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

2019  (tCO2e) 2022  (tCO2e) 2022 vs. 2019  reduction  (%)
Staff air travel   40,407 23,408 -42%
External expert air travel  30,919 12,048 -61%

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.

Emission Tracker
2024