Reducing the carbon footprint of the astronomical community.
Dear IAU President,
dear Ewine,
The climate and environmental crises are now well-established facts and
their effects are more and more visible and severe as years pass. According to
IPCC recent reports, we can hope to limit the trend by strongly reducing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: by about half over the next decade, and by
about 80% by 2050. This is a major challenge that will require all communities
to adapt their behavior, including astronomers.
Several laboratories and institutions estimated their environmental impact
and came to the conclusion that international conferences make a significant
contribution to our community's GHG emissions. Examples at national levels can
be found at the links below.
Large facilities (e.g. observational, computationalÉ) also have important
carbon footprint. However, they provide science data or results inaccessible
otherwise. Lowering their contribution is mandatory, but this may take time. On the other
hand, a rapid result could be obtained by a reduction
and optimized organization of international meetings. This appears as the necessary first step to rapidly reduce the
footprint of the astronomical community without affecting scientific progress.
The multiplication of international meetings, at a pace that is not always
justified by scientific progress and at locations spread around the world, has an obvious detrimental effect on the
carbon impact of our community. Reducing the number of conferences and
organizing them at optimized locations would straightforwardly save money and
GHG emissions. The participation of scientists who live far from such optimized conference
places could be secured by funding support at a larger scale than presently done.
The cost could be shared by the countries located close to the optimized
conference locations and benefitting from lower travel costs and emissions.
Face-to-face international conferences remain a necessity, especially to
foster international collaborations, but could become much less numerous
without damage, and be replaced as much as possible by web-based ÒvirtualÓ
conferences. Efforts in this
direction are currently underway in other disciplines, e.g. in biology https://cutt.ly/briwI5c .
Such evolutions need to be organized at
worldwide level. The IAU is in the best position to make things move
forward fast. As the IAU president,
we urge you to launch a global assessment of the CO2 impact of
astronomical activities, implement immediate recommendations and actions
and encourage national societies to join these efforts. It
would be to your credit that the IAU demonstrates strong leadership on this
urgent issue, and works quickly to make our professional practices coherent
with current scientific knowledge about global warming.
Further discussion more specific to astronomy can be found here :
Astronomy in a Low-Carbon Future : https://arxiv.org/abs/1910.01272
The imperative to reduce carbon emissions in astronomy : https://arxiv.org/abs/1912.05834
Travel to academic conferences : https://www.nature.com/news/polopoly_fs/1.17125!/menu/main/topColumns/topLeftColumn/pdf/519261a.pdf
With our warmest regards,
The
French Astronomical Society, SF2A
The
French Astronomical Community
Signatures :
Laurent Pagani |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Franoise Roques |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Laurent Lamy |
Staff Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Emmanuel Lellouch |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Pac™me Delva |
Lecturer |
Sorbonne UniversitŽ, Observatoire de Paris |
Pascal Bonnefond |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Fabrice Herpin |
Senior Astronomer |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux, SF2A President |
Patrick de Laverny |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de la C™te dÕAzur |
Pierrick Martin |
Staff Researcher |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Carine Briand |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Vincent CoudŽ du Foresto |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Thierry Dudok de Wit |
Professor |
UniversitŽ
d'OrlŽans |
Sylvie Cabrit |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Philippe Garnier |
Lecturer |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Olivia Venot |
Staff Researcher |
UniversitŽ de CrŽteil |
Luigi Tibaldo |
Staff Astronomer |
IRAP, Toulouse |
FrŽdŽric Boone |
Staff Astronomer |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Pierre Kervella |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Nicole
Meyer-Vernet |
Senior Researcher Emeritus |
Observatoire de Paris |
Xavier Bonnin |
