The Earth Overshoot Day for 2024 was on 01 Aug. It is the day in a year when the human demand for ecological resources in that year exceeds what the earth can regenerate that year. Since the time we started calculating this date, the general trend has been for the day to come earlier and earlier. Another way to look at our present state is that human consumption requires resources from 1.7 earths today. Unfortunately, we only have one.
It is pretty clear that what we are doing is not sustainable. There cannot be any doubt that more impactful actions are required. Who needs to act? Considering where we are, sustainability today is a collective responsibility spanning all levels of society – from governments to businesses to individuals. Basically, the world needs everyone to chip in with their best.
The good news is, there is a lot of work being done for sustainability. At the top, these efforts are driven by the United Nations (UN) 2030 agenda for sustainable development. It sets 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) with corresponding targets that all 191 of UN member states have agreed to try to achieve by the year 2030. That was a huge step forward. These governments are formulating policies, effecting regulations, providing incentives, creating awareness and collaborating globally to try and achieve the SDGs. At the next level, businesses are increasingly being more responsible towards the negative externalities of value creation. In this blog, let’s discuss how the travel, transportation and hospitality industries are contributing towards the global goals and targets.
Airlines
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), aviation accounted for 2% of global energy-related CO2 emissions in 2022, and is growing faster than other modes of transportation such as road, rail or shipping. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has committed to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. This is an ambitious target and requires a multitude of measures which will transform the industry.
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF): Switching to SAF is expected to be the major change that will allow the airline industry to meet its target. Burning of SAF still releases carbon, but since the fuel is recycled from existing carbon sources, it does not significantly increase the atmospheric CO2 content.
- Newer Technologies: Investments in technologies such as electric and hydrogen are expected to bring significant emission reduction.
- Carbon Offset/Capture: Many airlines are offering carbon offset programs or green fares where passengers can also participate. Though they are often criticized for promoting a ‘buy a clear conscience by paying someone else to do penance for your sins’ mindset, any action that helps reduce your carbon footprint is better than doing nothing.
Hospitality
Hotels do place a lot of demands on local natural resources, the same resources that also attract guests to their premises. So they have an innate interest in protecting these resources and hence are actively taking steps to reduce their environmental impact and promote sustainable practices.
- Energy Conservation: Hotels are exploring ways to use more renewable energy sources, reduce energy consumption and increase efficiencies. Investments in technology innovations and increased automation are going to be crucial in enabling this transformation.
- Wastage Reduction: Conservation of water and minimizing food wastage have a huge environmental as well as social impact. In hospitality, this is also an area where involvement of guests can make a huge difference.
- Responsible Chemical Usage: Switching to non-toxic, environmentally friendly and biodegradable chemicals in housekeeping and other areas are absolutely necessary for the sustenance of natural resources.
Other Modes of Travel
Other modes include various forms of public transport as well as usage of private vehicles. Across these modes, the need is to promote actions which help reduce carbon emissions, lessen road congestion and carry more passengers/freight using lesser energy.
- Increased Rail Usage: Rail is probably the most sustainable and efficient among all the mass-transport modes. Though it has been losing share, especially in the wake of the pandemic, rail definitely has a major role to play if we are to achieve the SDGs.
- Improved Urban Public Transport: Public transport, when effective, can help improve the quality of life in our cities. That and the fact that it can contribute significantly to multiple SDGs should see it garnering more and more investments.
- Decarbonization: Reducing emissions is expected to be the common denominator of all sustainability efforts. Whether our roads remain congested or not, all transport systems should see reducing dependencies on fossil fuels.
What Can Travellers Do?
The impact of policies and practices effected by the governments and industry will finally depend on traveller behaviour. Education, incentives and enforcement are all required to generate understanding of the challenges among travellers and further elicit responsible behaviour. Responsible behaviour in this case can be based upon three pillars – Conserve what is essential, Control what is harmful and Compensate for what is done. Here are a few steps that travellers can take to promote sustainable travel.
- Plan longer trips as against frequent trips
- Carry less on your travels
- Support local economies
- Be mindful of local resources and support their conservation
- Reduce wastage by switching to reusable items
- Use public transport whenever possible
- Utilize car pooling / ride sharing services
- Compensate for your carbon footprint
- Advocate sustainable travel
- Take out your bicycles!
All of us, I am sure, want to leave the world a better place than how we found it. Let’s see what each of us can do to make that happen.
Stephen Hawking famously said – “I don’t think the human race will survive the next thousand years, unless we spread into space.” May the future generations reach out to the stars. But let’s hope, they are not forced to do it because we did nothing to save our home.