A report entitled 'Leading the Challenge on Climate Change' was launched by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) last month at Clarence House under the patronage of HRH The Prince of Wales.
'This report represents a collective effort and is a joint message for the travel and tourism industry,' said WTTC president and CEO Jean-Claude Baumgarten.
'It was honour to work with HRH The Prince of Wales, his various charities and the Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership, in addition to leaders from our industry and experts on Climate Change.'
The official statement setting out the vision and commitment of the travel and tourism industry leaders to tackle climate change was endorsed by a large number of WTTC members, the chairs and CEOs of the industry's foremost travel and tourism companies.
The report is the first phase of WTTC's environmental initiative. Next steps include the development of a web portal, which will promote information on reducing carbon emissions and will share best practice examples already initiated across the world.
The report lists ten key action items for the industry. One of the key commitments to action is a 50 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2035 over 2005 levels. The report also defines an interim aspirational target of a carbon emission reduction of 30 per cent by 2020 in the presence of an international agreement, or a 25 per cent reduction by the same year in the absence of such an agreement.