Session Date/Time: 24 Mar 2022 13:30

shmoo

Summary

The shmoo session covered updates on the working group's charter and existing drafts, a presentation by Mark on equitable online meeting scheduling, and a detailed discussion on IETF's carbon footprint presented by Daniel, followed by an update from Jay (IETF LLC) on measuring and offsetting carbon emissions. The working group expressed strong interest in adopting Mark's draft on online meeting scheduling. The carbon emissions discussion highlighted the need for data-driven decisions and community input on the LLC's strategy.

Key Discussion Points

Working Group Charter Update: The shmoo recharter is in external review, with the final block cleared. Final text for a shadow revision is being prepared, and the charter is expected to take effect soon.
RFC 9137 Publication: "Guidelines for Canceling In-Person Meetings and Replacing Them with Online Meetings" has been published as RFC 9137.
Remote Fee Draft: This draft is awaiting the completion of the charter revision before being pushed to the IESG, as its working group process is considered complete.
Meeting Planning Deliverables:
- The "Shmoo Hackathon" draft has completed its Working Group Last Call, all comments addressed, and has been pushed to the IESG.
- The "Online Meeting" draft (by Miriam and Martin), which focuses on scheduling for large IETF meetings, has completed its adoption call. While no formal comments have been received, there is provisional support for adoption, and further feedback will be solicited.
Mark's Draft: "Scheduling of Online Meetings":
- Mark presented a draft outlining considerations and recommendations for equitable scheduling of online meetings, with applicability beyond the IETF.
- There was discussion about its scope within shmoo, given its broader nature compared to Miriam and Martin's IETF-specific scheduling draft. It was suggested that Mark's draft could serve as a more general BCP, with the IETF-specific document referring to it.
- Community members expressed strong support for the draft, appreciating its utility in addressing time zone challenges. Suggestions included expanding it to cover asynchronous meeting considerations.
- It was agreed that this working group is the appropriate forum for discussing this draft.
Daniel's Presentation: "Carbon Emissions of IETF Meetings":
- Daniel presented an analysis of CO2 emissions associated with IETF meetings, driven by IPCC recommendations for significant emission reductions (50% by 2030, net zero by 2050).
- His work focused on emissions from international flights, using myclimate and goclimate models to estimate CO2 per meeting and attendee.
- Findings: IETF meetings contribute an average of 3.2 Gigagrams of CO2, with an average attendee contributing 2.5 tons of CO2 per meeting.
- A comparison was made between annual IETF meeting attendance (1, 2, or 3 meetings) and the annual per-capita CO2 emissions of various countries. This comparison generated significant discussion and some confusion regarding its interpretation.
- Discussion points included:
  - The relatively small direct impact of IETF travel emissions compared to the broader environmental footprint of the Internet, suggesting focus on protocol-level energy efficiency (e.g., eerg research group).
  - The importance of considering systemic issues and not just "fiddling while Rome burns."
  - The complexity and potential ineffectiveness of carbon offset schemes.
  - The need for external expertise to develop a comprehensive sustainability plan for the IETF, including evaluating offset strategies.
  - Suggestions to provide tools for individual attendees/companies to calculate their own carbon impact, rather than imposing broad organizational mandates.
  - Consideration of the non-quantifiable benefits of in-person meetings.
Jay's Update: LLC's Carbon Emissions Initiatives:
- Jay provided an update on the IETF LLC's efforts to measure and potentially offset carbon emissions, a work stream re-initiated in 2020.
- Measurement: Consultants have been used to calculate emissions for the last six on-site meetings, primarily focusing on air travel (major contributor), venue, and hotel emissions using GHG protocol standards. Singapore meeting emissions were notably high due to geography. Future plans include more precise data collection (actual city, mode/class of transport, routes) and accounting for non-meeting operations.
- Offsetting: Consultants have been identified to provide educational material and research the market for offsetting schemes. Jay posed questions to the community regarding the level of consensus needed for offsetting decisions, policy guidance, and chosen methods.
- Discussion points included:
  - The LLC board has the authority for corporate social responsibility spending, with precedents (e.g., ESG investing, childcare).
  - Emphasis on ensuring offsets are effective and transparent, avoiding questionable schemes.
  - The potential to encourage corporate attendees to offset their employees' travel.
  - Jay noted that the estimated offsetting cost (~$30k per meeting) is a tiny fraction of overall meeting costs, suggesting it might not require extensive community consensus for initial implementation, but transparency and input are valued.
  - The importance of continuing measurement and sharing data broadly with the community was reiterated.
  - Coordination with other "istar" organizations (ISOC, ICANN, RIRs, W3C) on carbon reduction efforts was suggested.

Decisions and Action Items

Mark's "Scheduling of Online Meetings" draft: The shmoo Working Group will initiate a process to consider this draft for adoption, following discussions between the chairs (Mallory and co-chair), Lars, and Mark regarding charter alignment.
LLC Carbon Measurement: The IETF LLC will continue with its plans to measure the carbon emissions associated with IETF meetings and non-meeting operations, aiming for more precise data collection.
LLC Carbon Offsetting: The IETF LLC will engage consultants to provide educational material and research the market for effective carbon offsetting schemes. A community consultation process will be initiated to gather input on policies, methods, and the level of consensus required for offsetting decisions.

Next Steps

Shmoo WG Chairs: Engage with Lars and Mark to ensure the "Scheduling of Online Meetings" draft aligns with the current or revised shmoo charter and proceed with an adoption call.
IETF LLC (Jay):
- Implement more precise carbon emission measurement for IETF activities.
- Begin work with identified consultants on carbon offsetting education and market research.
- Initiate a community consultation via appropriate channels (e.g., admin-discuss list, plenary presentation) to gather input on carbon offsetting strategies.
- Explore opportunities for coordinated carbon reduction efforts with other related organizations (ISOC, ICANN, RIRs, W3C).
- Consider presenting regular updates on carbon footprint and initiatives to the community.
IETF Community: Actively participate in the upcoming consultation regarding LLC's carbon offsetting plans.