The tourism industry is being challenged to lead the fight to reduce carbon emissions as part of a major new initiative.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Chris Roberts says acting responsibly on climate change will be central to the industry's recovery. Photo: SUPPLIED - TIA
The Tourism Carbon Challenge was unveiled at the industry's annual summit this afternoon.
It urged every tourism business to measure its carbon footprint, act to significantly reduce emissions by 2030 and contribute to an industry that is net zero carbon ahead of Aotearoa's 2050 goal.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) chief executive Chris Roberts said tackling climate change was everybody's responsibility, which was why they had set a very ambitious target.
"The climate crisis is an international problem, but we need local solutions. Even though times have never been tougher for our industry, tackling climate change is everybody's responsibility and can't be put off to another day," he said.
The mission statement said the industry must act immediately to accurately measure the individual and the collective carbon footprint of its members, and work together to significantly reduce emissions.
"We want everybody to be inspired and motivated to get behind the mission. This will involve both individual and collective action."
The challenge was in line with existing tourism industry and government strategic plans and sustainability commitments.
Work was already getting underway to help the industry accurately measure tourism's carbon footprint, which was one of the accountability measures in place.
Other accountability actions included transparent disclosure.
The challenge aimed to influence policy that would be central to how the industry tackled its emissions, and to foster and encourage innovative research, collaboration and processes.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa planned to support businesses in meeting the challenge with different actions and programmes over the next few years, including collaborations with the government and individual businesses.
A Sustainable Tourism pilot programme had recently finished with WellingtonNZ, 12 Wellington tourism operators and the TIA which had the potential to be rolled out across the country, Roberts said.
"The Tourism Carbon Challenge is setting an aspirational and very ambitious target," he said.
"Acting responsibly on climate change will be central to the recovery and rebuild of our industry.
"We recognise that some sectors face greater challenges, and some will reach net zero carbon sooner than others, but we're all in this together. He waka eke noa."
