A Travel Coalition Faces Steep Climb Calling Out Industry on Climate Change
Photo Credit: The population Thai tourist desination Ko Phi Phi has experienced the effects of climate change. Pixabay / Juan_Luis
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Cutting tourism-related carbon emissions in half is very ambitious, but travel can't go small in combating climate change. However, the fight to cut emissions will face an enormous challenge when airline passenger numbers return to pre-Covid levels.
Tourism already represents one of the most significant contributors to global greenhouses gas emissions, and transport-related emissions from tourism are set to rise exponentially in future — in fact, by 25 percent by 2030.
So one would think the travel industry would take a front-and-center role in combating global warming. Unfortunately, that really hasn't been the case as the industry hasn't developed any standards for reporting greenhouse gas emissions.
But one group is leading the charge for the travel industry to commit to cutting their carbon emissions in half by 2030. Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, a coalition of individuals, companies and organizations that works to lead tourism entities to declare a climate emergency, is calling on the industry to seek solutions for more sustainable travel. Those who have declared are expected to publish their action plans for reaching the target within 12 months.
Roughly 290 declarations have been made thus far, according t
