Abstract. Conferences, meetings and congresses are an important part of today's economic and scientific world. But the environmental impact, especially from greenhouse gas emissions associated with travel, can be extensive. Anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions account for the warming of the atmosphere and oceans. This study draws on the need to quantify and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with travel activities and aims to give suggestions for organizers and participants on possible ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, demonstrated on the example of the European Geography Association (EGEA) Annual Congress 2013 in Wasilkow, Poland.The lack of a comprehensive methodology for the estimation of greenhouse gas emissions from travel led to an outline of a methodology that uses geographic information systems (GIS) to calculate travel distances. The calculation of travel distances in GIS is adapted from actual transportation infrastructure, derived from the opensource platform OpenStreetMap. The methodology also aims to assess the possibilities to reduce GHG emissions by choosing different means of transportation and a more central conference location.The results of the participants of the EGEA congress, who shared their travel data for this study, show that the total travel distance adds up to 238 000 km, with average travel distance of 2429 km per participant. The travel activities of the participants in the study result in total GHG emissions of 39 300 kg CO 2 -eq including both outward and return trip. On average a participant caused GHG emissions of 401 kg CO 2 -eq. In addition, the analysis of the travel data showed differences in travel behaviour depending on the distance between conference site and point of origin. The findings on travel behaviour have then been used to give an estimation of total greenhouse gas emissions from travel for all participants of the conference, which result in a total amount of 79 711 kg CO 2 -eq.The potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by substituting short flights with train rides and car rides with bus and train rides is limited. Only 6 % of greenhouse gas emissions could be saved by applying these measures. Further considerable savings could only be made by substituting longer flights (32.6 %) or choosing a more central conference location (26.3 %).

Abstract. Alpine and mountain slopes represent important pathways that link high-altitude grazing areas to meadows and rangelands at lower elevations. Given the often acute gradients associated with such environments, they potentially represent highly efficient runoff conveyance routes that facilitate the downslope movement of runoff and associated material during erosion events. Many such slopes host series of small steps, or "terracettes". The juxtaposition of terracettes against the natural downslope flow path of non-complex slopes leads us to hypothesise that they may influence typical hillslope processes by intercepting or capturing surface runoff. Here we report preliminary results and some tentative conclusions from ongoing work to explore this possibility. Google Earth was used to initially identify a ca. 400 m 2 well-developed terracette system situated on a west-facing slope with gradients ranging from 25 to 40 • (46 to 84 %). A digital elevation model (DEM) of the terracettes was constructed using spatial data taken from a relevant section of topographic map. The DEM was then queried using a flow-accumulation algorithm and the results displayed in a geographic information system. The output data provided "proof of concept" that terracettes can capture surface runoff. The generation of empirical data from a series of rainfall/runoff simulations performed on the same section of terracettes supports this finding. Results from both work components indicate that sections of a terracette system may intercept runoff and could act as preferential flow pathways. By contrast, some sections appeared to act as depositional sites. We cautiously predict that these areas could act as retention zones for the temporary storage of runoff-associated substances. Greater understanding of the exact influence of terracettes on surface hydrology in steep-sloping and subalpine environments could benefit the future management of grazing and rangelands in such areas.