Low Carbon Travel To Be A Topic at UN Copenhagen Talks

A recent report indicates that moving towards a low carbon economy for travel and tourism will be a vital aspect of cutting down on greenhouse gases and energy consumption. The report, ‘Towards a Low Carbon Travel and Tourism Sector’ which has been conducted by the Travel and Tourism Community which is part of the World Economic Forum’s team, has outlined steps being taken and to be taken by the tourism industry to help cut back on energy use and respond to climate change issues.

The report is a jointly researched project published by the World Economic Forum, UNWTO, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme working in conjunction with leading names in travel and tourism. 

The report details short and long term fixes to dangerous carbon emissions related to such tourist markets as transportation by air, land, and sea, accommodations, and other services which impact global climate change. The timely release of the report is in anticipation for the UN climate change talks to be held in Copenhagen in December.

Topics outlined in the report that will be key at the Copenhagen talks include market mechanisms for combating climate change via the tourism industry as well as global emission trading schemes for the travel and tourism sectors. 

The study also highlights how Governments can become involved in enacting policies which would effectively lower the carbon emissions for the travel industry. The report also calls for developing countries expanding tourism industries to move closer towards sustainability as they begin to receive rapid growth in the coming years, as well as stress the importance of low carbon air travel for these developing nations.

Additionally the report puts forward the need for a “Green Fund for Travel and Tourism” which would aid countries, businesses, and consumers in refurbishing the industry to make low carbon travel a possibility. The fund would provide grants to the industry to aid business and local government in equipping transport, lodgings, and other services with the means to reduce carbon output.