The European Travel Commission (representing 35 National Tourism Organizations) recently signed an SDG 17 Agreement with SUNx Malta which has already produced 3 concrete actions to advance Climate Friendly Travel in Europe.

• ◉ Professor Geoffrey Lipman gave an in depth presentation on Climate Friendly Travel to the General Meeting of ETC in Slovenia in May – detailing the concepts, linkage with the SDG’s and Paris 1.5, Stakeholder engagement, with Registered climate and sustainability plans for transparency, SDG 17 Partners support, as well as a unique focus on youth leadership. He noted SUNx Malta was a launch signatory of the Glasgow Tourism declaration but had called for it to go further, faster to meet IPCC targets of 7.6% per annum GHG reduction through 2030 and zero GHG 2050. He referenced Climate Friendly Travel as a community based lifestyle with shared climate and sustainability interests of visitors and residents,  curated and promoted by networks of young people and aligned with the UN green (2030) and clean (2050) Roadmap.

 

• ◉ This was followed by a one week online intensive Training Course for 13 ETC Members in July

 

• ◉ A pilot CFT program with 3 representative NTO’s to be launched in October

 

Commenting on this Lipman said it was a privilege to work with such a professional, dedicated organization and he hoped this could be a model for future collaboration in other regions.