IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/inecol/v27y2023i6p1461-1475.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Life cycle assessment of in‐person, virtual, and hybrid academic conferences: New evidence and perspectives

Author

Listed:
  • Antonio Cavallin Toscani
  • Atalay Atasu
  • Luk N. Van Wassenhove
  • Andrea Vinelli

Abstract

This study contributes to the debate on the environmental impacts of academic conferences by comparing the life cycle impacts of a sample of real‐world in‐person, virtual, and hybrid conferences with different features and organizers. Results show that virtual formats reduce impacts by two to three orders of magnitude across all impact categories (for global warming, averagely from 941.9 to 1.0 kg CO2eq per person). The hybrid case study, with a share of 69% virtual attendees, displays an average 60% reduction in indicator results, less than ideal cases where the farthest attendees join online. The cross‐conference comparison allowed identifying several drivers of impact variation. For in‐person conferences, some never addressed drivers were uncovered, including the energy sources and systems used to supply the venue or the number of non‐local staff members and exhibitors. For virtual conferences, the main impact driver is the average time spent online by delegates, surprisingly more related to virtual experience design (e.g., synchronous vs. asynchronous presentations) than conference duration. The study further summarizes mitigation options from the literature and proposes new ones, such as selecting a venue supplied by a biomass‐fueled district heating system or with a green electricity contract (around −41 and −1.9 kg CO2eq per person, respectively). Lastly, our work highlights some inconsistencies that affect current conference assessments and proposes new research avenues, advocating the need to shift the focus from optimizing single conferences to considering the optimal portfolio of conferences and other activities for academic societies to meet their members’ needs while minimizing environmental impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonio Cavallin Toscani & Atalay Atasu & Luk N. Van Wassenhove & Andrea Vinelli, 2023. "Life cycle assessment of in‐person, virtual, and hybrid academic conferences: New evidence and perspectives," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(6), pages 1461-1475, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:27:y:2023:i:6:p:1461-1475
    DOI: 10.1111/jiec.13430
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13430
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/jiec.13430?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joseph Palazzo & Roland Geyer & Sangwon Suh, 2020. "A review of methods for characterizing the environmental consequences of actions in life cycle assessment," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(4), pages 815-829, August.
    2. Orsi, Francesco, 2012. "Cutting the carbon emission of international conferences: is decentralization an option?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 462-466.
    3. Andersson, Tommy D. & Lundberg, Erik, 2013. "Commensurability and sustainability: Triple impact assessments of a tourism event," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 99-109.
    4. Stijn van Ewijk & Paul Hoekman, 2021. "Emission reduction potentials for academic conference travel," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(3), pages 778-788, June.
    5. Vlad C. Coroama & Lorenz M. Hilty & Ernst Heiri & Frank M. Horn, 2013. "The Direct Energy Demand of Internet Data Flows," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(5), pages 680-688, October.
    6. Yanqiu Tao & Debbie Steckel & Jiří Jaromír Klemeš & Fengqi You, 2021. "Trend towards virtual and hybrid conferences may be an effective climate change mitigation strategy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    7. Milan Klöwer & Debbie Hopkins & Myles Allen & James Higham, 2020. "An analysis of ways to decarbonize conference travel after COVID-19," Nature, Nature, vol. 583(7816), pages 356-359, July.
    8. David S. Reay, 2003. "Virtual solution to carbon cost of conferences," Nature, Nature, vol. 424(6946), pages 251-251, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Martin Thomas Falk & Eva Hagsten, 2023. "Reverse adoption of information and communication technology among organisers of academic conferences," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(3), pages 1963-1985, March.
