Addressing the annual Conference of the European Centre for Peace and Development, Professor Geoffrey Lipman, Co-creator of SUN^x set out a positive framework for the Travel & Tourism Sector to respond to the Climate Crisis and the catalytic role envisaged for SUN^x Malta. The main points are set out below.

“The Climate Crisis is increasingly recognized as the top existential threat to humanity - the world has a rolling plan in Paris 2015 to go Climate Neutral by 2050: with emissions peaking in a year and halving by 2030. This is the only globally agreed scenario to keep temperatures at a survivable level. To stop our grandchildren from freezing or frying. Nation States are all signing on and setting out pathways from where they are to where they have to be.

Travel & Tourism is slow to get on board that plan – although WTTC is leading a charge. We’re always a special case - too complex: too international: too vital for development. NOT THIS TIME. THERE ARE NO SPECIAL CASES

We have no alternative but to join the rest of humanity. This is not a lobbying issue – not flight shaming or over tourism - it’s a survival issue. There are no opt outs for special sectors. And as a huge positive socio-economic driver, we too important for jobs, gdp and trade not to be a change leader At SUN^x this is our mission in life – following the path laid down by our mentor, the late Maurice Strong. Offering hope out of the doom and gloom scenarios, we’ve developed a transformation framework we call “Plan for Our Kids”

FIRST - A new operational framework of “Climate Friendly Travel” –

Measured to manage – particularly emissions:

Green to grow – low carbon, inclusionary: circular and nature based.

2050 proof to hit the Paris targets - with technology innovation as a driver.

Climate Friendly Travel applies to the whole travel & tourism value chain – transport: hospitality: travel services: as well as infrastructure and destinations. The first 3 are active – we can drive them : the last two are passive we can take advantage of the changes that they will have to embrace in the New Climate Economy

SECOND – A Malta based Registry of Climate Neutral 2050 Ambition for companies and communities to voluntarily and transparently lay out their 2050 Emission Reduction Targets and Pathways. And to improve on them year on year. With an Annual sector wide progress report and expert fact check.

THIRD – a web based Lifetime Learning System - starting in schools and running through University

FOURTH – a massive global mobilization of 100,000 STRONG Climate Champions across all UN States by 2030. A force to advance Climate Friendly Travel and a trained support base for sector transformation.

FINALLY - Last year we were fortunate to partner with the Ministry of Tourism for Malta. They sponsor our annual report (www.thesunprogram.com/ambitions) and awareness raising, as well as collaborating on Climate Resilience change mechanisms, tools and resources. Malta will host our Ambitions Registry. In turn SUN^x gives Malta a unique global focal point for Travel & Tourism Climate Neutral 2050 - and we are very excited about our transformation capacity. It’s a win-win SDG 17 partnership.

Hopefully we can create a similar SDG 17 Linkage with ECPD, building on the outstanding Remembering Maurice F. Strong Book that you have already produced.^i.

 

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^i. SUN^x - Strong Universal Network - a legacy program for the late Maurice Strong, arguably the father of sustainable development and an enthusiastic believer in the potential of Travel & Tourism as a sustainability change agent. “x” represents the eXistential Climate Crisis