Carbon Management

How we have set our carbon reduction target

Green Element have helped us to set science-based carbon reduction targets (in line with the criteria of the Science Based Targets Initiative). Simply put, science-based targets are targets set to be aligned with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting our global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial temperatures. So these targets can be worked out per industry and per company to ensure global emissions are collectively reduced enough to hit this goal.

We have summarised our target as 'halving our carbon footprint by 2030'. This encompasses an almost 50% reduction in the carbon footprint of our ‘scope 1 and 2’ emissions (primarily the fuel and energy we use across our offices) and a 50% reduction in the carbon footprint of our ‘scope 3’ emissions (primarily the trips we run), per passenger, by 2030, based on our 2019 baseline. This target currently excludes the transport to and from our trips, given the level to which the decarbonisation of aviation falls outside of our control. However, we will still be measuring and reporting the carbon impact of this transport, and implementing actions to actively reduce this impact, such as the launch and expansion of our train travel offering. See more on this below.

Over the coming year, as well as further developing our measurement methodology, we will be developing and publishing a more detailed carbon reduction roadmap.

How we are planning to reach our target

Our style of trips, in general, have a lower carbon footprint than many other styles of holidays – small groups, staying in smaller local accommodation, enjoying locally produced food, not to mention all the cycling and hiking instead of time in coaches and cars. However, any transportation – especially flights and boats – can still have a significant carbon impact, along with other factors such as energy used by accommodation, any imported food provided and so on.

There are a number of ways we will be looking to reduce the carbon emissions of our trips, year on year, including:

• Increasing take-up of our train travel booking service, which now offers train travel as an alternative to flying to most of our European trips (which will constitute a third of all our trips globally).
• Increasing the number of ‘closer to home’ trips, such as our new UK collection, meaning less reason to fly.
• Opting for lower impact in-country transportation, for example, swapping internal flights for trains, using public transport where feasible and looking for opportunities to switch to electric vehicles as soon as destination infrastructure allows.
• Aiming to ensure at least 90% of food provided across our trips is locally sourced, meaning it’s not been transported long distances.
• Increasing the number of plant-based meals included in our itineraries.
• Eliminating use of single-use plastics across our trips as quickly as possible (plastic contains lots of ‘embodied carbon’).

We also project some reductions coming from wider parts of the tourism sector that we rely upon; for example, a reduction in aviation emissions through increasing use of biofuels. (Through involvement in movements such as Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, we are joining with others in the sector to advocate for much needed acceleration in such progress.)

We recognise that our reduction goal is an ambitious one, and our roadmap towards the 2030 target will continue to evolve in the years ahead as we progress, learn and share knowledge with many fellow tour operators across the sector.