**Court of Environmental Justice – Sentencing Hearing**
**Planet Earth vs Brandon Peck**
**Charge: Intent to Travel During a Climate Crisis**
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*Plea in Mitigation*
*Defence Counsel – Brandon Peck (Law and Commerce Student)*
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May it please the Court,
Today I stand before you aware of the weight of my choice. I have indeed booked a long-haul flight from New Zealand to the United Kingdom to pursue a semester abroad. I do not deny that this carries a significant carbon cost, calculated via MyClimate to exceed five tonnes before I even unbuckle my seatbelt in Heathrow (1). I fully acknowledge the extent of this harm in an age of planetary fragility.
But I ask this Court not to pass judgment solely on the emissions of my departure. Instead, I ask you to consider the intent and integrity of what follows. This is not a holiday, it is a semester of conscious sustainability in a city that leads by example.
Bristol, Your Honour, was the first UK city to earn the status of European Green Capital (2). The community is not rhetorical in its ambition for net-zero by 2030, it is proactive. They align squarely with SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and as a temporary resident, I intend to contribute to this effort.
My low impact travel begins at the gate. I will proceed from Heathrow to Bristol by train, renowned as the cleanest form of long distance transport (3). Long distance rail is rare in New Zealand, so choosing the train becomes a low emission option and a new experience, supporting SDG 8 through sustainable tourism. Within Bristol I hope to adopt the city’s rhythm. Walking Clifton’s cobbled lanes, cycling the Bristol-Bath Railway Path, and using its greener public transport. The expanding Metrobus service runs on cleaner Euro 6 diesel and biogas, reducing nitrogen oxide emissions by 95% (3).
In the University environment, I aim to prioritise sustainable learning tools. This includes minimising my use of generative AI, which consumes up to five times more electricity per query than a standard web search (4). My efforts will extend into student living, where I plan to introduce my flatmates to the food waste app Too Good To Go, which connects users with discounted surplus meals (5). Along with promoting energy efficient habits, these contribute to SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
Your Honour, I make no claim to perfection. I cannot undo the impact of my flight. But what I can do is ensure that every step I take in Bristol is aligned with a broader mission, one to live and learn sustainably, while inspiring others to do the same.
If this is a courtroom, let this be my plea. Please allow my actions in Bristol to speak louder than my boarding pass.
Thank you.
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(1): https://co2.myclimate.org/en/portfolios?calculation_id=8065418
(2):https://www.centreforcities.org/reader/delivering-change-cities-go-low-carbon-supporting-economic-growth/bristol-european-green-capital/
(3): https://travelwest.info/metrobus/
(4): https://news.mit.edu/2025/explained-generative-ai-environmental-impact-0117
(5): https://www.toogoodtogo.com/en-us
