As sea levels rise and glaciers recede, tourism is increasingly impacted by climate change. Yet the industry itself is responsible for roughly 8% of the world’s carbon emissions. Subsequently, climate change mitigation is very important for both the planet and a thriving tourism industry.
Sustainable Travel International provides industry-leading tools and solutions that support companies, travelers, and destinations in taking climate action. This begins with measuring and reducing one’s own carbon footprint. While carbon reduction should always be a high priority, not all tourism-related emissions are currently avoidable. There is a need to invest in larger-scale transformations that underpin the global net zero transition by reversing deforestation and reducing society’s reliance on fossil fuels. Carbon offsetting allows tourism companies to support these types of CO2 reduction or removal projects while taking responsibility for their hard-to-abate emissions.
In this film, we learn how travel stakeholders, like Indagare, invest in climate action through Sustainable Travel International’s diverse portfolio of energy, forestry and blue carbon offset projects. These projects also have the potential to create benefits that go beyond just CO2 reduction, such as wildlife conservation and supporting local communities. We pay a visit to the Yaeda Valley in Tanzania, to learn about a forest carbon offset project supported by Sustainable Travel International’s portfolio. This project helps indigenous communities safeguard their natural resources and traditional livelihoods, and protect their land from deforestation while providing the community with revenue and social benefits.
