Environmental Sustainability

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The environmental impact of particle accelerators

Researcher: Dr. Hannah Wakeling

How do particle accelerators intersect with the climate crisis?

Particle accelerators -- like everything else -- have an impact on the environment. The million dollar question is: is it possible to design and operate accelerators more sustainably without hindering scientific progress? As the climate crisis intensifies, researchers around the world are evaluating, reducing and mitigating these impacts through innovative and exciting approaches. Furthermore, particle accelerators could also help us develop some of the potential solutions to the climate crisis.

At the JAI, we are contributing to these efforts through evaluating accelerator environmental impacts, developing accelerator sustainability strategies and optimising particle accelerator component designs.

A Life Cycle Assessment of the proposed ISIS-II Neutron and Muon Source

 

The ISIS-II Neutron and Muon Source is the proposed next generation of, and successor to, the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the United Kingdom. Anticipated to start construction in around 2032, the ISIS-II project presents a unique opportunity to incorporate environmental sustainability practices from its inception.

Through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), we will examine the environmental impacts associated with each of the ISIS-II design options across the stages of the ISIS-II lifecycle (encompassing construction, operation, and eventual decommissioning). This proactive approach will assess all potential areas of environmental impact and seek to identify strategies for minimizing and mitigating negative impacts, wherever feasible.

First insights into the process and first results of the LCA of the entirety of the ISIS-II project can be found here.

The Sustainable High Energy Physics Conference 2024 and 2025

Supported by the JAI

The Sustainable HEP conference in 2024 and 2025 brought together researchers from around the world to address the pressing environmental challenges facing the High-Energy Physics (HEP) community. Held online, both editions focused on sharing best practices, showcasing innovative technologies, and fostering collaborations aimed at reducing the environmental impact of particle physics research and infrastructure.

The 2024 conference explored topics such as sustainable accelerator design, energy-efficient RF technologies, life cycle assessment (LCA) of major facilities, and behavioural science approaches to driving systemic change. In 2025, there was more of a focus on responsible computing, sustainable detector systems, and strategies for institutional climate action plans. Across both years, the workshops featured keynote speakers, technical sessions, and interactive activities that empowered participants to reflect on and reduce their personal and institutional environmental impact.

We are deeply grateful to our sponsors and partners for making these events possible: the John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science, CERN, the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford, and Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL). Their support continues to be instrumental in driving forward the conversation on sustainability in HEP.