Last month, in the Middle East, I gave a talk at Abu Dhabi Sustainability week, sharing ideas for how to travel more sustainably. As five to eight per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the travel industry, and climate issues have never been more pressing to society, I thought I’d share some destinations that were top of my list for eco tourism and a couple of things to take into account if you want to travel more sustainably.
First, educate yourself. It’s now very easy to calculate your carbon footprint footprint.wwf.org.uk by answering a few lifestyle questions about the energy you consume, modes of transport you use and your consumption of goods and services. This will give you a score which you can use to offset you carbon emissions—specially important when you travel.
Second, choose your modes of transport wisely. Short haul flights are the most polluting per passenger mile of any form of transport; trains emit the least greenhouse gas emissions and electric vehicles are fast becoming viable alternatives with lower carbon footprints.
Third, whilst the carbon offsetting functions of airline websites are well-intentioned, they are run as commercial operations, meaning profits are made when you use them. Instead, calculate your own carbon footprint and offset directly at places like gold standard.org/take-action/offset-your-emissions, where you can be sure all donations go straight to the cause.
As for places to visit, the good news is that more and more destinations are waking up to the importance of sustainable tourism. Here are some of my favourites:
AQUA EXPEDITIONS—MEKONG, PERUVIAN, AMAZON & RAJA AMPAT
This boutique luxury river & yacht cruise line has set the standard for sustainable cruising in the world’s most ecologically & culturally significant locales- Cambodia & Vietnam, the Peruvian Amazon and the seas of East Indonesia.
The focus on personalised luxury sees a 1:1 crew to passenger ratio and small highly tailored activities run by expert guides that focus on sustainability and conservation, all within contemporary ship design and world-class dining experiences.
No other service can take you through UNESCO World Heritage Sites or hidden rivers in such comfort and with a genuine commitment to the enjoyment and protection of our natural resources than Aqua Expeditions. It is one of the few luxury cruise experiences getting it right.
