Reply to Kamil Łuczaj and Magdalena Holy Łuczaj (2019). Live streaming at international academic conferences: Cooling down the digital optimism. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.435

Comment on Parncutt and Seither-Preisler ( 2019 ). Live streaming at international academic conferences: Ethical considerations. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.393 .

Anthropogenic global warming (AGW) and the long tradition of political failures to address it have created an unprecedented global crisis. Individual carbon footprints are higher in industrialized countries; in that context, academics contribute substantially by flying to conferences. How and why should the global academic community respond to this situation? We evaluate the seriousness and urgency of AGW, consider relevant ethical theory, and compare possible academic strategies, focusing on communication technologies in conference culture. We argue that academic privilege facilitates climate action. Academics are well placed to understand and explain complex material including relevant ethical theory. Academics are extensively networked with local, regional, and international students and colleagues. Academics can significantly reduce their greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by avoiding flying to conferences and developing low-GHG conference formats. Academic leadership is needed to courageously address the moral issues and take advantage of modern internet-based communication technologies. Social equity issues are also relevant. International conferences that include live streams are more global and accessible (independent of each participant’s finances), and hence more culturally diverse. Video recordings complement existing academic documentation, communication, and dissemination. Individuals can reduce their carbon footprint by focusing on regional conferences, contributing remote presentations to distant events, and by contributing to political discussions—putting pressure on governments, institutions, and corporations to change. By combining individual action with social leadership, academic climate action may significantly reduce future the environmental damage and human impact of AGW.

Internet-based communication technologies can reduce both carbon emissions and financial costs of academic conferences for individual participants—especially those from non-rich countries. We consider currently available technological solutions and logistic formats. In July 2018, we organized the leading international conference on music cognition (ICMPC15/ESCOM10) as a multiple-location, semi-virtual event with hubs on four continents (Europe, North America, South America, Australia) and 600 active participants. Every talk was live-streamed to YouTube (unlisted with URLs accessible only to registered participants) and seen by two audiences (local, remote). Remote presentations were either real-time or delayed. Discussions were two-way audiovisual ( Zoom ). Student assistants managed the technology. The 24-hour program ran for five days, with normal working hours at each hub. Most (61%) participants approved of the semi-virtual format. Greenhouse-gas emissions per participant were reduced by 60–70% relative to an equivalent single-location conference. No talk was delayed or canceled for technical reasons. A semi-virtual, multiple-location approach improves the globality, cultural diversity, and accessibility of academic conferences. That in turn improves the relevance and long-term quality of academic content. In future, emissions and international time-difference problems can be further reduced by increasing the number of hubs. Every academic conference, regardless of size, discipline, or country, can benefit from live-streaming some or all presentations. Conference participants and organizers can contribute to global mitigation efforts while at the same time promoting their academic disciplines by taking advantage of modern internet communication technologies. Video recordings of talks contribute to documentation and dissemination.