Environment Agency reduces staff air travel to lower carbon emissions

The Environment Agency has announced it is introducing a new policy where staff are not permitted to travel by air for certain journeys, to reduce their carbon footprint.

The new policy on air travel is that under normal operating circumstances, travel by air is not permitted for journeys within England and Wales and between England and Paris, Brussels and other Eurostar destinations. Directors will personally scrutinise all requests to travel by air.

The Agency said that the change in air travel policy is expected to save approximately 30 tonnes of carbon a year.

The organisation has already reduced business car mileage by 24 per cent over the last four years and encourages staff to travel only when necessary and to take the train wherever possible.

The Environment Agency has targets to continue to improve its overall environmental performance, including diverting all waste from landfill, further reducing energy and water usage, reducing car and air mileage and increasing the generation of electricity from renewable sources.

Environment Agency Chief Executive, Dr Paul Leinster, said: "Our restriction on domestic air travel builds on previous and continuing action on business mileage, energy use, waste to landfill and renewable energy generation."

"Reducing energy use, carbon emissions and waste can all help to reduce operating costs and environmental impacts."

Further information:
Environment Agency