CODE RED: SUNx’ 7‑point climate action plan for tourism is more ambitious than the Glasgow Declaration
At SUNx Malta we have a clear view of the path forward for our sector to respond to the “code red” climate crisis identified by UN Secretary General António Guterres.
It’s more ambitious than the heavily marketed Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, specifically in terms of earlier delivery dates, coverage of all greenhouse gases (not just carbon), transparent measurement of performance and progress, as well as the provision of an extensive, youth-curated research and support system for both Climate Resilience and Sustainability.
And it has its own distinctive, consumer-facing badge for “Communities and Companies, committed to Climate Friendly Travel” (pictured).
It’s a seven-point “Code Red Action Plan for Our Kids” that echoes the calls of young climate activists, for action now, to meet the Paris 1.5 mid-century targets.
Most importantly, our plan recognises that, beyond the grand declarations and pledges, we have to more than halve carbon emissions as a minimum by 2030 and have no greenhouse gases at all by 2050. If we can do this there should be a chance to hit Paris 1.5 by 2050 and there will be no reason to see tourism development and its attendant socio-economic and cultural benefits threatened by protests. People will continue to travel, because Travel & Tourism Stakeholders will actually be seen to be doing the right thing by the planet.
At SUNx Malta we are taking this action to walk the walk as well as talk the talk, as a legacy from our inspiration, the late Maurice Strong, the father of sustainable development, who, more than 50 years ago, called climate change the greatest existential threat to the future of mankind and laid the foundations for today’s SDG 2030 and Paris 2050 led, UN green, clean Code Red Roadmap.
We are not just “blah, blah, blah”. Here is our 7 point Code Red Plan For Our Kids that we are already implementing today:
1) We need a DASH-2-Zero not a “Race”
DASH stands for Declare, Act, Support, Hope. We plan to be among those providing support and hope in our collective dash to Net Carbon Zero by 2030 and Zero GHG 2050.
We say “Yes” to offsets for a defined transition period. We say “No” to continued emissions after that period.
2) We need to “Bend our GHG Trend” starting now
We seek to halve greenhouse gas emissions (all of them, not just carbon dioxide) this decade, offset the balance, and stop them completely within three decades.
Many have launched themselves into a new numbers and metrics market place, including WTTC and UNWTO, as well as private-sector leaders like my friend Eric Ricaurte at Greenview with a new hotel carbon measurement scheme.
Also see Geoffrey Lipman’s “GT” Insight
“Tourism & ‘climate emergency’: It’s the metrics, stupid”
We have no capacity to duplicate these, nor would we want to, but we will continue to seek out and recommend the best of such schemes for our Code Red Community, and help them to deliver on their plans and track their progress, through our Registry, SDG17 partner and national Strong Climate Champions support.
3) We need Smart Regulation – clever marketing is not enough
We advocate for the sort of regulation that incentivises good practice and penalises bad. Like the EU Fit for 55, an ambitious plan to cut emissions by net 55% by 2030.
As in Fit for 55, we recognise the power of markets — active carbon and other emissions trading systems — to stimulate clean energy innovation.
But we must also factor in “Polluter Pays” and the “Precautionary Principle”, which are the basis of a sustainability mind-set and the bedrock of protection of nature and planetary boundaries. We must at all costs avoid “Climatewash” big promotion and small action.
4) We need a Kennedy-style “moon-shot” for zero GHG aviation 2050
A coalition of big airlines, big airports, big manufacturers, big fuel companies, big government, big research, and big money have the resources — and the capacity to partner with, support, and encourage small innovators — over three decades to solve what may be the biggest problem for travel & tourism: Aviation’s potentially significant contribution to GHG emissions.
Also see SUNx’ Partner Message
“Call for “moon-shot” effort by aviation sector to be zero-carbon by 2050”
Sustainable aviation fuels and new clean-energy propulsion systems will likely be part of the solution. As will electric short and medium haul, and totally new propulsion for long haul — like Airbus 2035 Hydrogen concept and Etihad’s new sustainability consortium with Airbus, Boeing, Rolls Royce and General Electric and another with Abu Dhabi waste management on turning household waste to sustainable aviation fuel.
There is rapid development in this area now, which is cause for optimism. In any case, to fail in this fundamental market-transforming task, for such a key element of the Travel & Tourism ecosystem, would be our biggest collective “COP OUT”.
5) Travel & Tourism Stakeholders must increasingly embrace Climate Friendly Travel (CFT)
At SUNx Malta we are providing a vibrant CFT Support System that formally integrates the SDGs and Paris 1.5.
We have a UN-linked CFT Registry and a SDG 17 Partner Network. And we are delivering destination-based visibility and consumer outreach programs with their own distinctive Climate Friendly Travel Badge, which is a marque of quality not quantity.
Young people are a key focus for Climate Friendly Travel, as well as the primary strategic communicators of our work.
Our CFT Support System will be led by a growing corps of young trained Strong Climate Champions around the world.
Our partnership with ITS Malta is already producing Diploma-qualified leaders. Next year we will launch in China. Our 2030 goal is for there to be 100,000 Strong Climate Champions across all UN States.
6) Our response must be “Glocal”
We say “Yes” to the big global Principles and mid-century Declarations but recognise that they must be driven from the unique local circumstances and perspectives of every destination and business; each with its own reaction to the 17 SDGs, 169 targets, and 200+ indicators; and each with its own realistic pathway to Paris 1.5.
The starting point is our diverse realities; that must converge in 2030 and again in 2050 to meet our DASH-2-Zero targets and the UN Roadmap for The Future We Want.
7) Recognise that Planetary Needs trump our own agenda
This recognition is why Maurice Strong and Mikhail Gorbachev launched the brilliant Earth Charter Movement at the turn of the millennium. This aimed to pick up the unfinished business from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and form a pact between people and planet based on decency, social justice, human rights, and regenerative nature.
Such a pact is even more important today than when it was launched.
So there you have it: Our seven-point Code Red Action Plan For Our Kids. We would love to have you join us at www.thesunprogram.com.
About SUNx — Strong Universal Network
SUNx is a legacy for the late Maurice Strong, father of sustainable development. Its goal is to advance Climate Friendly Travel (CFT) ~ low carbon : SDG linked : Paris 1.5.
SUNx has a core partnership with Malta’s Ministry of Tourism & Consumer Protection and Malta Tourism Authority to advance CFT, to create a UNFCCC-linked CFT Registry and to promote CFT Education. It plans to put in place 100,000 Strong Climate Champions by 2030 across all UN States.
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