Business Travel vs Video Call Carbon Footprint Calculator

Compare CO2e greenhouse emissions and travel budgets between in-person meetings (Train, Plane, Car) and video conferencing.

In-person meeting vs video call: calculating the CO₂ avoided

For each attendee the tool adds the round trip (distance × emission factor of the mode) and hotel nights (14 kg CO₂e per night), then compares the total with the video call (50 g CO₂e per hour per person). For 4 people travelling 900 km by high-speed train with one hotel night, the physical meeting weighs 66.5 kg CO₂e against 0.6 kg for a 3-hour video call.

The formula

In person = attendees × (round-trip distance × mode factor + nights × 14 kg). Video = attendees × duration × 0.05 kg. Emissions avoided = in person − video. Factors used, vehicle manufacturing included: high-speed train (TGV) 2.93 g CO₂e/km, short-haul flight 225 g/km per passenger (contrails included), petrol/diesel car 142 g/km, electric car 67.4 g/km.

Worked example

4 attendees, 900 km round trip, 1 hotel night, 3-hour video call:

  • Train: (900 × 0.00293 + 14) × 4 = 66.5 kg CO₂e, of which 56 kg is the hotel; video 0.6 kg.
  • Plane: (900 × 0.225 + 14) × 4 = 866 kg CO₂e.
  • Combustion car: 567.2 kg; electric car: 298.6 kg.

The budget saved is the budget entered per person times the number of attendees (€220 × 4 = €880), with the video call counted at zero. The tree count divides the in-person emissions by 25 kg absorbed per tree per year, rounded up.

Assumptions and limits

  • The car is counted per attendee, as if each person drove alone: for four people sharing one car, divide the car result by four.
  • The plane factor applies to 300–1,000 km trips; the tool uses it for any distance entered (up to 15,000 km), which is only a rough figure for long-haul.
  • The 14 kg per hotel night, 50 g per video hour and 25 kg per tree are indicative values, not verified.

This tool compares one trip with a video call; for a yearly personal footprint (car, diet, home), use the carbon footprint calculator.

Sources and dates: French environment agency (ADEME) factors published on Impact CO2: TGV and short-haul flight (Base Empreinte, version not stated on the page), combustion car and electric car (2025 car footprint model) (checked 14/10/2026)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much CO₂ does a 900 km round trip by high-speed train emit?

With the ADEME factor of 2.93 g CO₂e per km, a 900 km round trip is about 2.6 kg CO₂e per person. One hotel night, counted at 14 kg by the tool, weighs five times more than the journey itself.

Does a video call really emit less than a train trip?

Yes, in almost every case. The tool counts 50 g CO₂e per hour per attendee: a 3-hour call for 4 people emits 0.6 kg, against 66.5 kg for the same group taking the train over 900 km with one hotel night.

Why does flying weigh so much in the result?

ADEME's short-haul factor, 225 g CO₂e per km per passenger, includes the effect of contrails. That is about 77 times the high-speed train: for a 900 km round trip, 202.5 kg per person against 2.6 kg.

How do I count colleagues sharing a car?

The tool counts one car per attendee. If four people share the same combustion car, divide the car result by four: 142 g CO₂e per km for the car, about 36 g per passenger.

Is this tool really free?

Yes, all tools on Kristools are 100% free and accessible without registration.

Is my data protected?

Yes. All processing is performed directly and securely inside your browser. No personal data is sent to our servers.