
UNDERSTANDING BRIDGES-IMPACT
Measuring and reducing the carbon footprint of its research: a key challenge for BRIDGES
Thanks to the knowledge it produces, science plays an important role in helping society to limit anthropogenic global warming and adapt to its effects. However, scientific activities themselves have a significant impact on the environment.
A key indicator for measuring this impact is the carbon footprint, defined as the total quantity of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted by an activity. For a scientist, this is on average well above the individual carbon budget* required to limit global warming to 1.5°C (Lannelongue & Inouye, 2023). This is due, among other things, to professional travel, the energy consumption of research infrastructures and the purchase of scientific instruments.
* the quantity of greenhouse gases that can be emitted for a given level of global warming. This is around 2 tonnes to comply with the Paris agreements, i.e. an average global warming of 1.5°C above the pre-industrial period.
Given this situation, BRIDGES is embarking on a process of introspection and action through its targeted project BRIDGES-IMPACT:
- Assess the carbon footprint of its activities using appropriate tools and methodologies.
- Identify concrete solutions to reduce this impact.
- Promote sustainable scientific practices.
On January 10th, the team dedicated to this aspect met to launch its activities and to begin thinking about methods for characterising BRIDGES’ carbon footprint.
The team is using two main methodologies:
- GES 1point5, developed by Labo 1point5. This open-access tool can be used to calculate the carbon footprint of research activities.
- Ma Terre en 180 Minutes (My Earth in 180 Minutes), a fun, participatory workshop designed to raise researchers’ awareness of GHG emissions and help them build reduction scenarios. This immersive format makes it possible to simulate complex situations, explore concrete solutions and promote a collective change in practices.
This approach is part of BRIDGES’ wider commitment to developing more responsible research practices.
To find out more
Gratiot, N., Champollion, N., Guillaud, D., Tremège, F. (2024, septembre 25). Étudier la Terre sans la détruire davantage : Comment faire de la recherche bas-carbone ? The Conversation. http://theconversation.com/etudier-la-terre-sans-la-detruire-davantage-comment-faire-de-la-recherche-bas-carbone-238708
Gratiot N, Klein J, Challet M, Dangles O, Janicot S, et al. (2023) A transition support system to build decarbonization scenarios in the academic community. PLOS Sustainability and Transformation 2(4): e0000049. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pstr.0000049
Lannelongue, L., & Inouye, M. (2023). Carbon footprint estimation for computational research. Nature Reviews Methods Primers, 3(1), 1‑2. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43586-023-00202-5
The carbon footprint of scientific visibility
Olivier Berné, Lydiane Agier, Antoine Hardy, Emmanuel Lellouch, Olivier Aumont, Jérôme Mariette, Tamara Ben-Ari, Environmental Research Letters, 2022
DOI : https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac9b51
An open-source tool to assess the carbon footprint of research
Jérôme Mariette, Odile Blanchard, Olivier Berné, Olivier Aumont, Julian Carrey, Anne-Laure Ligozat, Emmanuel Lellouch, Philippe-Emmanuel Roche, Gaël Guennebaud, Joel Thanwerdas, Philippe Bardou, Gérald Salin, Elise Maigne, Sophie Servan, Tamara Ben-Ari, Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability, 2022
DOI : https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2634-4505/ac84a4

Nicolas Champollion (IGE, CNRS), Nicolas Gratiot (IGE, IRD), Rachel Bitoun (Espace-Dev, IRD) at January 10th workshop.
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