eFlyer Asia - Intelligence

Carbon Offsets Lose Favour

Does buying carbon credits make it too easy for travellers to stop thinking about the many issues related to climate change? At a time when more individuals and companies are considering using carbon offsets, Responsible Travel, one of the first travel companies to introduce carbon offsets back in 2002 has now removed them, arguing that offsetting distracts from the real issues — that we all need to be reducing all our carbon emissions as much as possible.

The online travel specialist, that works with over 300 tour operators and 600 lodging providers across the globe, now agrees with a recent report by Friends of the Earth that labeled offsets a “dangerous distraction” that is fundamentally flawed. The FOE report argued that carbon offsets “create a ‘medieval pardon’ for us to carry on behaving in the same way (or worse)”.

“We believe that the travel industry’s priority must be to reduce carbon emissions, rather than to offset. Too often offsets are being used by the tourism industry in developed countries to justify growth plans on the basis that money will be donated to projects in developing countries. Global reduction targets will not be met this way,” says Justin Francis managing director, Responsible Travel.

“Ultimately we need to reduce our carbon emissions. We can do this by flying less — travelling by train or taking holidays closer to home for example, and by making carbon reductions in other areas of our lifestyles too, alongside travel,” suggests Francis.

“There is no hiding the fact that tourists will continue to want to visit destinations requiring a flight, and that tourism contributes to livelihoods, local economic development and the conservation of the world's cultural and natural heritage. We will continue to offer a more responsible choice of overseas holiday so that when tourists do fly they can 'make their holiday count' by choosing a more responsible holiday,” he added.

 

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