Research Engineer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Jean-Franois Lestrade |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Philippe Zarka |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Annie Hughes |
Staff Astronomer |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Christiane Vilain |
Senior Researcher Honorary |
Observatoire de Paris |
Olivier Ilbert |
Staff Astronomer |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Martin Giard |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP, Toulouse |
JŸrgen Knšdlseder |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Beno”t SŽmelin |
Professor |
Sorbonne UniversitŽ, Observatoire de Paris |
Sylvie Brau-NoguŽ |
Research Engineer |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Katia Ferrire |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Mathieu Servillat |
Research Engineer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Antoine Gusdorf |
Staff Researcher |
ENS, Paris |
Franois Levrier |
Lecturer |
ENS, Paris |
Alexandre Marcowith |
Staff Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Montpellier |
Deirdre HORAN |
Staff Researcher |
Ecole
Polytechnique, Palaiseau |
Jean-Philippe LENAIN |
Staff Researcher |
LPNHE, Paris |
Julie PRAST |
Research Engineer |
UniversitŽ de Savoie-Mont-Blanc |
Fabienne Casoli |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
David Valls-Gabaud |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Thomas Armstrong |
Staff Researcher |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Pierre Jean |
Professor |
UniversitŽ
de Toulouse |
Erwan Allys |
Lecturer |
ENS, Paris |
Sylvain Chaty |
Professor |
UniversitŽ de Paris |
Norma G. Sanchez |
Senior Researcher Emeritus |
Observatoire de Paris |
Jacques Le Bourlot |
Professor |
UniversitŽ Paris-Diderot, Observatoire de Paris |
Philippe Bruel |
Staff Researcher |
Ecole
Polytechnique, Palaiseau |
Mohammad
Heydari-Malayeri |
Senior
Astronomer Emeritus |
Observatoire de Paris |
JŽr™me Rodriguez |
Staff Researcher |
CEA, Saclay |
Marina Ricci |
Associate Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Savoie-Mont-Blanc |
Jean-Michel LAMARRE |
Senior Researcher Honorary |
Observatoire de Paris |
Andrea Chiavassa |
Staff Researcher |
Observatoire de la C™te dÕAzur |
Astrid Lamberts |
Staff Researcher |
Observatoire de la C™te dÕAzur |
Jean-Philippe Bernard |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Etienne Pointecouteau |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Beno”t Mosser |
Professor |
Observatoire de Paris |
AurŽlie Guilbert-Lepoutre |
Staff Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Lyon-1 |
Michel Rieutord |
Professor |
UniversitŽ de Toulouse – Paul Sabatier |
RŽmi ADAM |
Staff Researcher |
Ecole Polytechnique, Saclay |
Pierre Encrenaz |
Senior
Astronomer Emeritus |
Observatoire de Paris |
Vanessa Hill |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de la C™te dÕAzur |
Michel Lintz |
Staff Researcher |
Observatoire de la C™te dÕAzur |
Na•s Fargette |
PhD student |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Vincent GŽnot |
Senior Astronomer |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Jean-Luc Atteia |
Senior Astronomer |
UniversitŽ de Toulouse |
Thierry Contini |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Jeremie Lasue |
Staff Astronomer |
IRAP, Toulouse |
FrŽdŽric PIRON |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Montpellier |
Victor Hui |
PhD Student |
UniversitŽ de Savoie-Mont-Blanc |
Tania Regimbau |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Savoie-Mont-Blanc |
Nardetto Nicolas |
Staff Researcher |
Observatoire de la C™te dÕAzur |
Jean Ballet |
Senior Researcher |
CEA, Saclay |
HŽlo•se MŽheut |
Staff
Researcher |
UniversitŽ de la C™te dÕAzur |
Jean-Franois Glicenstein |
Senior Researcher |
CEA, Saclay |
Matthieu Renaud |
Staff Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Montpellier |
Laurent Koechlin |
Senior Astronomer Emeritus |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Philippe Galdemard |
Research Engineer |
CEA, Saclay |
Johan Bregeon |
Staff Researcher |
LPSC, Grenoble |
Maryvonne Gerin |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Didier Barret |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Georges Kordopatis |
Staff Astronomer |
Observatoire de la C™te dÕAzur |
James Lequeux |
Senior
Astronomer Honorary |
Observatoire de Paris |
Isabelle Ristorcelli |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP, Toulouse |
FrŽdŽric Paletou |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire Midi-PyrŽnŽes, IRAP, Toulouse |
Nadge Lemarchand |
PhD Student |
IAS, UniversitŽ de Paris-Saclay |
Jean-Baptiste Durrive |
PostDoc Researcher |
IRAP,
Toulouse |
Nathalie Carrasco |
Professor |
UniversitŽ
de Versailles Saint Quentin |
Claire Moutou |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP,
Toulouse |
Nicolas AndrŽ |
