SLAS

Overarching Vision
As the research of many SLAS members has shown, the climate emergency is catalysing
social, political and economic change in Latin America. The effects are felt most acutely by
groups who are already marginalized by class, ethnicity, gender and place. Over the past half
century, SLAS has analysed these changes, drawn attention to ways of alleviating the impact
of the climate crisis, and debated and rethought the relationship of Latin America to the rest
of the world.

During this period, the number of SLAS members travelling between Europe and Latin
America for research and conferences has grown considerably. Latin American Studies is a
thriving, multifaceted collection of disciplines, with a supportive, engaging research culture.
At the core of its increased visibility in the UK is the expanded access to international travel
that opened up at the end of the twentieth century. We all know that the average length of
SLAS members’ research trips has shrunk thanks to the increasing availability and relative
affordability of air travel. It is right and timely that SLAS and its members should consider
the effects of their day-to-day working lives on the environment, and that we identify,
propose and adopt ways of limiting our carbon footprints and conducting our business in
more sustainable ways.

As the representative organisation of one of the UK’s most globally engaged disciplines,
SLAS aspires to lead the way in articulating and embodying the changes that can be made.
And indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic has been a game-changer in forcing us all to use more
digital tools to meet and travel less, if at all. We need to learn from what has been achieved
during the pandemic in terms of lessening of greenhouse gas emissions, and continue to use
those new methods of working in the future.

There should be no doubt that this is the beginning of a challenging journey for Latin
American Studies in Europe. Not only are we asking how we can encourage and incentivise
sustainable travel and working, but we also need to consider and explain what a carbon-
neutral Latin American Studies discipline would look like in 2030.

In our research and teaching, SLAS members already discuss the environmental effects of
European conquest of the Americas through history, and the relationships between changing
landscapes, cultures and identities in Latin America in the present. The next step is to think
about how we can apply this to our working practices, our systems and processes. SLAS
therefore proposes the following initiatives:
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Research Culture

•  SLAS encourages members to consider the climate emergency when planning travel

as part of research grant applications. Such considerations might include exploring
possibilities for employing local researchers, holding virtual meetings, considering
overland routes, flying less often and staying abroad longer. However, we also
recognise that these possibilities are not always practicable and that other
responsibilities, such as caring duties, must also be taken into account in making these
decisions.

• Applicants for grants awarded by SLAS are asked to consider the climate impact of

their proposed research activity or event..

• Members are asked to consider alternative modes of dissemination and networking

(including digital resources and methods, e.g. webinars) that do not involve only

presenting in person at international conferences.

• The SLAS Climate Action Plan Coordinator is happy to offer advice to members on

the above measures, and SLAS conferences will include a Climate Action Forum.

•  SLAS promotes engagement with the broader research community (home institutions,

funding agencies) in seeking approval of funding requests that reduce carbon

emissions (e.g. selecting overland travel within Latin America that is more expensive

and time-consuming than flying). The Climate Action Plan coordinator will act as a

source of tailored advice for members.

 
SLAS Meeting and Conference Arrangements

•  In order to reduce conference-related emissions, from 2023 onwards the annual

PILAS conference will be held at the same venue as the annual SLAS conference,
normally on the preceding day.

•  SLAS commits to facilitating hybrid participation in conference panels where

possible. The capacity to support a hybrid conference or provide an equivalent
meaningful virtual option will be a criterion when selecting future conference venues.

•  SLAS will endeavour to select conference venues that have good track records in

addressing their own climate impacts, through reference to relevant resources
(e.g. https://peopleandplanet.org/university-league).

• SLAS committee members are encouraged to participate in meetings virtually,

avoiding significant UK-based travel for two- to three-hour meetings. Two or three
committee meetings per year will be entirely virtual. Where travel is unavoidable,
options other than flying are encouraged.

• The SLAS conference and committee meetings should offer vegetarian and vegan

food only, unless special dietary requirements preclude this. Alternatives to dairy milk
should be offered for tea and coffee.

• Single-use plastic should be avoided at all SLAS-sponsored events.

• SLAS conference organisers are encouraged to consider all aspects of sustainability in

relation to conference organisation and to share this information with delegates (e.g.
recycling of conference waste, not providing a conference bag, minimising physical
copies of conference programme).

This Climate Action Plan will be reviewed by the SLAS Committee on a two-yearly basis.
The next review is due in June 2026.

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Oct 2024