Climate researcher sacked for refusing to fly loses appeal

Gianluca Grimalda was 133 posts into a social media thread documenting his fieldwork in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, when he made an unexpected announcement. The climate researcher had received an ultimatum from his employer at the time, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW): return to Germany within five days or be fired.

As a committed “slow traveller”, Dr Grimalda refuses to fly unless strictly necessary in order to minimise carbon dioxide emissions, opting instead to travel by rail, road and sea on trips that can span months. When the Kiel Institute ordered his return last September, he presented them with an alternative six-week travel plan, offering to take unpaid leave for the duration.

“They said no, without any reason,” Dr Grimalda said. “I preferred to stick to my principles rather than give in to this enforcement.” IfW informed him of his dismissal; last month, he lost an appeal to win back his job.

Speaking to Times Higher Education, Dr Grimalda acknowledged that his research – into “the relationship between exposure to globalisation and climate change on one side and egalitarianism on the other” – had taken two months longer than planned due to a series of significant obstacles, among them an armed robbery, volcanic activity and the theft of his possessions and money.

“I was in touch with my direct supervisor – I thought that was enough,” he said. “On the day I was supposed to be back in Germany, I was still in Papua New Guinea.” But IfW’s demand seemed unwarranted, he said, because he had no in-person obligations: “I work on my data; I don’t have any teaching; I don’t have to be there even when we have meetings – we do them online.”

Inspired by the organisation Scientists for Global Responsibility, Dr Grimalda began slow travelling in 2011 with a trip from Barcelona to Beijing, conducted entirely by coach and train. At first, he said, IfW was supportive. “I was really grateful that they would consider my days of slow travel as days of work. Not all institutes or universities would do that,” he said.

“When I started, mainly I wanted to be at peace with myself – I really wanted to know that I was doing the right thing,” he continued. But he soon felt that individual action was not enough and began participating in acts of “civil disobedience”, organised by campaign groups such as Scientist Rebellion. On one occasion, he and other scientists chained themselves to the entrance of a private airport in Milan; police severed the chains with bolt cutters and dragged him away by the arms.

His relationship with his employer began to sour. “As soon as they realised that I was doing this kind of action, they threatened me with dismissal immediately,” he said. “It’s possible that there is a link between my civil disobedience and the fact that I lost the job.”

A spokesperson told THE that the Kiel Institute did not comment on “internal personnel matters in public”, adding: “When travelling on business, the institute supports its employees in travelling in a climate-friendly manner. We are committed to do without air travel in Germany and in other EU countries as far as we can.”

The spokesperson added that Dr Grimalda had planned his latest trip “with our support” and that the institute “has always generously supported Dr Grimalda’s wish to travel on business without the use of an aeroplane”.

The institute had approved Dr Grimalda’s plans to “slow travel” to and from Bougainville, where he would go on to interview almost 2,000 people across 30 villages. From Germany he travelled largely by land and sea, although the lack of an alternative forced him to fly from Singapore to Papua New Guinea. By his estimation, the 35-day trip cut his carbon dioxide emissions from four tonnes to two.

The journey home spanned 72 days. “I took it a little bit easy, because I was fired,” Dr Grimaldi said. This time there was no need to fly: on ferries, coaches and trains, he travelled through Indonesia, Singapore, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece and Italy. The return trip, he estimated, emitted 400kg of carbon dioxide: 10 times less than an equivalent journey via plane.

Today, Dr Grimalda is a visiting fellow at the University of Passau, where he will remain for six months before returning to Papua New Guinea to conduct further research. He hopes more scientists will commit to reducing their emissions: at present, he said, “the vast majority are either unaware or aware and not prepared to take action”.

“Every little helps; everything is worthwhile,” Dr Grimalda said. “But I would say even in academia ‘business as usual’ is still the default.”

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com