MSCA must go green!
By Paolo Tomassetti
On 12 April 2021 the European Commission adopted the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Green Charter. As MSCA recipients, we should not underestimate the value of this document — I will explain why in three points.
First of all, the Charter encourages MSC fellows, supervisors, and host institutions to perform the fellowship activities in line with environmental sustainability goals. It provides clear guidance on how to reduce the fellowship footprint, increase efficiency in energy consumption and, ultimately, avoid wasteful use of material resources and budget. Measures we and our institutions are invited to consider include, for example:
- Reduce, reuse and recycle;
- Promote green purchasing for project-related materials;
- Ensure the sustainability of project events;
- Use low-emission forms of transport;
- Promote teleconferencing whenever possible;
- Use sustainable and renewable forms of energy;
- Develop awareness on environmental sustainability;
- Share ideas and examples of sustainable best practice.
While we are not obliged to comply with all the Charter provisions, at the final reporting stage, we will be asked to report on the ways we have sought to minimise the environmental impact of our research activities. The Charter is clear that its measures should serve as guiding principles; they are non-exhaustive and can be complemented by other initiatives as well. In many research contexts, for example, specific environmental standards apply and must be respected in performing activities that could have an impact on communities and the environment (e.g. the REACH regulations in chemical industries). The same goes for many statutory Occupational Health and Safety provisions.
Secondly, the Charter educates us to sustainability values. It serves as a catalyst in promoting sustainable thinking in research management and beyond. Although the Charter targets Marie Skłodowska-Curie recipients, a wider application is desirable. We are not as influential as Greta Thunberg but we are expected to give the example likewise. As leading researchers on forefront drivers of change in society, we should embrace ethical concerns in our job, including those related to environmental sustainability and the challenge to promote the transition to a zero-carbon economy. This is inherent to the spirit of the MSCA as well as to the personal and professional history of the Polish scientist that gives the name and prestige to our fellowship. In this connection, the last point of the Charter invites us to help inspire others to reduce the environmental impact of their research and research-related activities. This way we become ambassadors of sustainability and we can contribute to raise awareness on environmental values beyond our project lifecycle and scientific community.
Thirdly, the Green Charter is one of the existing, growing normative examples of how environmental concerns integrate the objectives of the employment contract. Environmental sustainability is becoming an essential element of the employment relationship, which should be performed in a way that is compatible with the European Green Deal, the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. This evolution makes the employment relationship an important channel for researchers, workers and unions in all industries to promote environmental democracy at the workplace. As MSCA recipients, we are exhorted to adhere to the Charter on a “best effort” basis. The principle of sustainable development should inform our employment relationship. To make it simple, if a work activity can be replaced by an equivalent one which is more sustainable, we should perform the latter. As long as we could be asked to report on the ways our job complies with sustainability standards, we should claim the equivalent right to monitor how our employers apply the Charter, to denounce violations of environmental regulations and even refuse to perform unsustainable work activities. If relevant, we should also ask to receive environmental training. This is not formally provided by the Charter, but it is a reasonable consequence of its accurate implementation.
The MSCA Green Charter is complemented by a guidance material with documents and best practice examples prepared by the European Commission. Both the Charter and the guidance material are available at the following link:
The Charter encourages us to share ideas and examples of best practice for improving the sustainability of research projects, including on social media. Marie Skłodowska-Curie alumni that are willing to share their experience in implementing the Green Charter are invited to get in touch.
Paolo Tomassetti
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow
Centre de droit social, Aix-Marseille University, paolo.tomassetti@univ-amu.fr
Paolo Tomassetti is Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow at Centre de droit social, Aix-Marseille University. His research focuses on how to make labour law more responsive to contemporary societal needs, including those concerned with climate change and the transition to a zero-carbon economy.
Project Website: https://gretamsca.univ-amu.fr/
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