Green Compass

Tatler Asia Contributing Travel Editor Jeremy Jauncey chooses his favourite eco-destinations and tells us how we can offset our carbon emissions

- Jeremy Jauncey

Last month, in the Middle East, I gave a talk at Abu Dhabi Sustainability week, sharing ideas for how to travel more sustainably. As five to eight per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the travel industry, and climate issues have never been more pressing to society, I thought I’d share some destinations that were top of my list for ecotourism and a couple of things to take into account if you want to travel more sustainably.

First, educate yourself. It’s now very easy to calculate your carbon footprint footprint.wwf.org.uk by answering a few lifestyle questions about the energy you consume, modes of transport you use and your consumption of goods and services. This will give you a score which you can use to offset you carbon emissions—especially important when you travel.

Second, choose your modes of transport wisely. Short-haul flights are the most polluting per passenger mile of any form of transport; trains emit the least greenhouse gas emissions and electric vehicles are fast becoming viable alternatives with lower carbon footprints.