Sustainable Travel International launches a new tool for calculating and offsetting travel emissions

This tool was planned specifically for travel; and besides flights, users can offset other high-emission travel activities including cruises, vehicles, liveaboards, yachts, and private jet charters.

For the past 20 years, STI (Sustainable Travel International) has promoted and encouraged environmentally and socially responsible travel, engaging government, companies, and travellers in sustainable practices in more than 100 destinations.

“Travel is fuelled by our desire to discover the planet’s natural and cultural wealth. It’s those unparalleled experiences, like snorkelling over a colourful coral reef or sailing between towering ice sheets, that make travel so fulfilling – but climate change puts all of this at risk. If we don’t act now, these destinations and experiences will cease to exist,” said Paloma Zapata, CEO of Sustainable Travel International. 

“Travel is often viewed as part of the problem when really it should be part of the solution. We believe that this new calculator has the potential to stimulate climate action by channeling investment to projects that pave the way for a net zero future.”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, two years ago, traveller mentality has changed, with consumers becoming more conscientious about their impact on the planet. According to a study by Booking.com, more than 69% of travellers are now committed to reducing the carbon footprint of their trip.

The STI’s new carbon calculator makes it much easier for travellers to understand how they can reduce and offset their carbon footprint. The calculator will account for almost all the high emissions aspects of travel, using cutting-edge technologies for travel footprinting, whilst maintaining a balance between ease of use and accuracy. Users simply enter their travel activities – for instance, a round-trip from Paris to Barcelona and a 5-day cruise – and the calculator will compute their carbon footprint. The customer can then choose to purchase carbon offsets, which vary for each trip.

The money offset helps fund carbon reduction projects around the globe, such as clean energy initiatives and forest conservation that are scientifically proven to diminish climate change. STI cautiously examines all projects in order to measure if they meet the rigorous standards of carbon offsetting. They only support excellent projects that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and bring benefits beyond climate mitigation by creating local jobs, strengthening indigenous land rights, improving sanitation, protecting endangered species, and more.

Find out more at: https://sustainabletravel.org/carbon-calculator/