Imperial's Approach to Sustainable Travel

In-person teaching and research and national and international collaboration are the foundation of Imperial’s work. Travel is integral to university life and is also a large contributor to Imperial’s environmental impact.  

In 2019, travel at Imperial produced around 38,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions – making up 16% of Imperial’s total carbon footprint.  

As part of Imperial’s Sustainable Strategy 2021-26, Imperial has developed a Sustainable Travel Policy aiming for a 25% reduction in carbon emissions from air travel by 2026 as measured against a the baseline year 2017-18. 

Imperial’s climate-conscious approach to travel builds on their use of the Profs Who Fly scheme. The creation of their Postgraduate climate-conscious travel fund supports postgraduate students make more sustainable travel choices by compensating for the higher costs involved.