The reduced environmental impact of American society of Clinical Oncology's 2021 virtual annual meeting

ABSTRACT

Background: In response to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting transitioned to a virtual, online conference. As medical conferences around the world have transitioned to virtual formats, numerous benefits have been uncovered;however, the environmental effect of reduced travel on carbon emissions remains largely unknown. Today, it is estimated that conference attendance accounts for 35% of a scientist's total carbon footprint. Given that the climate crisis is a growing threat to human health and oncology outcomes, it is imperative to begin to quantify, understand, and promote sustainable practices. We aim to highlight the reduced travel-related greenhouse emissions associated with the transition of ASCO's 2021 Annual Meeting to a virtual platform in comparison to a hypothetical in-person conference. Methods: Attendee demographic data was collected online from the ASCO 2021 Annual Meeting. The distance traveled per attendee to a hypothetical in-person conference in Chicago, Illinois (the location for the 2022 Annual Meeting) was estimated using reported attendees' home country and a hypothesized centralized location. Approximate airline miles and associated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were calculated using the Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Tools. It was assumed that all attendees had non-stop airfare and traveled in economy class. The approximate CO2 emissions for the virtual conference was estimated based on assumed internet usage (8 hours/day for the 5-day conference period). Results: A total of 32,950 conference attendees were identified - 14,150 domestic attendees and 16,050 international attendees. For the hypothesized in-person conference, the total carbon footprint for all assumed transportation was determined to be 28,468,031.25 lbs. of CO2 emissions, with an average of 863.0 lbs. of CO2 emissions per attendee. Alternatively, emissions related to virtual conference internet streaming accounted for a total of 436,258 lbs of CO2. Total emissions spared with the transition to a virtual platform was an estimated 28,031,773.25 lbs of CO2., the equivalent emissions of 1,531 U.S. homes' energy use for one year. Conclusions: Incorporating options for virtual attendance at academic conferences has the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions. However, many believe that virtual networking cannot replace in-person interactions particularly for early-career attendees. Regardless, our professional societies have an obligation to investigate and promote greater sustainability of our annual meetings.