We’ve known for some time that our travel habits need to change. It’s becoming increasingly important for us to travel consciously, and many of us are taking steps to become better tourists.
But sometimes sustainable travel as we know it today just isn’t enough. Stricter measures could be put in place to ensure we all play our part, according to a report by tour operator Intrepid Travel. The report claims that measures it describes as ‘drastic’ could be introduced in the future, and one of these could be ‘personal carbon credits’.
The global carbon budget is 750 million tonnes by 2050, but Intrepid says limits could be imposed on individuals by 2040, rationing the amount each person can use. It would probably be tracked through a passport.
It’s important to note that this is a prediction. There are currently no plans to implement this concept. But according to Intrepid, it’s very likely to happen.
The report, produced in partnership with The Future Laboratory, also discusses the impact of climate change on our choice of holiday destinations.
Forest fires in Greece, Tenerife and Portugal this year paint a bleak picture for the future of the Mediterranean. The report says that the Mediterranean could become an ‘extinct’ destination, citing a prediction by travel company Tui that travellers will opt for cooler destinations as the Mediterranean heat becomes unbearable. Tui is shifting its focus to the Nordic countries and destinations such as Belgium and the Netherlands.
Attitudes are already changing. Advantage Travel Partnership recently surveyed 2,000 Britons and found that 62 per cent of 18-24 year olds would reconsider where they travelled because of the climate, and 70 per cent would change the time of year they travelled.
Speaking to STV News, Intrepid Travel co-founder and chairman Darrell Wade said: “For too long, the immediate, catastrophic effects of climate change have been seen as something in the distant future. But it’s no longer an imminent event, it’s happening now.
Only time will tell if the carbon passport and the report’s other predictions come to pass.
Read more about sustainable travel on Time Out.Travel in Europe is undergoing major changes, with the introduction of new night trains and high-speed lines, as well as restrictions on short-haul flights.
At Time Out we’ve covered tourism, travel and sustainability extensively. Read our guides on how to become a better tourist, our favourite sustainable travel companies to book with and the world’s best eco-tourism destinations.