It is getting toasty here in Tampa, Fla. On July 27, the temperature hit a record 100 degrees. The following day the heat index hit 119—another record. It was extremely uncomfortable just to be outside. I am sure the many thousands of tourists in the area felt the same. In June, in Boston, it hit 102 degrees. In Augusta, Maine: 100 degrees. Around the planet, the list of cities experiencing record temperatures this year is long. In Khvormuj, Iran on June 16 it hit a sizzling 126.9 degrees. As I am writing this column, it is a “cool” 109 in Khvormuj.
According to Carbon Brief, this year is on track to be the second or third warmest year on record. The world is expected to firmly pass the Paris Agreement 1.5C target—which refers to long-term warming, rather than annual temperatures—in the next five years. The world has warmed around 1.4C since the mid-1800s.
Warming temperatures around the planet are changing the ways travelers vacation. A recent survey of 2,000 British adults conducted by the travel insurance company Insureandgo found that three in four think some European holiday destinations will be too hot to visit within the next five years.
How is climate change—rising temperatures, increasing hurricane intensity, wildfires, rising sea levels, etc.—impacting tourism where you live?
“It’s becoming increasingly risky to travel to destinations highly exposed to these different climate stressors,” said Erin Seekamp, the Goodnight Distinguished Professor and Director of the Coastal Resilience and Sustainability Initiative at NC State. Seekamp was interviewed for an October 2024 article in College of Natural Resources News.
Why Earth is Warming Up
Last year, concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere jumped by 3.5 ppm, reaching 424 ppm. These concentrations are more than 50 percent higher than the pre-industrial period. The rise in carbon dioxide—and other greenhouse gases—is the primary reason for the planet’s soaring temperatures.
Fossil fuels—coal, oil and gas—are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions.
By reducing your power needs—implementing LED lighting, HVAC and lighting sensors, Energy Star appliances, etc. while investing in renewable energy—you can of course help reduce our dependency on dirty power.
Renewables on the Increase
As grim as the news around climate change can be, there is good news to report. A review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data just released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration reveals that solar provided over 11 percent of total U.S. electrical generation in May while wind plus solar produced over one-fifth and the mix of all renewable energy sources generated nearly 30 percent. My lists of lodging establishments powered by renewable energy continue to grow. Click here to access them. If your property is powered by on-site solar, wind, geothermal or hydro and is not currently listed, write to me at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
More good news is the number of hotel companies setting—and reaching—greenhouse gas reduction goals. For example, with a baseline year of 2008, Hilton had reduced its carbon emissions intensity for managed hotels by 48 percent as of 2024. Our industry’s biggest companies all have carbon reduction programs.
According to Sustainable Travel International (STI), tourism is responsible for roughly 8 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. Most of those emissions—49 percent—come from air transport with lodging at 6 percent. Lodging contributes significantly to food waste which, in landfills, creates methane which is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
As the number of people who can afford to travel grows, so will tourism’s environmental footprint—increasing the responsibility of our industry to invest accordingly.
Climate change will continue to disrupt and change the world of tourism in the years ahead. Will you be proactive with your response? Reactive? How many of you will be the visionaries helping to change the future of travel—and lodging design and operations?
Your thoughts? I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers, and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
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