by Maria Trabjerg, Campus Service

Commuting is part of the university's climate footprint and is calculated on the basis of knowledge of how staff and students transport themselves to and from the university. In 2022, commuting accounted for around 13% of AAU's climate footprint, and it will therefore be a key area of action in the preparation of climate action plans.

Mobility and commuting is a focus area in the preparation of a climate plan for reducing CO2. Here, ambitious and concrete reduction targets have been set in the area of mobility. In general, AAU wants to reduce the climate footprint of transport by rethinking the need to travel, promote and support climate-friendly modes of transport, investigate alternative forms of meetings, etc. AAU has its starting point as a physical university supported by virtual presence, and we want to explore the possibilities of digitalization in relation to reducing the climate footprint associated with mobility.

We will:

• Reduce the climate footprint of air travel by 65% by 2030 compared to 2018
• Reduce the climate footprint of commuting by 50% by 2030 compared to 2018

A mobility plan will be drawn up to ensure good public transport conditions, provide good conditions for cyclists, including cycle paths, bicycle parking and changing facilities for students and staff, and overall reduce the climate footprint of commuting and business travel.

As a starting point, the goal is to reduce the climate footprint of commuting by 70% in line with the overall reduction target. This is achieved, among other things, by conducting a commuter analysis that can provide updated data on the climate footprint of commuting. Since the last commuter analysis (2012), which forms the basis for calculating the climate footprint of commuting, we have changed our work and mobility patterns as an effect of COVID-19 and the energy crisis, which has contributed to far more electric cars.

Actions for sustainable mobility

• Campaigns that encourage cycling to work
• Commuting apps to make carpooling easier
• Commuter analysis
• Better covered bicycle parking
• Decentralised car parking
• Sensor for detecting available parking spaces
• Charging stations throughout campus
• Plusbus in operation in 2023 – ensures better public transport to the university
• Better conditions for pedestrians along the new plus bus route.

Charging points

10 charging stations have already been established on campus in Copenhagen, and more are on the way in Aalborg and Esbjerg. The charging stations are established as it is a wish of staff and students. The university would like to support greener mobility, and the Charging Point Order from 2020 requires that it be possible to charge electric cars both in new buildings and in existing buildings. The project is in tender at the time of writing and the establishment will be completed no later than November 2025.

The main campus in Aalborg East is designed to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians in the sense that parking is decentralized and all traffic between buildings takes place on foot or by bicycle.