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IN SHORT
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As the whole world questions the environmental consequences of its consumption habits, the relationship between tourism and climate poses a central question. While greenhouse gas emissions related to tourism activities continue to rise, the sector’s rapid recovery post-Covid raises new questions about the responsibility of travelers and how it is possible to reconcile world discovery and respect for the planet. According to expert François Gemenne, this is a delicate reflection that touches on societal, economic, and ethical issues. This article analyzes the carbon impact of tourism, the challenges to be addressed, and the avenues for evolution to travel differently.
Tourism and climate: issues of a global dilemma
Tourism represents a significant part of the global economy with a carbon footprint that corresponds: around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the sector. In the face of a resurgence of travel after the pandemic, combined with the fact that 2024 is expected to be the hottest year on record, the pressure is on to reinvent travel modes. According to François Gemenne, while the tourism sector is often criticized, it primarily reflects a societal dilemma: how can we continue to make vacations accessible while controlling their environmental impact?
The carbon footprint of travel, a matter of transport modes
Nearly 70% of the carbon footprint of tourism is concentrated in the transport of travelers. The plane, in particular, is regularly targeted, while the car also plays a major role. To learn more about regulations and costs related to air transport, see this article. Initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint mainly involve reflecting on alternative modes of transport, such as experimenting with journeys in electric vehicles or combining train and boat travel to cross long distances.
Equity issues and a new approach to travel
The debate on sustainable tourism also highlights a social reality: long-distance travel is a practice that remains reserved for a minority. In 2023, only a quarter of French people traveled abroad, while 30% did not take any vacation at all. Even though global demand continues to grow, especially among emerging middle classes, it remains essential to rethink accessibility to vacations without exacerbating the carbon footprint.
When the journey becomes the destination
Alternative solutions are emerging, where the time spent traveling fully integrates into the travel experience. Thus, prioritizing train and boat travel, as some travelers do to reach distant destinations, offers a more respectful and enriching way to travel. Guides inviting us to rethink travel, such as “What if we went back to the homeland by train,” emphasize the idea that the journey becomes an integral part of the stay, promoting a less hurried and more environmentally conscious tourism.
Expected changes and promotion of good practices
While individual and local initiatives are multiplying, such as the reward offered by the city of Copenhagen to tourists arriving by train, the question of scaling up arises. Despite the development of rail offerings and encouragement towards local tourism, the plane is used today more than ever. Understanding the growth of the tourism impact on CO2 emissions reveals the urgency to act on multiple levels.
Evolving the economic model of travel
One of the major levers to encourage more sustainable tourism lies in adjusting the prices of transport modes. Paradoxically, it is not uncommon for a plane ticket to cost less than an equivalent train journey, a situation that hinders the transition. Projects for eco-taxes on plane tickets or carbon offsets aim to rectify these imbalances and guide travelers’ choices towards lower-emission options. The initiatives for carbon offsets for business travel also reflect a growing awareness among businesses and individuals engaged in this transition.
Choosing differently: towards more conscious tourism
The future of tourism now rests on a redefinition of what really matters in the travel experience. For some, it will be about discovering elsewhere and broadening horizons, as long as the human benefit of traveling is commensurate with its climate impact. For others, proximity will soon offer similar conditions thanks to climate evolution, although the cost is not always lower. Rethinking one’s stay also means choosing committed and environmentally-friendly accommodation, limiting energy-intensive installations and promoting sober tourism.
A matter of individual and collective choice
In the face of the rapid evolution of climate and our aspirations, each traveler is now invited to reflect on the value of their travel: do the pleasure, discovery, and inspiration that travel brings justify the footprint they leave? At the collective level, change comes through innovation and the dissemination of virtuous models, similar to the international spread of the Vélib system, indirectly linked to the tourist appeal of Paris. The essential question posed by François Gemenne is not so much about renouncing to travel but about knowing how and why we do it in the world of tomorrow.
