Intensity of greenhouse gas emissions drops in major tourism and travel regions

Africa’s travel and tourism sector grew at a faster rate between 2010 and 2019 than the growth of its greenhouse gas emissions, which declined in absolute terms over this period, new research has revealed.

Transport, especially planes, is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions by the sector.

The research into the climate footprint of several regions in the world, including Africa, was undertaken by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Saudi-based Sustainable Tourism Global Center.

The results show a decline in gas emissions from the travel and tourism sector not only in Africa but in the Asia Pacific region and North America, which includes the US, Canada and Mexico.

The research, which covered 185 countries, enables the global tourism body to measure and track the impact industries in the sector have on the environment. It will be updated each year.

The data shows the travel and tourism sector’s total contribution to Africa’s GDP grew on average 2.6% annually between 2010 and 2019, while greenhouse gas emissions increased 1.2% during the same period. This demonstrated a decoupling of the sector’s economic growth from its greenhouse gas emissions. 

“The data also demonstrates how the sector’s emissions intensity continues to decrease,” the WTTC said in a statement on Thursday. 

In 2010, for every one US dollar of Africa’s travel and tourism GDP, the sector emitted 1.45kg of greenhouse gas emissions while in 2019 this emission figure had dropped by more than 11% to 1.29kg.

“This significant decline demonstrates the progress of changes implemented by governments and business leaders across Africa to create a more sustainable sector,” the WTTC said.

In 2019 the sector was responsible for an average of just 6.6% of total greenhouse gas emissions across Africa. 

WTTC president and CEO Julia Simpson said the research results provide African countries with the information they need to make significant steps towards the Paris Agreement and the UN sustainable development goals. 

“To reach our goals and ambitions, we must make bigger and bolder steps to reduce our absolute emissions,” Simpson said. “For this we need government support in accelerating the production of sustainable aviation fuels, which will have a significant impact on our footprint, as well as bringing in more renewable energy to our national grids.” 

The research showed that in the Asia Pacific region there was also a decoupling of growth and greenhouse gas emissions. While the sector’s contribution to the region’s GDP grew on average 7.3% annually between 2010 and 2019, its greenhouse gas emissions increased 4%.

In 2010 for every one US dollar of the region’s travel and tourism GDP, the sector emitted 0.95kg of greenhouse gases. In 2019 when travel and tourism was at its peak, this figure had dropped by more than 26% to 0.69kg.

The data shows that in 2019 the sector was responsible for an average of 10.3% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the region.

In North America the travel and tourism sector’s GDP grew on average by 3.1% annually over this period while its greenhouse gas emissions increased 1.2%.

There was also a decrease in emission intensity. In 2010 for every one US dollar of the sector’s GDP, the sector emitted 0.53kg of greenhouse gases but in 2019 this figure had dropped to 0.45kg. The sector was responsible for 9.3% of total greenhouse gas emissions in North America.

ensorl@businesslive.co.za