On Tuesday 30 October, the European Commission published a series of practical recommendations for strengthening sustainability in cultural mobility projects, as part of its Culture Moves Europe programme.
Culture Moves Europe’s recommendations are aimed primarily at reducing the impact of travel. The programme offers a green mobility allowance for any journey of more than 600 km, provided that it is made by sustainable means of transport, such as train or bus.
Participants also benefit from 15 days’ flexibility before and after the project to facilitate ‘slow travel’, which favours more environmentally-friendly means of transport such as train, bus or car pooling, instead of flying, thereby reducing the carbon footprint.
When it comes to accommodation, it is recommended to opt for establishments committed to sustainability initiatives, ideally located close to the workplace, to limit additional travel.
The programme also encourages people to reduce their energy consumption through simple actions such as switching off lights and appliances when leaving a room, limiting the use of heating or air conditioning and reducing the frequency with which towels and sheets are changed.
Culture Moves Europe focuses as well on responsible resource management, with an emphasis on recycling and reusing materials. Projects must minimise the use of single-use products and favour reusable equipment.
Finally, it is strongly recommended to choose local produce and vegetarian or low-meat meals.
To see the recommendations: https://aeur.eu/f/e40 (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)