Staff Researcher |
IRAP,
Toulouse |
Aurore Bacmann |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Grenoble |
Thomas Vuillaume |
PostDoc Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Savoie-Mont-Blanc |
Lo•c Rolland |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Savoie-Mont-Blanc |
Corinne Charbonnel |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Grenoble et UniversitŽ de Genve |
Pierre Lesaffre |
Staff Researcher |
ENS, Paris |
Karine Demyk |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP,
Toulouse |
Sylvain Bontemps |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Philippe SalomŽ |
Staff Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Nathalie Ysard |
Staff Researcher |
IAS, UniversitŽ de Paris-Saclay |
DŽborah Paradis |
Staff Astronomer |
IRAP, Toulouse |
Anthony Banday |
Senior Researcher |
IRAP,
Toulouse |
Jean-Marc Petit |
Senior Researcher |
OSU
Theta Beasnon |
Jean-Franois Gonzalez |
Lecturer |
Observatoire de Lyon |
Laurent CambrŽsy |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire Astronomique de Strasbourg |
Monique Arnaud |
Senior Researcher |
CEA, Saclay |
Nicole Nesvadba |
Staff Astronomer |
Observatoire de la C™te dÕAzur |
Pierre Hily-Blant |
Lecturer |
UniversitŽ
Grenoble Alpes |
Grazyna Stasinska |
Senior Researcher Emeritus |
Observatoire de Paris |
Gwena‘l BouŽ |
Lecturer |
Sorbonne UniversitŽ, Observatoire de Paris |
Fabrice Martins |
Staff Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Montpellier |
Dimitri Chuard |
PostDoc Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Paris-Diderot |
Isabelle Boisse |
Staff Astronomer |
UniversitŽ dÕAix-Marseille |
Richard Dallier |
Lecturer |
SUBATECH, Nantes |
Lars Bonne |
PhD Student |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Sophie Maurogordato |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de la C™te dÕAzur |
Michel Tallon |
Staff Researcher |
Observatoire de Lyon |
Sandrine Pires |
Staff Researcher |
CEA, Saclay |
Annie Robin |
Staff Researcher |
OSU
Theta Beasnon |
Philip Tuckey |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Marc Sauvage |
Senior Researcher |
CEA, Saclay |
JŽrŽmy Leconte |
Staff Researcher |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Laurence Rezeau |
Professor |
Sorbonne UniversitŽ |
Lisa Bugnet |
PhD Student |
CEA, Saclay |
Pierre-Alain Duc |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire Astronomique de Strasbourg |
Jonathan Braine |
Senior
Astronomer |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Melaine Saillenfest |
Staff Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Gilles Duvert |
Senior
Astronomer |
UniversitŽ
Grenoble Alpes |
Alain Hui-Bon-Hoa |
Lecturer |
IRAP,
Toulouse |
Philippe Rousselot |
Professor |
OSU
Theta Besanon |
Benjamin Charnay |
Staff
Researcher |
Observatoire
de Paris |
Douglas Marshall |
Lecturer |
UniversitŽ
de Toulouse Paul Sabatier |
HervŽ Cottin |
Professor |
UniversitŽ
Paris Est CrŽteil |
Alain Doressoundiram |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Coralie Neiner |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
GŽrard
Jasniewicz |
Senior Astronomer |
UniversitŽ
de Montpellier |
Valentine Wakelam |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Miho Janvier |
Staff Astronomer |
IAS, UniversitŽ de Paris-Saclay |
Caroline Soubiran |
Senior Astronomer |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Jean-Marie Hameury |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire Astronomique de Strasbourg |
JŽr™me Guilet |
Staff Researcher |
CEA, Saclay |
Batiste Rousseau |
PostDoc
Researcher |
INAF-IAPS |
Jean-Marie Malherbe |
Senior Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Martin Turbet |
PostDoc
Researcher |
Observatoire
Astronomique de Genve |
Arnaud Cassan |
Lecturer |
Sorbonne
UniversitŽ |
Estelle Moraux |
Lecturer |
UniversitŽ
Grenoble-Alpes |
HŽlne Sol |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Karrine Perraut |
Senior
Astronomer |
UniversitŽ
Grenoble Alpes, Observatoire de Grenoble |
Fabio Acero |
Staff Researcher |
CEA, Saclay |
Jihane Moultaka |
Staff Astronomer |
IRAP,
Toulouse |
Pierre Gratier |
Staff Astronomer |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Emmanuel di Folco |
Staff Astronomer |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Jean-Claude Bourret |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
JŸrgen Kiener |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ de Paris-Saclay |
Franois Spite |
Senior
Astronomer Honorary |
Observatoire de Paris |
Samuel Boissier |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Mathilde Gaudel |
PostDoc
Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Olivier Groussin |
Staff Astronomer |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Audrey Coutens |
PostDoc