    2. Robert Istrate & Victor Tulus & Robert N. Grass & Laurent Vanbever & Wendelin J. Stark & Gonzalo Guillén-Gosálbez, 2024. "The environmental sustainability of digital content consumption," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Kranz, Johann & Zeiss, Roman & Beck, Roman & Gholami, Roya & Sarker, Saonee & Watson, Richard T. & Whitley, Edgar A., 2022. "Practicing what we preach? Reflections on more sustainable and responsible IS research and teaching practices," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 116677, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Aksel Biørn-Hansen & Daniel Pargman & Elina Eriksson & Mario Romero & Jarmo Laaksolahti & Markus Robért, 2021. "Exploring the Problem Space of CO 2 Emission Reductions from Academic Flying," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-20, November.
    5. Getz, Donald & Page, Stephen J., 2016. "Progress and prospects for event tourism research," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 593-631.
    6. Francesco Bandarin & Enrico Ciciotti & Marco Cremaschi & Giovanna Madera & Paolo Perulli & Diana Shendrikova, 2020. "Which Future for Cities after COVID-19 An international Survey," Reports, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, October.
    7. Rui Augusto da Costa & Ines Moleiro & Maria Fernanda Brasete, 2022. "Sports Tourism and High-Performance Centres in the Portugal Central Region," Academica Turistica - Tourism and Innovation Journal, University of Primorska Press, vol. 15(1), pages 111-121.
    8. Golinucci, Nicolò & Tonini, Francesco & Rocco, Matteo Vincenzo & Colombo, Emanuela, 2023. "Towards BitCO2, an individual consumption-based carbon emission reduction mechanism," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    9. Gulijiazi Yeerkenbieke & Chunci Chen & Guizhen He, 2021. "Public Perceived Effects of 2022 Winter Olympics on Host City Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-20, March.
    10. Laura DIACONU (MAXIM), 2021. "The behaviour of airlines’ passengers in the context of COVID-19 pandemic," CES Working Papers, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 13(2), pages 230-242, July.
    11. Rashieda Davids & Pauline Scheelbeek & Nafiisa Sobratee & Rosemary Green & Barbara Häesler & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi & Suparna Chatterjee & Nikhil Srinivasapura Venkateshmurthy & Georgina Mace & Alan , 2021. "Towards the Three Dimensions of Sustainability for International Research Team Collaboration: Learnings from the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems Research Programme," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-24, November.
    12. Carlos Sánchez‐Camacho & Rocío Carranza & David Martín‐Consuegra & Estrella Díaz, 2022. "Evolution, trends and future research lines in corporate social responsibility and tourism: A bibliometric analysis and science mapping," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(3), pages 462-476, June.
    13. Olivier Chanel & Alberto Prati & Morgan Raux, 2021. "The environmental cost of the international job market for economists," CEP Discussion Papers dp1819, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    14. Farah Mneimneh & Hasan Ghazzawi & Seeram Ramakrishna, 2023. "Review Study of Energy Efficiency Measures in Favor of Reducing Carbon Footprint of Electricity and Power, Buildings, and Transportation," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 447-474, March.
    15. Huei-Fu Lu, 2021. "Hallmark Sporting Events as a Vehicle for Promoting the Sustainable Development of Regional Tourism: Strategic Perspectives from Stakeholders," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-15, March.
    16. Porcelli, Roberto & Gibon, Thomas & Marazza, Diego & Righi, Serena & Rugani, Benedetto, 2023. "Prospective environmental impact assessment and simulation applied to an emerging biowaste-based energy technology in Europe," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    17. Armbrecht, John, 2014. "Use value of cultural experiences: A comparison of contingent valuation and travel cost," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 141-148.
    18. Víctor Lafuente Sánchez & María Devesa Fernández & José à ngel Sanz Lara, 2017. "Economic impact of a religious and tourist event," Tourism Economics, , vol. 23(6), pages 1255-1274, September.
    19. Alexandra Xan C. H. Nowakowski, 2023. "Same Old New Normal: The Ableist Fallacy of “Post-Pandemic” Work," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 11(1), pages 16-25.
    20. Brankov Jovana & Glavonjić Tamara Jojić & Pešić Ana Milanović & Petrović Marko D. & Tretiakova Tatiana N., 2019. "Residents’ Perceptions of Tourism Impact on Community in National Parks in Serbia," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 11(1), pages 124-142, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:27:y:2023:i:6:p:1461-1475. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1088-1980 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.