FAQ for the UC Berkeley Business Air Travel Carbon Mitigation Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Funded Projects:

What kinds of projects will be funded?

Funding will support initiatives such as retrofitting conference rooms for hybrid meeting spaces to reduce travel, updating lab equipment to reduce energy consumption, development of new installations of solar PV and battery storage on campus and communications campaigns. The Office of Sustainability will manage the program and track progress. A Project Scoring Matrix has been developed to evaluate the programs including carbon emissions reductions, cost savings, innovations, engagement, and inclusion.A weighting for projects that benefit Opt-In Units, developed in conjunction with units, will also be added so there will be some trackable return on investment to those divisions opting into paying the fee for restricted funds. It is anticipated that the first projects will begin to be launched at the end of FY23.

How will projects be selected?

Projects will be scored based on the Project Scoring Matrix criteria, weighted to prioritize carbon savings. In alignment with UC Berkeley’s Strategic Plan, the Campus Sustainability Plan, and the Regents Policy 4400, projects that counter the effects of climate change, foster diversity and sustainability, and promote environmental justice will be prioritized for funding. Scoring criteria includes:

CO2 reduced: Project demonstrates quantitatively and qualitatively verifiable short and long- term GHG reductions of the overall campus footprint
Innovation: Project is novel in concept, idea, or process that can revolutionize campus decarbonization
Engagement: Project includes long- term strategy to maximize awareness of project’s benefits through specific means and mediums to a wide- ranging audience
Inclusion & Collaboration: Project includes well- defined working structure which includes interdisciplinary stakeholders
Diversity & Equity: Project includes social benefits for a wide population and advances campus diversity and environmental justice

Can I apply for funding?

While the majority of funded projects will be selected by the Sustainability Office based on the selection criteria and identified on-campus priorities, the UC Berkeley Air Travel Carbon Mitigation Program Working Group will also provide input about potential projects for funding. Contact the Office of Sustainability for more information: sustainability@berkeley.edu

Fee Transaction:

What trips will be assessed the fee?

Only air travel trips booked with UC funded dollars are eligible for the Business Air Travel Carbon Mitigation fee. The fee is assessed to trips booked with unrestricted funds via the travel report system.

22 units opted into the program to cover the costs of the carbon mitigation fee for trips that are booked with restricted funds. Opt-in units participate in a once a year true-up for the fee for all the trips booked with restricted funds. The first fee assessment to opt-in units came in January 2023 for trips booked from January 1-December 31, 2022.

How is the fee assessed to restricted and unrestricted chartstrings?

The program consists of a two-tiered transaction process through the methods described below. As the program progresses the intent will be to improve the transactions and expand the program.

The two-tiered carbon mitigation fee transaction process:

All campus units: The carbon mitigation fee is assessed to trips booked with unrestricted funds via the travel report system. When the travel report (via the Travel Office reporting system) is submitted for air travel trips booked with unrestricted funds, the fee ($10 for domestic trips, $25 for international trips) is assessed to the chartstring that the air travel was booked with. Programming in the travel report system will manage this transaction. This assessment began in October 2022. Trips booked prior to the October program start date but entered into the travel report system after the start date will be assessed the fee.

Opt in units: A special thanks to 22 units who opted into the program to cover the costs of the carbon mitigation fee for trips that are booked with restricted funds. Fees associated with air trips booked with restricted funds are assessed once annually to opt-in units, at the end of each calendar year, based on the previous year’s air trips. The transaction is a simple once-a-year transfer of funds from the unit to the Office of Sustainability’s air travel carbon mitigation fee fund.The Office of Sustainability provides the units with detailed data on the air trips taken during the year for their own analysis. Other departments are welcome to join by opting into paying the fee for trips booked with restricted funds. Contact the Office of Sustainability for more information: sustainability@berkeley.edu

How have the fees amounts been determined?

The fees correspond roughly with the cost of carbon in the current California Cap & Trade program and the average emissions of a domestic and international Berkeley air trip. To keep pace with the rising cost of carbon, following year 3 of the program, the fee will be raised to $11 and $26 and periodically thereafter. A trip may represent a number of legs/ stops but the fee will only be assessed once for a trip.

What chartstring is the fee assessed to?

Unrestricted funds: The carbon mitigation fee is assessed to the unrestricted fund chartstring that the air travel was booked with. If multiple unrestricted chartstrings are used to fund the air travel, the fee will be assessed to the chartstring with the highest charge. If multiple unrestricted chartstrings are used to fund the air travel with equal charges, the report system will assess the fee to one of the chartstrings. If air travel is funded by both a restricted and an unrestricted chartstring, the fee will be assessed to only the unrestricted chartstring. The fee will be assessed as the travel transaction is processed in the UC Berkeley travel reporting system after the trip is completed. Trips booked prior to the October program start date but entered into the travel report system after the start date will be assessed the fee.

