Risks affecting the hospitality industry are not only related to inflation, war, and geopolitics. Science has proven that climate-related risks and biodiversity loss are a threat to the fabric of society. The convergence of global systemic risks has a name: global polycrisis [1]. In addition, localized events such as wild fires or potential torrential rain put destinations at risk, leading to the assertion that "tourism destinations in every corner of the globe face the virtual certainty of experiencing a disaster of one form or another at some point in their history"[2]. The hospitality industry operates in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment. Thus, it is challenging for hotel owners, operators, and leadership teams to adapt to the constantly changing circumstances.
There is a large global inequality in carbon emissions. Per capita emissions range from less than 1 metric tonne to more than 35 tonnes1 of CO2e with a global average of roughly 4.5 tonnes per capita2. Aligning the global community to the Paris Agreement requires the per capita average to drop at 2 tonnes by 20503. Affluence and carbon footprint go hand in hand. This is particularly true for the tourism and travel sector which remains highly income-elastic and carbon-intensive 4.
The High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for People and Nature, with over 85 member countries [1], is calling for a 30 x 30 target: a global endeavor by governments to safeguard 30% of the land and ocean areas by 2030 [2]. The initiative comes with growing scientific evidence that large sections of the earth must be conserved in a natural state to address both the biodiversity and climate crises [3,4,5].
From the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism [1] to the Net Zero Roadmap for Travel & Tourism [2], the industry is taking on the decarbonisation challenge and giving itself net zero toolboxes. We have officially entered the Decade of Decarbonisation.