Today, commercial flights account for between 2 and 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to figures from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It is estimated that these emissions could double by 2050 due to the increase in the number of air passengers, further exacerbating global warming.
Aware of this problem and its consequences on the environment, international airlines such as American, Delta and United, among many others, have committed to achieving carbon neutrality by the year 2050. To achieve this, they are implementing a series of tactics that include the purchase of more fuel-efficient aircraft, the electrification of its ground vehicles and the increase in efficiency in its operations. And many are also actively inviting passengers to measure and offset the carbon footprint of their flights during the online check-in process.
In Argentina, The Carbon Sink has become a reference in guiding both organizations and individuals in measuring and offsetting their travel carbon footprints. "Measuring, reducing and offsetting the carbon footprint is a crucial step towards more sustainable tourism," says Federico Falcón, executive director of The Carbon Sink.
One of the most recent cases that stands out is that of Silvia Canziani, who decided to offset 6 tons of CO2e from her trip in Argentina and Africa, purchasing carbon credits from the “Corredor de los Cedros” Project. "It seemed important to me to do something different from what we always do for the planet. Measuring and offsetting the footprint of my trip was very easy and accessible thanks to the help of The Carbon Sink. And the inner satisfaction of knowing that, thanks to this contribution "In one place on the planet there is a tree that grows carefully and a species that is being conserved, it is enormous. I would continue measuring and compensating all my trips, to support this purpose," says Silvia.
Silvia's initiative was suggested by her travel agency, Boomerang Viajes, which had already neutralized 5 tons of CO2e derived from its operations. Bettina González, director of Boomerang Viajes, said: "As part of our purpose as a B Company and with the objective of achieving carbon neutrality, we signed an agreement with The Carbon Sink to measure and offset our carbon footprint. Thanks to this alliance, "We contribute to the conservation of the Jujeña Yungas forest and to global climate objectives," he states proudly.
Another case that The Carbon Sink highlights is that of Procolombia, the government tourism promotion agency, which annually organizes the Colombia Nature Travel Mart, a business conference that brings “nature tourism” to different global travel agents. This year, Procolombia measured the direct and indirect emissions of this activity, including all flights of all people who visited the country and internal trips, and compensated them with certified carbon credits that seek to protect ecosystems in their country.
“As more people and entities join these initiatives, a movement towards more conscious tourism committed to caring for the planet is strengthened. Every step towards carbon neutrality contributes to mitigating the climate crisis and protecting our natural environments," says Federico Falcón.
Fuente: The Carbon Sink.