Will COP26 Transform Tourism?
National Geographic Traveller (UK)|March 2022
What does the Glasgow declaration on climate action in tourism demand of its 300 signatories, who's yet to sign and what does it mean for travellers?
By Simon Usborne. Photographs by Getty
Will COP26 Transform Tourism?

It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that moving millions of people around the planet is a carbon-intensive business. Tourism accounts for an estimated 8-11% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Currently, aviation makes up nearly a fifth of this figure.

And all the signs are that this will get worse as the world becomes increasingly mobile: annual tourist arrivals (both domestic and international) are forecast to rise from 20 billion in 2016 to 37 billion by 2030.

What happened at COP26?

More than 300 companies involved in global tourism signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism at the annual COP summit, which was held in November in Scotland's second city. Galvanised by the challenges of the pandemic and the opportunity it offered to the industry to‘reset' its ways, the firms all pledged to halve their emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

Who's behind it?

Denne historien er fra March 2022-utgaven av National Geographic Traveller (UK).

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Denne historien er fra March 2022-utgaven av National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

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