Climate and Environment

IBF works activly with climate and environmental issues. The Board of the Institute for Housing and Urban Research has adopted a Climate and Environment plan and a Travel Policy aiming to combat global warming and reduce the climate footprint of the institute. It is the ambition of IBF to greatly reduce work-related travel by air.

Climate and Environmental Plan

While it seems likely that the climate crisis is the greatest challenge humanity has yet faced, we cannot overlook the urgency of other environmental issues such as species extinction and the state of our oceans. Like any other organisation and workplace, we at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research (IBF) have a responsibility to contribute to the necessary transition to a society living in a manner that the planet can support. As an academic institution, IBF is in a position to achieve this by developing knowledge that contributes to climate and environmental sustainability, especially in urban environments, and by disseminating relevant research both within and outside the University. We also have a responsibility to adapt our own organisation and operations to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and other negative environmental impact, as well as to inform and act as an inspiration to others in the world of higher education. We also have an opportunity to contribute to and be a driving force behind Uppsala University’s work to combat global warming and other acute environmental problems.

Long-term overall objectives

I. Build a knowledge environment at IBF around climate-related urban transition and disseminate this knowledge.

II. Create procedures at IBF’s workplace that minimise the negative environmental impact of the Institute’s operations and that have the full support of IBF’s staff.

III. Regularly inform others both within and outside Uppsala University of positive experiences and success factors regarding our efforts in relation to objective II above.

IV. Contribute to and be a driving force behind Uppsala University’s work to combat global warming and other major environmental problems.

For each long-term overall objective, the Climate and Environmental plan also establish interim goals IBF’s activities for the period 2021-2022. This plan will be followed up annually by the Board of the Institute for Housing and Urban Research. At the end of each two-year period, IBF shall establish a plan with updated goals for the next two years.

This Travel Policy applies to both IBF staff and invited guests for whom IBF is paying travel expenses. Guests can be compensated with a night in a hotel or a comfortable berth on sleeper trains. They should also be offered the opportunity to participate in seminars remotely via a link.

Guidelines for planning travel:

1. The most important action we can take is to give serious consideration as to whether it is possible to avoid travel entirely.
Can the trip’s objectives be achieved in some other way (by holding an online meeting for example). Can a number of errands be combined during a single travel in order to reduce future travel?

2. For journeys within Sweden and Europe, our first recourse should be to assess whether it is possible to travel by train.

3. Domestic flights and flights to Oslo and Copenhagen are only permitted in exceptional cases.
The University has an agreement with SJ for discounted first-class travel to Umeå, Gothenburg and Malmö/Lund at certain times.

4. Always consider using public transport rather than driving or taking a taxi.

5. When renting a car, always request a non-fossil-fuel vehicle where possible.