The Green Research in Education Group (GRiEG) met Tuesday November 2^nd to discuss a draft paper (watch this space for the finished version) on the effects of aviation on the climate crisis, and to formulate plans for actions in the University of Manchester Institute of Education (MIE), and university wide.

A simple model of the carbon cost of academics’ aviation suggested cutting inessential travel could reduce the university’s business carbon footprint by 5%: it was argued this was significant low-hanging fruit but could start a more ambitious programme of actions, especially the financial addiction of the university to international students whose travel footprint is believed to be massive.

We decided to start with small steps and take proposals to the upcoming MIE academics forum: hoping this small pebble will add to others and help build the landslide.