Responsible travel that respects the environment and the communities we visit has always been vital to what we do at CAS Trips. From making conscious decisions about our internal operations and addressing the UN SDGs and the pressing issue of climate change in the programs we run—to tackling local and global issues on-trip—we feel that it is the little things that ultimately allow us to offer a truly unique service and be proud of who we are as an organization.
Just as we have evolved a lot in our nine years of existence, so have the discussions around sustainability, climate change, and what it means to be a responsible travel provider. We understand that we have to act now if we are going to be able to continue doing what we love and ensure a promising future for the next generation. That is why we are excited to announce that we are a launch partner of the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism.
Launched earlier this month at the UN Climate Change Conference COP26, we are one among some of tourism’s biggest businesses joining governments and destinations in committing to cut emissions in half by 2030 and achieve Net Zero by 2050. This is no small task, but armed with an actionable framework and a step-by-step process, we are confident that it is possible.
In addition to the primary objectives of the Glasgow Declaration, we are also committed to leading by example, driving action, sharing knowledge, and catalyzing collaborative effort
throughout the sector. We will dedicate our time and energy to raising awareness about the urgency for the tourism sector to take action and play its role as an agent of change.
The first step
In signing the declaration, we have agreed to deliver a detailed climate action plan within 12 months and to begin implementing the measures it contains. To ensure that our goals can be mobilized to accelerate and co-ordinate climate action in tourism, we will follow the five pathways of the Declaration: Measure, Decarbonise, Regenerate, Collaborate, Finance.
From this day forward, we will also report publicly on an annual basis on progress against interim and long-term targets, as well as actions being taken.
What are the five pathways defined in the Glasgow Declaration?
As stated above, responsible travel has always been part of our mission, but we are also willing to acknowledge that there is room for improvement in terms of how we have implemented this core value. Although we have prioritized limiting our Scope 1 and 2 emissions, we are currently developing a more in-depth picture of our Scope 3 emissions.
These include all indirect emissions that occur in our value chain outside of our internal operations. Until now, we have not had the measurement tools in place to track our progress and be fully accountable to our supporters and partners. That is going to change.
Following our new commitment, we will:
In the past, we have prioritised the financial aspect of this process by offsetting our on-trip carbon emissions, but will now endeavour to pursue these other pathways to ensure that our efforts genuinely have the impact we want. Currently, we are in the process of outlining a thorough action plan that will allow us to measure and understand exactly where we land in terms of emissions and the potential that we have to make a difference as an organization.
Expert support
In pursuing this ambitious but crucial task, we are thrilled to have the support of The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and access to the resources that it provides its signatories. It brings together the latest research and global expertise to galvanize climate action and includes Recommended Actions for tourism stakeholders worldwide to
consider as part of their action planning, alongside other resources.
The UNWTO is leading the implementation of the Glasgow Declaration in collaboration with the Travel Foundation, and Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, within the framework of the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme.
We are proud to be part of a dynamic and evolving tourism industry that takes responsibility for its impact on the environment. We are committed to finding innovative ways to bring the benefits of travel to young people around the world in a way that we can all feel good about. Stay tuned for more information about our sustainability policy and exciting initiatives we are launching to reward our participants for making responsible travel decisions.
You can learn more about the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism here.
Photo credit: Kazuend via Unsplash.
