Oct
16
Written by:
ECRA Bloggers
16/10/2009 12:08
Carbon offsets distract tourists from the need to reduce their emissions
Great news from responsibletravel.com, the world's leading travel agent for responsible holidays. It has announced today that it plans to remove the facility for its customers to offset carbon emissions via its website.
The company was among the first travel organisations to introduce carbon offsets in early 2002, and is now one of the first to remove them for environmental reasons.
Justin Francis, MD, responsibletravel.com said: "We believe that the travel industry's priority must be to reduce carbon emissions, rather than to offset. Too often offsets are being used by the tourism industry in developed countries to justify growth plans on the basis that money will be donated to projects in developing countries. Global reduction targets will not be met this way.
Francis agrees with the recent report by Friends of the Earth which labelled offsets as a 'dangerous distraction': "Carbon offsets distract tourists from the need to reduce their emissions. They create a 'medieval pardon' for us to carry on behaving in the same way (or worse)."
responsibletravel.com has sought advice from Friends of the Earth to put in place a clear, alternative 'carbon caution' for travellers offering advice and tips (see www.responsibletravel.com/carboncaution).