Local governance of greenhouse gas emissions from air travel

Abstract

Global greenhouse gas emissions from air travel (GHG-A) are on the rise, and projections point towards a rapid growth in the coming decades. This study aims to examine how local government (cities), addresses GHG-A in their Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAP). To fulfil this aim, over 200 SEAPs were analysed focusing on three issues: (1) Treatment of GHG-A in local emissions inventories; (2) Policy initiatives within this domain; and (3) The cities' perceptions of the conflicts of interests. Results showed that more than half of the cities acknowledge the challenge of GHG-A, around one third include GHG-A in their emissions inventories, and more than one quarter have initiated policy interventions. To categorise these interventions, we have added a mode 'governing by agenda setting' to an existing analytical framework, 'Modes of governing'. With their authority limited to the local setting, this mode of governing is a common channel for cities to push changes at higher levels.

Flying Less for Work and Leisure? Co-Designing a City-Wide Change Initiative in Geneva

“…Finally, the City asked us to explicitly focus on voluntary initiatives; we stopped short of studying the regulatory frameworks that might further reduce the appeal of flights. That being said, the Futures Wheel exercise did lead to more constraining ideas, that could be operationalised by the city administration through different modes of governing that are often used in combination-following Elofsson, Smedby, Larsson, and Nässén (2018) and building on Bulkeley and Kern's (2006) work on climate governance. For example, participants suggested an upper limit to long-haul flights per capita, or the creation of carbon tax and redistribution schemes as a way to support alternative forms of transport in Universities-and as part of a governing by authority strategy.…”

“…Efforts to reduce flights for professional travel must also further distinguish between trips that are seen as more necessary-for the promotion of early career employees, or for securing new supply chains, for example-versus those that can be effectively managed virtually. While the City of Geneva may not be in a position to influence employer policies, guidelines to support decisions on when flights are necessary or not may be useful, leading towards a strategy of governing by enabling (Elofsson et al, 2018).…”

“…The Futures Wheel exercises demonstrate the importance of changing material arrangements, for example in the alternatives to travel and the systems of provision that make some alternatives more appealing than others. This relates to governing by provisions (Elofsson et al, 2018), whereby the city supports air-travel alternatives. More investments could be made in promoting alternatives to individual travel for professional reasons at the City or State level, such as virtual conference hubs.…”

The role of local governments in governing sustainable consumption and sharing cities

“…Another way of self-governing is through different organizational policies, such as travel policies for the municipality's staff (see Elofsson et al, 2018). Such a policy can either steer the employee travels in a more sustainable direction, or limit the amount of travelling done.…”

“…Such a policy can either steer the employee travels in a more sustainable direction, or limit the amount of travelling done. For example, Västerås Municipality has a travel policy that encourages virtual meeting formats as opposed to meeting in person (Elofsson et al, 2018). On the other hand, however, some municipalities in Sweden have travel policies that explicitly propose flying as the first option, such as in Trelleborg in the case of journeys where flying would decrease travel time compared to a train journey, and thus avoid the need for an overnight stay (Trelleborg Municipality, 2017).…”