The Internationalisation Paradox: When Global Events Clash with Climate Goals

Introduction: The Double-Edged Sword of Global Reach

In the events industry, international reach is a badge of honour. The more countries represented, the more valuable the networking, the richer the exchange of ideas, and the more attractive the event becomes to sponsors and partners.

But beneath the celebration lies a growing tension, the very factor that defines an event’s prestige also creates its greatest environmental liability. Every additional international delegate represents more long-haul travel, more carbon emissions, and a larger planetary cost.

This is the Internationalisation Paradox: the measure of success that drives reputations upward is the same measure that drives carbon footprints sky-high.

It’s a challenge facing not only major trade shows but also universities, industry associations, and corporates that pride themselves on convening global audiences. And in a world where both climate science and public opinion demand urgent change, ignoring it is no longer an option.

1. The Shape of the Problem

To understand the paradox, we need to be honest about the numbers.

Consider ICE London 2024, one of the UK’s most prominent trade shows:

• 52,345 attendees from 164 countries.

• Around 58% international, roughly 30,400 people flying in.

• Even assuming a conservative split between short-haul and long-haul flights, air travel alone generated nearly 35,000 tonnes of CO₂.

That’s equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of over 4,000 UK residents, from just one event. And while the organisers can (and do) point to renewable energy use in the venue, recycling schemes, and reduced on-site plastics, the reality is that these measures only touch 10–20% of the total event footprint.

The same dynamic plays out in academia. When universities host global conferences, attracting international keynotes and delegates is a point of pride. But the emissions impact of those flights can dwarf the university’s own annual operational carbon savings.

More organisations, particularly in the EU and UK, will be required to report Scope 3 emissions. For events, travel data is the critical missing link.

Why Location Matters More Than You Think

Events like Automatica Munich illustrate a subtle but critical difference. While 38% of its 49,300 visitors were international, many came from neighbouring countries such as Austria, Italy, and Switzerland, journeys often made by rail or short car trips. The result is a significantly lower per-capita carbon footprint than an event drawing primarily from intercontinental markets.

This is why the paradox isn’t just about how many international delegates attend, but where they come from, and how the geography of the event location influences travel patterns.

2. The Bigger Picture, and the Stakes

This isn’t just a sustainability department’s headache. The Internationalisation Paradox is a strategic challenge that touches brand, compliance, and even revenue.

Climate urgency

The IPCC warns that rapid emissions reductions are needed within this decade to keep global temperature rise within safer limits. Event-related travel is firmly in Scope 3 territory, meaning it’s part of the bigger emissions picture companies and institutions will be held accountable for.

Reputation risk

Sponsors and partners increasingly view unchecked event emissions as brand-damaging. Delegates themselves are more conscious, many will question whether the benefits justify the environmental cost.

Emerging regulation

More organisations, particularly in the EU and UK, will be required to report Scope 3 emissions. For events, travel data is the critical missing link, and without it, compliance will be shaky at best.

This is why venue sustainability alone will never be enough. You can power an event entirely with renewables, eliminate landfill waste, and serve plant-based catering, and still host a conference with a huge climate impact because thousands of delegates flew in from halfway around the world.

3. Changing the Lens From Problem to Opportunity

Here’s the shift: the Internationalisation Paradox isn’t an inevitable cost of doing business, it’s an opportunity to rethink how we design events from the ground up. The goal isn’t to stop people meeting face-to-face. In fact, in-person events often enable more carbon-efficient business by consolidating multiple meetings into one trip. But to realise that potential, planners need to start with a travel-first mindset.

That means making three key changes:

1. Rethink where we hold events
   To minimise total travel distance for the audience.

2. Rethink how people get there:
   To favour lower-carbon modes by design.

3. Rethink why travel is necessary:
   Using hybrid formats to reduce unnecessary journeys.

Rethink Where: Smarter Venue Selection

Event location decisions are often driven by tradition, sponsorship deals, or perceived prestige. But with multi-origin travel modelling, we can now pinpoint the venue that produces the lowest cumulative travel emissions for the specific attendee list.

Bizumi’s destination optimisation tool does exactly this, weighing total travel distance and emissions against cost and convenience, so organisers can choose locations that meet environmental goals without sacrificing delegate experience.

Rethink How: Designing for Low-Carbon Travel

For many delegates, the biggest barrier to choosing rail or coach over a short-haul flight is time and convenience, not intent. High-speed rail can cut emissions by over 90% compared to flying, but unless the benefits are clearly presented and the booking process is easy, many will default to the flight.

This is where integrated travel planning changes the game:

• Show rail times alongside flights at the point of booking.

• Partner with rail operators for event-specific discounts.

• Highlight city-centre arrival benefits over airport transfers.

Bizumi integrates live rail data and ranks modes by carbon, cost, and time, nudging delegates toward the most sustainable choice without adding extra steps.

Rethink Why: Hybrid and Hub Models

Not every delegate needs to be physically present. By creating regional hubs connected by high-quality hybrid streaming, organisers can:

• Retain global reach and networking benefits.

• Reduce the number of intercontinental trips.

• Make events more inclusive for those with budget, visa, or mobility constraints.

This approach is particularly powerful in academia, where regional research communities can participate locally while still engaging with the global conversation.

The Internationalisation Paradox is not going away, but neither is the need for global connection.

4. Behavioural Nudges. Influencing Choices Before They’re Made

Behavioural science is clear: the best time to influence a decision is at the point of commitment. Waiting until after a ticket is bought is too late.

Some of the most innovative organisers are integrating carbon calculators directly into registration. Batimat in Paris, for example, prompts delegates to input their planned travel mode and instantly shows the CO₂ impact, alongside lower-carbon alternatives.

Koelnmesse’s CHEQ tool takes it a step further, reframing attendance as a carbon-saving act by comparing the emissions from one consolidated event trip to those from multiple separate meetings.

Bizumi builds similar awareness into its interface, ensuring sustainable options are not only visible but presented as the smartest and most efficient choice.

5. Measuring and Rewarding

None of this works without data. The absence of reliable delegate travel information is one of the industry’s biggest blind spots. That’s why embedding simple origin-and-mode questions in registration is essential.

Once collected, this data allows organisers to:

• Measure actual travel emissions.

• Report transparently to stakeholders.

• Identify where incentives or interventions have the most impact.

Rewarding low-carbon choices, with recognition, discounts, or loyalty points, closes the loop, turning sustainability from an obligation into a valued part of the delegate experience.

6. The B-Corp Balance: People, Planet, Profit

For Bizumi, solving the Internationalisation Paradox is about balance:

• People
  Keeping events inclusive and globally relevant, even with fewer flights.

• Planet
  Targeting the biggest source of emissions, travel, at the design stage.

• Profit
  Enhancing brand value, satisfying sponsor ESG demands, and future-proofing against regulation.

This aligns perfectly with B-Corp principles, where success is measured by the positive impact on all stakeholders, not just the bottom line.

Conclusion: Prestige Without the Penalty

The Internationalisation Paradox is not going away, but neither is the need for global connection. The events industry now has the tools and strategies to reconcile the two, and those who adopt them early will be the ones shaping the future of sustainable convening.

Universities, corporates, and trade show organisers have a choice: keep chasing prestige in ways that undermine climate goals, or lead by example in designing events that prove success doesn’t have to cost the earth.

Bizumi exists for exactly this reason, to help you plan events where global reach and climate responsibility are not in conflict but in harmony.