Environment Responsive Solutions for Hospitality

With its close connections to the environment and climate itself, travel and tourism is considered to be a highly climate-sensitive economic sector. Thus, the sector is highly vulnerable to the effects of global warming and climate change which affects not only the geography of the earth but also has social, environmental and economic implications. Closer to home, it affects global tourism patterns and activities and demands adaptation by all tourism stakeholders, including hospitality. At the same time, the sector is also a contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that trap solar heat in the atmosphere, partly in the same way as glass traps solar heat in a sunroom or a greenhouse, resulting in increased global temperatures and climate change. 
 
The overall levels of economic activity and industrialization are important determinants of GHG emissions, which have grown since pre-industrial times with an increase of 70% between 1970 and 2004. GHGs include Carbon dioxide (CO2) that results from such activities as deforestation (for making paper amongst others) and the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas during transportation and power generation. Other GHGs include methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Since, tourism - including airlines and hospitality - relies heavily on activities that draw on huge natural reserves and result in GHG emissions (Exhibit 1), this article discusses strategies to conserve resources and mitigate GHG emissions, particularly for hospitality.