(TAN): The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has asked the global tourism industry to commit towards becoming climate neutral by 2050 during the recently-held United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP25.
WTTC, which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, held a climate action event focusing on the sector where it repeated its commitment in the global fight against climate change through its Climate & Environment Action Plan: S0AR.
The S0AR initiative will set “science-based targets, energy efficiency measures, renewable energy and initiatives to reduce the use of plastics, food waste and others”, WTTC said. To identify businesses that are working on this aspect, WTTC has helped form a Sustainable Travel & Tourism Partner programme. It will also share industry best practices through a Sustainability Knowledge Hub.
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While tourism supports 10% of global jobs and contributes 10.4% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it also generates 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, WTTC said. This reinforces WTTC’s commitment to bringing the sector together so that the solution can be reached faster.
“We are excited to be moving forward with our Climate & Environment Action Plan (S0AR), as the leaders within the travel and tourism industry, we have the power to drive real change and are committed to this issue. Many of our Members are already champions in sustainable business practice, and WTTC has the opportunity to convene the industry so we can move faster, contribute, and address the significant environmental and sustainability challenges facing our world,” President and Chief Executive Officer of WTCC Gloria Guevara said.
It was the second time that the sector was officially represented at the COP meetings. The event also highlighted the partnership between WTTC and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Discussions on sustainable business practices ensued, with small group adventure travel company Intrepid Travel Group committing to be the first climate-positive travel firm by 2020.
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Niclas Svenningsen, Manager, Global Climate Action for the UNFCCC Secretariat said that travelling was an “inherently positive” activity that helped make the world peaceful and sustainable.
“In addition, this wide sector also contributes significant numbers of jobs and income, and enables education, health and other services in otherwise disadvantaged communities. Notwithstanding that, this sector, like almost all other sectors in society, also has a significant climate footprint. However, as unrealistic it would be to stop eating, stop washing clothes or stop using energy, it would be to stop travelling. The solution is instead in finding ways of doing this in more climate-friendly ways, so that the benefits from travel can be achieved without negatively impact the climate. We hope that this collaboration with WTTC and its members will help speed up such a transformation in the sector,” he added.
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