Measures and Implementation

In a participatory process in 2019, all 16 ETH departments and some central units set themselves reduction targets for air travel emissions between 5% and 50% for the year 2025. The targets relate to the base years 2016-2018 and to emissions per full-time equivalent (FTE). In 2021, some departments increased their reduction targets, so that the ETH-wide reduction target, which is the average of the individual targets, is now 15% by 2025.

Since then, the departments have developed a wealth of concrete and innovative measures to achieve their reduction targets. All departments plan to attend and organize more virtual conferences in the future. In addition to the individually set reduction targets, some of the departments offset the emissions from their air travel. Offsetting is not a substitute for real reductions, but an additional measure and interim solution.

Three departments, D-BAUG, D-MAVT, and D-USYS, also decided to introduce their own internal CO₂ tax (carbon tax) as a steering levy. The implementation of the three taxes varies, but in all cases the revenues are used within the respective departments for teaching, research or promotion of young scientist projects with a focus on greenhouse gas reduction. In addition, the departments D-ARCH, D-BSSE, and D-PHYS have created their own activities or informal sustainability offices.