Objective DECision framework for Air-based Research Travel

The ODECART project develops an evidence-based decision-making framework to determine when academic air travel is truly necessary, helping Dutch universities make fair, consistent, and climate-aware travel decisions.

Societal issue
Universities are under growing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint, yet academic air travel remains one of the largest and least-governed sources of emissions. Most institutions rely on distance-based policies and individual judgement to approve flights, leading to inconsistent and often insufficiently justified decisions. Structural pressures, career incentives, conference culture, and the perceived value of international presence, make meaningful behaviour change difficult. Without a transparent, objective framework, unnecessary flights continue to be approved, and emissions reduction targets remain out of reach.

Benefit to society
ODECART provides Dutch universities with a practical, evidence-based instrument to objectively assess whether a specific academic flight is truly necessary. By shifting responsibility from individual discretion to a transparent institutional framework, it enables fairer, more consistent travel decisions across all staff levels. The instrument is designed for direct integration into existing travel approval processes and is freely available under an open licence, allowing adaptation by universities and organisations beyond the Netherlands. In the long term, ODECART contributes to the normalisation of climate-aware academic mobility and supports sustained emissions reduction across higher education.

Collaborative partners
TU Delft and The Overview Effect