Tourism is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for about 9% of the global total. Over the past 15 years, its emissions have grown more than twice as fast as those of the rest of the global economy.
Unless the tourism industry finds ways to slow down its growing emissions, those emissions will continue to increase by 3 to 4% each year, meaning that they will double every 20 years. The major drivers behind tourism’s growing emissions have been slow improvements in tourism-related technologies coupled with the rapid growth in demand.
Transportation is tourism’s main source of greenhouse gas emissions. Planes and cars generate the most carbon dioxide but there are contributions from tour buses, boat rides, ferries, and trains as well. The increasing demand for international travel has been the largest contributor to the growth of tourism-related emissions. But just as people’s homes generate emissions from energy use, so do hotels and other lodging used on vacations.
The United States, China, and India are responsible for 60% of the total increase in tourism’s carbon footprint. Generally speaking, it is the world’s wealthiest nations that have the most tourists exploring the world.
Researchers from Australia’s University of Queensland recommended several measures to slow the growth of tourism’s carbon emissions. These include reducing long-haul flights, imposing carbon dioxide taxes, setting carbon budgets, and the use of alternative transportation fuels. At the local level, tourism businesses making use of renewable energy sources and electric vehicles would help.
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Tourism leads the pack in growing carbon emissions
Photo, posted September 14, 2014, courtesy of Gary Campbell-Hall via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio