The climate train to Glasgow on 30 October, what did we learn?

What is the climate train?

Last Saturday, the Climate Train left Amsterdam, all the way to Glasgow, where the two-week UN Climate Change Conference - COP26 - is currently taking place. The Climate Train is an initiative organised by Rail to the COP, a campaign by Youth for Sustainable Travel (YFST), in cooperation with European (international) railway companies such as Prorail, Eurostar, NS and Avanti.

The aim of the Rail to the COP campaign is to promote and facilitate the transition to a sustainable future for travel. When we came across this inspiring initiative, we did not hesitate for a moment to join the movement. In preparation for the trip, we helped design an on-board programme aimed at encouraging meaningful dialogues between young people, civil society, industry and policymakers. Did you recognise the canvases on the train as our signature?

The programme and the workshops were designed to create dialogue, awareness and understanding among 500 participants spread across multiple compartments of the train. There were 15 workshops taking place simultaneously, spread over 2 rounds. As Elemental, we are familiar with facilitating sessions, but leading a session in a train compartment is a whole new dimension. The energy of so many people gave us goosebumps and we are proud to be part of such a great sustainability movement.

What were the outcomes of the climate train?

The main theme of the train was designing a better future for sustainable travel. The workshops on a number of 'how can we' questions generated rich ideas. We grouped the results around three stakeholder groups: what can policymakers do / the rail industry / anyone willing to change?

Some highlights of the 15 workshops:

Policymakers: encourage cycling, subsidise and invest in sustainable means of transport, tax aviation according to the degree of damage, ban short-haul flights, ban airline advertising (e.g. The Hague started the banning advertisements on bus shelters and tram stops) and stop offering cheap airline tickets.
Railway industry: increase the visibility of the benefits of train travel, make train travel more attractive and provide a better user experience, reward sustainable travel with, for example, a loyalty programme on CO2 reductions, improve the functionality of train stations (compare it to the best airports or workplaces), commit to solar energy and create one seamless international ticket booking app.
Anyone willing to change: slow down, look at the sky more often, set a good example, take the train, ask yourself if travelling is really necessary, switch to a green bank, dare to travel only sustainably, become an activist; as a businessman: no greenwashing, show sincere intentions, implement a sustainable travel policy, eliminate fossil fuel use by employees and give time to work on the train.

What did we learn as a company?

Participating in this larger sustainability movement felt special and fulfilling. Listening and talking to activists and railroaders, hearing them brainstorm sustainable solutions and talking about the challenges ahead gave a sense of satisfaction. Because there is no one right answer. There is no one company with the ultimate solution that will solve all the challenges around sustainable travel.

These conversations made us think about how we can improve our operations. How we operate is an ongoing process, and because we all have our individual internal roles that contribute to the business, we all felt responsible. So how can we make our (travel) operations more sustainable? We thought we were on the right track, but this also made us naive in exploring new alternatives.

For example, we encourage colleagues to travel outside rush hour, encourage cycling to work, encourage each other to use public transport and always ask ourselves whether a meeting or activity should take place physically or whether digital is a better alternative. Preparing for and participating in the Climate Train has made us more aware again, specifically on the topic of travel. We need to up our game. How can we become more sustainable? For example, should we stop flying altogether? How can we steer our business more towards a net-positive impact? Everyone, every company needs to contribute and be aware of their decisions and actions. We are not there yet, and we are open to learning. We invite you to contact us and share how you ensure sustainable travel in your operations!

Let us know what you think

As a society, we are going through a systemic transition to make our world more sustainable. And every company has a responsibility to contribute to accelerating this transition. How do you personally and professionally contribute to the transition to a sustainable future? Do you know a company that is a great example? Let's share our insights together. Comment in the thread or send us a message: Pascal, Myrthe, Roxanne or Merel

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