Leveraging Restoration for Net Zero Tourism Worldwide

Nov 4, 2021The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), which is the
United Nations specialized agency charged with promoting
sustainable tourism, today unveiled the “Glasgow Declaration for
Climate Action in Tourism” at the UN Climate Change Conference
(COP26) here.
The Declaration commits companies to cutting their emissions in
half by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with all
residual emissions being absorbed through ecological restoration by
2050 at the latest.
More than 300 stakeholders have signed the declaration,
including the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which
represents more than  300 companies responsible for more than
70 percent of global tourism.
“The commitment is to not only reduce the footprint by changing
business as usual operations, but also offsetting…through blue
carbon, for example,” said UNWTO Executive Director Zoritsa
Urosevic in an interview with Ecosystem Marketplace.
“This is going to become, maybe, the new tourism attraction,
because it’s going to have a value that is more than just the
beach.”
She said that the UNWTO is in the process of launching a net-
zero tourism fund, with contributions from tourists being matched
by tour operators.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili conceded the gains
that individual companies have made but stressed the need for a
sector-wide effort involving government and international
organizations as well.
 “The Glasgow Declaration is a tool to help bridge the gap
between good intentions and meaningful climate action,” he
said.
Urosevic described an ambitious strategy for using tourism to
promote regeneration, especially of coral reefs, but stressed the
need to hold the sector accountable.
That’s the ambition, but we’re not there yet and we need your
help,” she said.
“We need everyone’s help,” she added.

Source: https://bionicplanet.libsyn.com/climate-quickie-1-leveraging-restoration-for-net-zero-tourism-worldwide-0