job aufzugeben“, sagte Grimalda dem Tagesspiegel. Zumal es sich um einen „tollen Job“ handele. „In der derzeitigen Ära des Klimazusammenbruchs wäre es nach meiner Meinung aber nur verrückt, so weiterzumachen, wie bisher.“ Grimaldi habe sich schon vor langer Zeit dazu entschlossen, den Schutz des kollektiven Wohlergehens der menschlichen und tierischen Arten über seine persönlichen Interessen zu stellen. „Was ich tue, steht im Einklang mit diesem Auftrag.“” October 5, 2023, Tagesspiegel
“Nicht nur er ist der Meinung, dass seine Kündigung ungerechtfertigt ist. Wissenschaftler aus ganz Europa haben eine Petition gestartet, die bereits mehr als 9000 Unterschriften erhalten hat. Auch sie verlangen, dass Grimalda wieder eingestellt wird. Einige Forscher vermuteten auch, dass die Kündigung mit Grimaldas Aktivismus bei Scientist Rebellion zu tun hat.” February 21, 2024 Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
2023 was the hottest year in over 120,000 years and yet academic institutions are managed as if everything were as it has always been. Scientists fly from conference to conference as if they were disconnected from the physical and ecological reality of this world. The lifestyle of the internationally networked scientist is romanticized and presented as indispensable. Yet academic flying has little impact on scientific success (Wynes et al. 2019).
There is data that frequent flying has limited influence on academic success.
Quotes from Academic air travel has a limited influence on professional success by Wynes et al. 2019
“Using a database of professional air travel at a major Canadian university, we found that emissions from air travel, distance, and number of flights taken were unrelated to academic productivity as measured by h-index (adjusted by academic age and discipline) or to an academic’s area of interest (Green academics did not fly less than their counterparts).”
“Millions of students each year will be introduced to societal norms regarding professional behaviour through universities, and so a university culture that endorses prolific air travel will make public acceptance of policies that curtail air travel and promote videoconferencing that much more difficult to implement.”
Besides these data, there is also always the moral question. Should we consider our careers as more important than the future of the world as we know it?
The scientific community has been complaining for decades that their warnings about the climate and biodiversity crisis are not being taken seriously. Perhaps also because academics themselves do not behave as if the greatest threat to humanity were a reality? Even if individual behavior alone, without far-reaching political measures, is not enough to reduce global CO2 emissions quickly enough (IPCC AR6 WGIII), academics have a special role model function. Studies show that the public perceives scientists who fly less often as more credible (Attari et al., 2016). And yet frequent flying, even short-haul, is supported, even encouraged, by academic institutions and, as in the case of Dr. Grimalda, doing without can lead to harsh consequences.
Quote from Statements about climate researchers’ carbon footprints affect their credibility and the impact of their advice by Attari et al., 2016
“We find that revealing large carbon footprints reduce the researcher’s credibility compared to low footprints, and that these differences in perceived credibility strongly affect participants’ inclinations to change their own energy consumption.“
No one should lose his or her job for acting in accordance with the reality of the climate crisis. Especially not at scientific institutions that otherwise insist on the importance of science. In addition, universities and institutes should regulate the flying of their employees and make alternative travel options more attractive to support scientists in doing the right thing.
“The Air Travel Project of ETH Zurich motivates affiliates to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions from work-related air travel in a participatory, evidence-based and solution-oriented approach.”
“Business trips of employees of Utrecht University account for 11% of Utrecht University’s total CO2 emissions. … Travel will be by train if the distance is less than 700 km or with a travel time of up to 8 hours, calculated from Utrecht Central Station.”
“Before any official travel on behalf of the university (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), the employee concerned should evaluate whether the journey is absolutely necessary or whether there are online alternatives, and how the trip could be made with as little negative impact on the environment as possible.”
“University of Amsterdam staff who engage in official travel abroad cause almost 4,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. This is almost 6% of the UvA’s total emissions. … We will no longer fly to destinations that can be reached by train within six hours.”
Further reading regarding academic travel: Stay Grounded , Tyndall Centre , Flyingless
Map of Academic Air Travel Reduction Projects
!!! OF NOTE, these are examples that make it easier for academics to do the right thing (fly less). However, the climate and ecological crisis has already progressed so much that we need radical and not incremental change. Flying should only be considered in rare exceptions. !!!
Long story short, Gianluca’s case and the world literally being on fire require us to become active.
Get involved and help us spread awareness about Dr. Grimalda’s case, and demand that academic institutions act in line with scientists’ warnings.
mail your dean
We provide an example email text. Adapt it to your university or your institute and send it to your dean or the academic board. Spread it to your colleagues so they can do the same.
paper planes
Download our paper plane flyer and spread it around areas where academic staff gathers (e.g. cafeterias, meeting rooms, seated areas in hallways).
Dear Mr. / Dear Mrs. ,
As you may have heard in the media, a few months ago the behavioral economist Dr. Gianluca Grimalda lost his job at the Kiel Institute because he refused to fly. Dr. Grimalda has been avoiding air travel for many years. In order to minimize his CO2 emissions, he travelled mainly by land and sea to Papua New Guinea for field research. The IfW was aware of this and yet required him to be back in Kiel within a few days at the end of the excursion – only feasible by plane. Dr. Grimalda remained true to his convictions and lost his job.
I’m really worried that something like this might happen to me here at our university/institute XYZ.
2023 was the hottest year in over 120,000 years and yet scientists are flying from conference to conference as if they are living disconnected from physical and ecological reality.
I ask you to take a public stand and support those who take scientific warnings seriously and act accordingly. We academics have a special role model function. Please support us in doing the right thing and also help us to reduce business air travel at our university / institute!
With kind regards,
References:
Seth Wynes, Simon D. Donner, Steuart Tannason, Noni Nabors (2019), Academic air travel has a limited influence on professional success. Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 226, 959-967.
Shahzeen Z. Attari, David H. Krantz, Elke U. Weber (2016), Statements about climate researchers’ carbon footprints affect their credibility and the impact of their advice. Climatic Change 138, 325–338.
Stefan Gössling, Andreas Humpe (2020), The global scale, distribution and growth of aviation: Implications for climate change. Global Environmental Change, 65.
Please take pictures. Put your labcoat on, and take pictures of you and paper planes at some recognizable spots of your university/institute, and post them on your social media channels.
Use #GroundedScience #Paperplanes and tag @SciReb_Germany @ScientistRebel1 (X), @scientistrebellion_ger @scientistrebellion (Instagram).
Get involved with Scientist Rebellion at your university or in your city: Send us an email at scientistrebellion_ger@protonmail.com and we’ll put you in touch with academics active in your area.