Restricted funds: Units that opted into the program to cover the costs of the carbon mitigation fee for trips that are booked with restricted funds. Opt-in units participate in a once a year true-up for the fee for all the trips booked with restricted funds. Fees associated with air trips booked with restricted funds are assessed at the end of each calendar year, based on the previous year’s air trips. Each opt in unit will determine whether to cover the fee assessment centrally or cascade the costs through their department. Units who opted in for covering flights booked with restricted funds will be determining which chartstring they will use for the assessment.

If my department funds travel for a guest or visitor, will the fee be assessed?

Yes, any air travel trips that are booked with UC funded dollars are eligible for the Business Air Travel Carbon Mitigation fee. The fee is assessed to trips booked with unrestricted funds via the travel report system when the travel report is submitted.

Many units opted into the program to cover the costs of the carbon mitigation fee for trips that are booked with restricted funds. Opt-in units participate in a once a year true-up for the fee for all the trips booked with restricted funds.

Why are only unrestricted funds assessed in the travel reimbursement system?

At this point, it is uncertain whether fees like this one can be assessed to restricted funds. Restricted funds include contracts & grants, designated funds, restricted endowments & FFEs funds, and restricted gifts. These account for 65-75% of air trips booked by the UC Berkeley campus. A streamlined way to assess a fee to restricted funds is currently not available and trying to assess the fee at the trip level would create many transactions not warranted to for the fee level. Instead, units have opted to cover the fee assessment centrally or cascade the costs through their department. The Office of Sustainability continues to seek ways to assess the fee to restricted funds more easily and closer to the trip level.

How can I view transactions for restricted funds?

The Office of Sustainability provides the unit COAs with detailed data on the air trips taken during the year for their own analysis (both travel booked with restricted and unrestricted funds). Opt-in units participate in a once a year true-up for the fee for all the trips booked with restricted funds. The transaction is a simple once-a-year transfer of funds from the unit to the Office of Sustainability’s air travel carbon mitigation fee fund.

How can I view the transactions for unrestricted funds?

The Business Air Carbon Travel Mitigation Program is designed so UC Berkeley travelers can continue to book flights with no changes to the booking process. Receipts do not display the fee but the approver can view the transaction details, including the fee and associated chartstring used for the fee in the report link in the approvers queue. The reference ID in the financial journal entry is the travel voucher identification number, so approvers and other financial auditors can connect each fee in the journal to the trip it corresponds to.

What chartsting will be used to fund the assessment for restricted funds?

Units who opted in for covering flights booked with restricted funds will be determining which chartstring they will use for the assessment.

How is a chartstring determined as restricted or unrestricted?

BFS designation is used to determine whether a chartstring is restricted or unrestricted.

Partners:

What units have opted into paying the fee for restricted funds?

As of October 2022, 22 unitsopted into the program to cover the costs of the carbon mitigation fee for trips that are booked with restricted funds. To launch this valuable program and make the program worthwhile, we needed a number of units to opt- in, in particular units with higher travel, and commit to three- years initially. We succeeded in reaching that threshold. The Office of Sustainability still welcomes more participation and will continue to communicate with all units about opportunities and project reporting.

How will opt in units benefit from the program?

A weighting for projects that benefit Opt-In Units, developed in conjunction with units, is included in the Project Scoring Matrix, so there will be some trackable return on investment to those divisions participating. Funding will support initiatives such as updating campus meeting spaces with advanced hybrid meeting technology, retrofitting and updating lab equipment to reduce energy consumption, development of new installations of solar PV and battery storage on campus and communications campaigns. A weighted matrix has been developed to evaluate the programs including carbon emissions reductions, cost savings, innovations, engagement, and inclusion. It is anticipated that the first projects will begin to be launched at the end of FY 2023.

Which departments contributed to program design?

The design of this program has been done in consultation with the Travel Office, IT, financial groups and more. To date stakeholder feedback has included the Chancellor’s Cabinet, Academic Deans, and Chief Administrative Officers. The Chancellor’s Advisory Committee Sustainability has formally endorsed the program.

Resources and Communication:

How can I let travelers in my department know about this program?

Linked here is a toolkit to support communication to travelers about the environmental impacts of travel and the program benefits. Units are encouraged to request training or presentations from the Office of Sustainability about the Business Air Travel Carbon Mitigation Fund.

How can I ask questions or provide comments about this program?

You are always welcome to email sustainability@berkeley.edu with questions or comments about the Business Air Travel Carbon Mitigation Program. The CAO of your department may be able to answer questions pertaining to your department’s involvement. A working group representing departments across campus meets three times a year to provide input into the program and support its continuous improvement.

How can I travel more sustainably?

Learn how to be more sustainable and reduce your travel- related carbon footprint by using the Sustainable Travel Guide on the UC Berkeley Travel website. There you will find resources that will help you and your department reduce travel- related carbon emissions and find sustainable accommodations for your trips.