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Low-Carbon Travel: How Can We Balance Vacations with a Low-Carbon World?
November 2024
Sobriety
Transportation
Sobriety
Transportation
Made by
Nicolas Meunier
Former member of Carbone 4
Article
Low-Carbon Travel: How Can We Balance Vacations with a Low-Carbon World?
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Our Tourism FAQ - Part 2
Typically, to compare CO2 emissions across modes of transportation, emissions are calculated in CO2/person-km—that is, the amount of CO2 emitted to transport one person over 1 km. Using this method, the train stands out as a low-carbon mode of transportation. For long-distance travel—such as trips taken for vacations—air travel produces the highest emissions. It is also worth noting that cars remain a high-emission mode of transportation.
However, with a set amount of time set aside for vacation (a weekend, a week, two weeks, etc.), The choice of destination is based on the travel time required to reach it. In fact, someone willing to travel 4 hours to go on vacation will not produce the same amount of emissions depending on whether they take the TGV to travel within France or fly to a more distant destination. The travel time appears, then—along with the cost, of course—as the real deciding factor, rather than the distance traveled. It is therefore worth examining CO2 emissions per hour of travel. We can see that air travel stands out very clearly as the mode of transportation with the highest emissions per hour of travel. By this measure, the train remains the mode of transportation with the lowest carbon footprint. The problem with air travel, then, is not so much its emissions per kilometer, but rather the fact that it encourages trips over distances that would not otherwise be considered!
As mentioned in our first FAQ, transportation accounts for the majority of tourism’s carbon emissions. This is also reflected in the emissions of a few typical profiles:
So, to reduce the carbon emissions of a trip, the mode of transportation chosen as well as the Distance traveled is the main determinant. One way to significantly reduce emissions is simply to travel less often and stay longer each time : For example, by spending a week in Lisbon rather than spreading yourself thin over four long weekends in European capitals. Or by traveling to another continent every 3–4 years rather than every year. By reducing the total number of flights and the distance traveled, you reduce overall emissions. This also allows you to get to know destinations and their residents more deeply.
In addition to transportation, emissions also come from lodging, shopping, and dining. In these areas, certain choices can increase the carbon footprint of a trip. For example, Staying at a high-end hotel rather than a mid-range hotel doubles the carbon emissions associated with lodging. If you want to further reduce emissions associated with this activity, choosing a tent when camping can lead to a significant reduction[1]. Within the same category of accommodations, it’s a good idea to choose establishments that have a label, similar to the Ecolabel, which is harmonized at the European level. It includes criteria related to reducing energy and water consumption, waste management, and the overall management of the facility.[2]There are many other labels, and it is important to understand the criteria used to award them in order to know what they guarantee.
Finally, regarding thefood, let's keep in mind that vegetarian options can also reduce this emissions figure by a factor of 10, from more than 6 kgCO2e for a meal with beef to 0.5 kgCO2e for a vegetarian dish[3], and this applies not only to everyday life but also during vacations!
To travel in a low-carbon way, certain factors come into playdirectly from the individual such as the choosing a destination, mode of transportation, or type of lodging for a vacation (see previous question). The frequency the person you decide to go far away with is also a key lever on which we can take action individually. It is up to each individual to make a an informed and responsible choice in order to limit its impact. Increasingly, travel agencies and search engines such as Mollow[4], Greengo[5], Immersion[6], Hourrail[7] or Ebooqueen[8] specialize in offering tourism services that take these issues into account.
But tIt doesn't depend on the traveler's choice and some aspects that are more societal in nature, relate to thethe collective image we have of vacations, which often involves traveling far away. As a society, we can change these misconceptions and promote alternative approaches such as “slow travel” (slow travel (in English) that prioritizes the time spent there, emphasizing the connection to the place.
The the government and institutions also play a crucial role by implementing Strategies for Promoting Low-Carbon Tourism. This is true of the cycling industry’s commitment to making France the world’s No. 1 destination for cycling tourism by 2030[9]. Other approaches involve the infrastructure development public transportation and support for lodging and restaurant businesses to accelerate the ecological transition. Public policies can implement incentives in order to make low-carbon modes of transportation more attractive, such as the Rail Pass[10] and related discounts on tourist attractions, such as those in Normandy[11], and work on the Awareness and Communication for example, by regulating advertising by airlines or cruise lines.
It is thanks to increased awareness and actions at all levels, that Truly sustainable tourism can become both a desirable goal and a reality concrete.
Low-carbon tourism is characterized primarily by the mode of transportation, as well as the type of tourism activities undertaken at the destination (see questions 7 and 8)
On site, the Low-carbon forms of tourism are generally less expensive because they consume less energy, and require less infrastructure. As a result, sleeping in a tent is less expensive than staying in a modest hotel—let alone a luxury hotel—which goes hand in hand with emissions. Additional services—and therefore costs—are the source of the higher environmental impact. Similarly, a hike will cost less than a recreational activity that uses energy (ATV ride, motorboat) or infrastructure (water park, skiing).
