43 BACK TO NAVIGATION BUSINESS TRAVEL EMISSIONS Tonnes C02 -e per employee 2014 2015 2016 2017 2.28 2.21 2018 2.24 2.17 1.89 1.83 1.91 1.84 1.95 1.87 Total Travel Flights 2016 TOTAL TRAVEL Tonnes C02 -e per employee for all firms 0.12 MINIMUM 9.91 MAXIMUM 2.04 AVERAGE Aviation contributes approximately 2.5% to global carbon emissions by using 1.2 billion litres of highly refined aviation fuel every day, which is increasing at a rate of six percent per year. Increasing demand from new and existing travellers means the number of passenger aircraft in our skies is set to double by 2035. An economy fare return trip from Europe to Australia for one person creates 4.5 tonnes of carbon compared to the average per capita footprint of around 1 tonne. In addition to fuel use, jet planes cause radiative forcing caused by nitric oxides and water vapour. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has estimated that aviation’s total climate impact is some 2–4 times that of its direct CO2 emissions from fuel. Aircraft are becoming more fuel-efficient, but not quickly enough to offset the huge demand in growth. There is currently no way to fly 8 million people every day without these levels of emissions. Flying demand has also increased because the cost of flying is kept artificially low. The “Chicago Convention” agreed in 1944, prohibits countries from imposing jet fuel tax and VAT on international flights. Aviation, along with shipping, was also given a special status and excluded from the Kyoto and Paris climate change agreements. To address emissions from flying, we can try to reduce the number of flights taken, buy carbon offsets for unavoidable flights, and question the broader logic of allowing the industry to grow and develop without addressing their carbon emissions. 2018 AusLSA Member Performance Emissions arising as a result of business travel at our AusLSA members are fifty-three percent of their gross total emissions and represent our sector’s most significant environmental material issue. This year business travel emission reduced by six percent however over the past five years these emissions have grown by 18.5%. While 20 of our member firms this year made significant decreases in travel, six members increased their travel and the savings made by most have been partially offset by those firms whose travel has increased. Business travel will continue to be a requirement of managing client relationships and delivering client services. This is also being influenced by the location and nature of services and the ‘globalisation’ of our member base. While the use of electronic communication such as teleconferencing and video meeting facilities has increased significantly, its use is not leading to reductions in travel at the same levels that similar technology improvements are achieving in energy efficiency and paper use. While AusLSA continues to promote the use of alternatives such as telecommuting, clearly client and firm needs are paramount and business-related travel will continue to vary on a firm by firm basis. BUSINESS TRAVEL