ACT Net Zero Target
The enormity of the challenge cannot be overestimated, given that:
1. The last 5 years have been the warmest on record
2. The last 10 have seen global ice-loss triple
3. Oceans have become 30% more acidic
4. Wildlife has dropped 70% in thirty years
Jono Vernon-Powell, ACT Chair and Nomadic Thoughts
Galvanised by these statistics, and the frankly apocalyptic predictions of how the human race’s annual release of billions of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere is creating temperature rises, devastating weather patterns, rising sea levels and biodiversity loss, we are addressing the problem. Daunted, but not in the least deterred, our ultimate target is to achieve Net Zero emissions across the AITO family.
In believing that our chances of success rest upon a collaborative effort of shared knowledge, energy and like-mindedness, this site is designed to engage, rather than lecture, and we invite you to share your thoughts, ideas and advice.
We aim to assist the 220 tour operators & travel agents as well as business partners involved with AITO, who collectively send away over 600,000 clients and employ over 4,000 people, in creating their own Climate Emergency Plans, through carbon calculators, emission reductions and carbon offsets.
We are also aware of our responsibility to engage the wider travel industry community, whose transport-related discharges are expected to account for 5.3% of all man-made CO2 emissions by 2030. We will start with our much-loved destinations, aviation and the regulatory authorities.
Above all we need to encourage dialogue, collaboration, communication, and a sense of collective responsibility.
As Chair, I do not personally bring any scientific expertise, but I hope to offer a constructive combination of awareness and enthusiasm in tackling the complex nature of the tourism industry’s climate impact.
All of us at ACT are spurred on by the sustainable tourism beliefs of our fellow AITO colleagues and the wider contributions of individuals such as Greta Thunberg and global initiatives such as the impending COP26 Conference in November.
It is all too clear that ‘values’ must now drive ‘value’, enforcing wholescale credible Net-Zero carbon plans along the way.
We are open to as much advice as we can get on implementing a travel and tourism Net-Zero emissions action plan.
