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Trend towards virtual and hybrid conferences may be an effective climate change mitigation strategy

Author

Listed:
  • Yanqiu Tao

    (Systems Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca)

  • Debbie Steckel

    (The American Center for Life Cycle Assessment)

  • Jiří Jaromír Klemeš

    (Brno University of Technology - VUT Brno, Technická 2896/2)

  • Fengqi You

    (Systems Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca
    Cornell University, Ithaca
    340 Tower Road Cornell University Ithaca)

Abstract

Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has urged event holders to shift conferences online. Virtual and hybrid conferences are greener alternatives to in-person conferences, yet their environmental sustainability has not been fully assessed. Considering food, accommodation, preparation, execution, information and communication technology, and transportation, here we report comparative life cycle assessment results of in-person, virtual, and hybrid conferences and consider carbon footprint trade-offs between in-person participation and hybrid conferences. We find that transitioning from in-person to virtual conferencing can substantially reduce the carbon footprint by 94% and energy use by 90%. For the sake of maintaining more than 50% of in-person participation, carefully selected hubs for hybrid conferences have the potential to slash carbon footprint and energy use by two-thirds. Furthermore, switching the dietary type of future conferences to plant-based diets and improving energy efficiencies of the information and communication technology sector can further reduce the carbon footprint of virtual conferences.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-27251-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27251-2
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    Cited by:

    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. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Zhang, Junjie & Yu, Shiwei & Xiong, Xingyi & Hu, Xing, 2024. "Impacts of ICT penetration shaping nonworking time use on indirect carbon emissions: Evidence from Chinese households," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    6. Christopher Hoehne & Matteo Muratori & Paige Jadun & Brian Bush & Arthur Yip & Catherine Ledna & Laura Vimmerstedt & Kara Podkaminer & Ookie Ma, 2023. "Exploring decarbonization pathways for USA passenger and freight mobility," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.

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