Air Travel Emissions Mitigation Initiative (ATEMI) – Impact on Financial Administration

Overview In March 2023, U of T launched the Air Travel Emissions Mitigation Initiative (ATEMI) to mitigate the impact of emissions from air travel as part of its commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and take action to minimize climate change. All university-funded air travel charged to an operating/principal investigator Funds Center (i.e. posted to a FC without a Fund) will be subject to a carbon offset fee based on the distance travelled and flight class of service.  Learn more about ATEMI on the Sustainability website and read this article in the UofT News.

How the initiative works 

As of Wednesday, March 15, 2023 the carbon offset fee will be withdrawn for all air travel transactions posted to a an operating/PI Funds Center (i.e. posted to a Funds Center without a Fund).

NOTE: If airfare expense are charged a Funds Center/Fund (e.g., research grant), departments will still need to enter the flight class and # of km flown round even though the Funds Center/Fund will not be charged the carbon offset fee.

This fee will be collected into a central account that will fund greenhouse gas emission reduction projects on university-related emissions to help offset the impact of university-sponsored air travel.  

This fee will apply to flight reimbursements processed after Tuesday, March 14, 2023 regardless of the date of travel. 

Impact on Financial Administration

To enable the University to recover the carbon offset fee, end users/claimants will be required to complete the following additional information when processing expense reimbursements in FIS and the web application, as well as the Expense Report form.

Additional ATEMI Fields:

• Flight Class of service (i.e. Economy OR Above-Economy)
• # of KM flown (round trip)

Note: The Expense Report form will be updated on March 15th to include these fields.

How is the Fee Calculated?

The monthly carbon offset fee (i.e. ATEMI fee) will be calculated as follows:

ECONOMY class airfare	$0.0055/km
ABOVE-ECONOMY class airfare	$0.011/km

 

Visit the airmilescalculator.com website to determine the number of round trip KM flown by the claimant.

 

Important: Research Grants or any other Funds will NOT be charged the carbon offset fee.

Information Sessions & Recording

FAQs & Simulations

	Simulation:  Enter an ERDD in the Web Application (with additional required airfare fields)
	Simulation:  Enter Expense Reimbursement (Cheque) or A/P Invoice in FIS (with additional required airfare fields)
	Simulation:  Enter Expense Reimbursement Direct Deposit (ERDD) in FIS (with additional required airfare fields)
	Article: Reporting on Air Travel Emissions Mitigation Initiative (ATEMI) Charges in FIS
	Article: Are research grants or other Funds charged the carbon offset fee?
	Article: How do I enter the flight class and number of km flown when a claimant has multiple connecting flights?
	Article: Invoices for Group Travel – How to enter the information required for the carbon offset fee
	Article: Can our department/claimants purchase 3rd party carbon offsets instead of participating in the University’s Air Travel Emissions Initiative?
	How do I process a Journal Entry/Internal Revenue-Expense Recovery for Airfare expenses after the Air Travel Emissions Mitigation Initiative (ATEMI)?
	Article: Determining the Total # of km flown roundtrip in the Air Miles Calculator website

Contacts