Researcher |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Yann Le Coq |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Christian Bizouard |
Senior
Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Muriel Gargaud |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Alexandre Le Tiec |
Staff
Researcher |
Observatoire
de Paris |
Franck Selsis |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Isma‘l Cognard |
Senior Researcher |
OSUC, UniversitŽ dÕOrlŽans |
Lucas Guillemot |
Staff Astronomer |
OSUC, UniversitŽ dÕOrlŽans |
Alain LŽger |
Senior Astronomer Emeritus |
IAS, UniversitŽ de Paris-Saclay |
Marianne Lemoine-Goumard |
Staff
Researcher |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Charlne Lefvre |
PostDoc
Researcher |
IRAM, Grenoble |
Peter Wolf |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Rapha‘l Mignon-Risse |
PhD
Student |
CEA, Saclay |
Emmanuel Bertin |
Senior
Astronomer |
Institut dÕAstrophysique de Paris |
HŽlne Roussel |
Staff Astronomer |
Institut dÕAstrophysique de Paris |
VŽronique Buat |
Professor |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Beno”t Epinat |
Staff Astronomer |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Corentin Louis |
PostDoc
Researcher |
IRAP,
Toulouse |
StŽphane Arnouts |
Staff Researcher |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Pierre Barge |
Senior
Astronomer |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Miguel Montargs |
PostDoc
Researcher |
KU Leuven, Belgique |
Vincent Le Brun |
Lecturer |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Philippe Amram |
Professor |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Marc Ferrari |
Senior
Astronomer |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Denis Burgarella |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Yves-Paul Viala |
Senior
Astronomer Honorary |
Observatoire de Paris |
Patrick Petitjean |
Senior
Astronomer |
Institut dÕAstrophysique de Paris |
StŽphane Blondin |
Staff Researcher |
Pontificia
Universidad Cat—lica de Chile |
FrŽdŽric Arenou |
Senior
Research Engineer |
Observatoire de Paris |
SŽbastien Derrire |
Staff Astronomer |
Observatoire Astronomique de Strasbourg |
Aymeric Spiga |
Lecturer |
Sorbonne UniversitŽ |
Caroline Bot |
Staff Astronomer |
Observatoire Astronomique de Strasbourg |
Franck Pereira dos Santos |
Senior Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Bertrand Goldman |
Lecturer |
International
Space University (near Strasbourg) |
Pierre Guillard |
Lecturer |
Sorbonne UniversitŽ |
Olivier Poch |
PostDoc
Researcher |
UniversitŽ
Grenoble Alpes |
Roger Ferlet |
Senior Researcher Emeritus |
Institut dÕAstrophysique de Paris |
Catherine Boisson |
Senior
Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Catherine Brunet |
Documentation
Engineer |
Observatoire Astronomique de Strasbourg |
Pierre Auclair-Desrotour |
PostDoc
Researcher |
University of Bern, Switzerland |
Patrick BoissŽ |
Professor
Emeritus |
Institut dÕAstrophysique de Paris |
Robert Mochkovitch |
Senior Researcher |
Institut dÕAstrophysique de Paris |
Nicole Feautrier |
Senior
Astronomer Honorary |
Observatoire de Paris |
Pierre LŽna |
Professor
Emeritus |
Observatoire de Paris |
Bertrand Plez |
Professor |
UniversitŽ de Montpellier |
David Maurin |
Staff Researcher |
LPSC, Grenoble |
ƒric Josselin |
Lecturer |
UniversitŽ de Montpellier |
Quentin SalomŽ |
PostDoc
Researcher |
INAOE, Puebla, Mexico |
Cinthya Herrera |
PostDoc
Researcher |
IRAM, Grenoble |
Ana Lopez |
Staff Astronomer |
IRAM, Grenoble |
Roberto Neri |
Senior
Researcher |
IRAM, Grenoble |
Carsten Kramer |
Senior
Researcher |
IRAM, Grenoble |
Arancha Castro-Carrizo |
Staff Astronomer |
IRAM, Grenoble |
Orsolya Feher |
PostDoc
Researcher |
IRAM, Grenoble |
Jan-Martin Winters |
Senior
Researcher |
IRAM, Grenoble |
Quentin Kral |
Staff Astronomer |
Observatoire de Paris |
Ka Tat Wong |
PostDoc
Researcher |
IRAM, Grenoble |
Nicole Capitaine |
Senior Astronomer Emeritus |
Observatoire de Paris |
Genevive Soucail |
Senior
Astronomer |
IRAP,
Toulouse |
Pascal BordŽ |
Professor |
UniversitŽ de Bordeaux |
Yohan Dubois |
Staff Researcher |
Institut dÕAstrophysique de Paris |
CŽsar Gattano |
PostDoc
Researcher |
University
of Bern, Switzerland |
Alba Vidal Garc’a |
PostDoc
Researcher |
ENS, Paris |
Marie-HŽlne Grondin |
Lecturer |
UniversitŽ de Bordeaux |
Jesse Palmerio |
PostDoc
Researcher |
Observatoire de Paris |
Felicitas Arias |
Long
term visitor |
Observatoire de Paris |
CŽcile Loup |
Staff Researcher |
Observatoire Astronomique de Strasbourg |
Isabelle Vauglin |
Staff Astronomer |
Observatoire de Lyon |
Anne Dutrey |
Senior Researcher |
UniversitŽ
de Bordeaux |
Faustine Cantalloube |
Staff Researcher |
UniversitŽ Aix-Marseille |
Julien Milli |
Staff Astronomer |
UniversitŽ
Grenoble Alpes |
AurŽlien Crida |
Lecturer |
Observatoire de la C™te dÕAzur |