Carbon emissions from tourism are rising disproportionately fast

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Economist or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Global carbon emissions from tourism rose by 3.5% annually between 2009 and 2020, outpacing the overall growth rate of emissions
• A study in Nature Communications reports that tourism accounted for 5.2 gigatonnes of CO2 in 2019, nearly 9% of global emissions
• Aviation alone contributed over half of these emissions, while utilities in accommodations made up 34% of indirect emissions

🔭 The context: Tourism has faced increasing scrutiny, with cities like Venice and Rome introducing fees to curb overtourism
• Rising emissions highlight the sector’s struggle to adopt sustainable practices
• The data reflects pre-pandemic trends, indicating the challenge of decoupling tourism growth from environmental harm

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Tourism’s significant carbon footprint underscores its role in exacerbating climate change
• Focusing on sustainable tourism practices is essential to align the industry with global climate goals
Without intervention, emissions will likely rise with post-pandemic travel recovery

⏭️ What's next: More stringent regulations and incentives for green practices are expected in tourism-heavy regions
• Innovations in sustainable aviation and energy-efficient accommodations will be critical
Consumer awareness may drive demand for eco-friendly travel options

💬 One quote: “Tourism emissions are growing at double the global average, making it one of the fastest-growing contributors to climate change,” - Ya-Yen Sun, lead author of the study

📈 One stat: Tourism was responsible for 5.2 gigatonnes of CO2 in 2019—9% of global emissions.

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