Committee on Sustainability and EAERE Conferences Session at EAERE 2024, Leuven (Belgium)
Is there a future for hybrid EAERE conferences?
3 July 2024
EAERE conferences are very popular with slightly more than 700 participants in Rimini 2022 and Cyprus 2023. Conference organizers are increasingly struggling to accommodate such a large group of participants on-site. The capacity constraint raises questions about inclusiveness and openness to all environmental and resource economists. Moreover, awareness of the significant environmental footprint of our conference is still growing as we obtain more information regarding this issue. To address these challenges, the idea of transitioning to a truly hybrid event format has gained traction within the EAERE community. A hybrid conference combines physical and virtual attendance options, offering numerous potential benefits such as expanding the conference’s reach, adapting to the evolving needs of the audience, reducing travel costs, and enhancing scheduling flexibility. Yet, the financial and practical implementation of organizing hybrid conferences brings its own set of complexities and considerations. The aim of the session is therefore to bring together members of our association and the extended scientific community to draw insights from our speakers’ experiences and to discuss the desirability of further embracing our efforts to make the EAERE conference a truly hybrid event.
Moderator: Simon Jean, EAERE committee for the sustainability of EAERE conferences
Panelists:
Alessio D’Amato, Economia Tor Vergata
Claudia Kemfert, DIW Berlin
Annalisa Ponchia, AIM Group
Simona Robagliati, AIM Group
Marlène De Bank, The Shift Project
Read the session’s full report.
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Committee on Sustainability and EAERE Conferences Thematic Session at EAERE 2023, Limassol (Cyprus)
Committee on Sustainability and EAERE Conferences
30 June 2023
There is growing concern for sustainable development, and it is becoming more evident, that we as economists, must take immediate actions towards preserving our environment. As experts in the field, we are well aware of the challenges we face, particularly in the areas of climate change, energy, environment and resources. In this context, organizing sustainable conferences emerges as a necessity, not only to mitigate our emissions today but also to foster a culture of sustainability in our field. The stakes are high when it comes to organizing conferences, for all stakeholders. The carbon footprint of a conference can be significant through transportation, housing, waste generation and local energy consumption. Sustainable conferences are a challenge, as they require a holistic approach involving careful planning, coordination and monitoring to ensure that environmental and social impacts are minimized while maintaining the high quality of the event. As a professional community, we must strive to improve the sustainability of our practices. Being all practitioners and researchers, we can play a significant role in overcoming these challenges. Sharing experiences and knowledge, we can help promote sustainable practices, identify key challenges and find creative ways to address them. The aim of this session is therefore to bring together members of our association and the extended scientific community to benefit from our speakers’ experience, and collectively build a culture of sustainability in our professional activities.
Moderator: Julie Metta (KU Leuven)
Panelists:
Xenia I. Loizidou (AKTI Project and Research Centre)
Asa Lofgren (Gothenburg University)
Romain Espinosa (CNRS)
