Climate crisis: Where do we go from here?

Travellers are increasingly exploring untouched places, spreading awareness, and showing the world in a new light. Travel has a magical way of offering respite from the monotony of life's realities, offering a chance to recharge, reflect, and reconnect with the world around us. Yet, amidst the allure of adventure and discovery, there looms a pressing concern that cannot be ignored: the climate crisis.

The increasingly warming planet poses significant challenges to travel destinations around the world, threatening their natural beauty, cultural heritage, and ecological integrity. For instance, the Alps in Europe is characterized by snow-capped peaks. However, as temperatures rise, these ice caps are rapidly melting, altering the landscape and diminishing the scenic beauty that attracts tourists. Similarly, coastal destinations, including tropical islands, beach resorts, and historic coastal towns, are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of rising sea levels and coastal erosion.

As awareness of the pressing need for decarbonization throughout the travel and tourism sector expands, efforts have notably intensified in recent years. There is a distinct emphasis on advancing beyond mere carbon neutrality toward achieving a net-zero future. In this envisioned future, greenhouse gas emissions are either diminished to zero, averted altogether, or, if unavoidable, offset by their extraction from the atmosphere. Therefore, driving systematic change in the tourism industry requires collaborative action. Here are several strategies:

• Raise awareness: Educate tourists about the environmental impact of their travels and encourage them to make responsible choices. This can be done through information campaigns, eco-tours, and sustainable travel guides.
• Promote sustainable practices: Encourage tourism businesses to adopt sustainable practices such as energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, and use of renewable resources. This can be incentivized through certification programmes like EarthCheck or Greenview.^i,ii‍
• Advocate for policy changes: Lobby governments should implement policies that promote sustainable tourism practices, such as carbon pricing, incentives for renewable energy adoption, and regulations on emissions from transportation.  
• Support local communities: Encourage tourism that benefits local communities and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) while minimizing negative environmental impacts. This includes promoting community-based tourism initiatives and supporting fair wages and working conditions for local workers.
• Invest in green infrastructure: Invest in public transportation, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian-friendly areas to reduce the carbon footprint of tourism activities and make destinations more sustainable.

Several initiatives have already made significant contribution to the cause such as the Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, which was started in 2019. It is a group of tourism organisations and professionals who recognised the urgent need for the industry to address its significant carbon footprint. The main objective is to mobilise tourism businesses and destinations to acknowledge the climate emergency and commit to taking meaningful action.ⁱⁱⁱ

Similarly, the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action for Tourism aims to mobilise the global tourism sector to accelerate its efforts to mitigate climate change and adapt to its impacts. It emphasises the importance of collaboration, innovation, and ambitious action to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius.^iv

Therefore, by fostering collaboration between multiple stakeholders including SMEs, tour operators, accommodations, aviation, and cruises, sustainable strategies can be developed. This will help reduce the carbon footprint of the sector, promote sustainability, and improve access to travel destinations for all.