European Commission

The European Commission has made a leading commitment to reduce emissions from staff business trips by 50% by 2024, compared to 2019 (and similarly for travel by external experts), as part of its 2030 emissions reduction target[1]. This is an ambitious objective that matches the goal set by the Travel Smart Campaign to maintain business air travel emissions below 50% of 2019 levels, in order to keep aviation on a 1.5°C-compatible trajectory.

The Commission’s annual Environmental Statement 2023, released in April 2024 for the period 2022, reveals a big drop in emissions from flying by staff (-42%) as well as by external experts (-61%), between 2019 and 2022. The data accounts for the full impacts of flying including both CO2 emissions, as well as non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions notably from plane contrails.

A number of Commission services have included quantitative emissions reduction targets in their Annual Management Plans, while DG Budget committed to year on year reduction of the budget for professional travel. A new guide to missions was developed in 2023, facilitating a shift to rail by allowing train travel in defined circumstances when more costly than flying.

European Commission business air travel emissions

The Commission’s experience shows that committing to keep business travel emissions to 50% of 2019 levels, and working to make real progress, is both necessary and feasible.