When it comes to travel, this correlation between price and CO2 emissions does not always hold true, and there are plenty of examples of trips that are more expensive by train than by plane or car. Let’s keep in mind, however, that TGV and air travel use models pricing sophisticated, and that it is difficult to make comparisons given the day, the anticipation of the trip, or the strategy pricing The company's policies influence the price. For example, it's easy to find counterexamples, such as promotional TGV tickets starting at 16€ on OuiGO.
Looking at the averages (which mask a wide range of prices) established by the transportation regulatory authority, A low-carbon tourist will spend a little more to reach the same destination by train than a tourist who flies there on a low-cost airline, but less than a tourist who flies with a traditional airline.
Nevertheless, this analysis hides part of the truth, since thePrices generally increase with distance. However, low-carbon travel favors closer destinations, as explained in question 7, travel time—rather than distance—generally determines the choice of vacation. If we consider the cost of travel per hour of travel time, we get a better correlation with emissions, with air travel being very expensive, and rail travel (excluding the TGV) or bus travel being cheaper than road travel, even though the TGV remains expensive (see the following figure).
In the wake of the Olympics, France would very much like to retain its “gold medal” in tourism—something we regularly boast about—but what exactly are we talking about? This refers to the number of international tourist arrivals, and France was still in first place in 2023 with 100 million tourists[12]. Is it realistic to think that we will be able to remain number one while becoming a carbon-neutral country? No, because international tourists are responsible for the majority of tourism-related emissions in France (see question 3), and It is unrealistic to expect that we can continue to increase this figure while radically decarbonizing.
Still, is this really a problem? What matters is in the end is primarily the economic, cultural, and social activity in France associated with tourism. However, in terms of revenue from international tourism - a partial indicator, but one that provides an order of magnitude - France ranks only 5th at $63.5 billion, far behind the United States at $176 billion. We might have fewer foreign visitors arriving, but they would stay with us longer, allowing us to achieve the same level of development with fewer trips as a result. Or foreign travelers coming from closer by As we saw from 2018 to 2022, when—due to the pandemic—the decline in tourism in France (nearly 16%!) was largely attributed to a shift from Asian and American tourism toward intra-European tourism.[13]
On the other hand, the top destination for French tourists is… France![14] Domestic tourism accounts for 70% of tourism GDP and generates far fewer emissions than international tourism long-distance.
So, it all comes down to the metrics, and France could very well maintain a significant level of tourism (currently accounting for 5% of the country’s total employment[15]) while reducing its carbon footprint; that's definitely worth a medal.
The French are globetrotters : More than one in five trips takes place more than 500 km from home, and the proportion of long trips is on the rise. As evidence, Trips of more than 900 km increased by 68% between 2008 and 2019, while those under 200 km decreased by 10%[16] at the same time!
This increase in long-distance travel is driven in particular by the surge in travel to foreign countries and the French overseas departments, which rose by 28%[17] during the same period, driven by increased use of air travel. Between 2008 and 2019, while the number of train trips decreased by 15%[18], the number of air trips increased by 71%[19]. French people fly three times as much as the global average, even though they accounted for less than 1% of the world's population[20] In 2018, they accounted for 2.6% of the passenger-kilometers traveled by air worldwide that year[21] ! A figure that nevertheless hides a social disparity because only one-third of France's residents fly during the year[22] and, to put it more simply, only a slight majority of French people (60%) have the opportunity to go on vacation[23].
1.
MyCO2 calculations by Carbone 4. Approximately 3 kg CO2e per person for a one-week stay in a tent at a campground, compared to 21 kg CO2e per person for a mid-range hotel and 42 kg CO2e per person for a high-end hotel. Includes infrastructure and services, as well as electricity and heating consumption, for a stay in France.
2.
European Ecolabel – Tourist Accommodations (NF543) – ECOLABELS. Available here.
3.
ADEME Footprint Database.
9.
Ministry of the Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty. Signing of a sector-specific agreement between the government and France Vélo. https://www.entreprises.gouv.fr/fr/actualites/signature-contrat-filiere-gouvernement-filiere-economique-velo
10.
Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion. The Rail Pass. https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/pass-rail
12.
UN Tourism, 2023 Year in Review
13.
ADEME, 2024, Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Tourism in France in 2022—Second Edition
14.
15.
Ministry of the Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, March 7, 2024, Employment in the French Tourism Sector
16.
According to MTES, 2021 How Are the French Traveling in 2019? Results of the Survey on Personal Mobility.Available here.
17.
According to MTES, 2021 How Are the French Traveling in 2019? Results of the Survey on Personal Mobility.Available here.
18.
According to MTES, 2021 How Are the French Traveling in 2019? Results of the Survey on Personal Mobility.Available here.
19.
According to MTES, 2021 How Are the French Traveling in 2019? Results of the Survey on Personal Mobility.Available here.
20.
INSEE, March 26, 2019, Tables on the French Economy
21.
Carbon 4, based on data from Our World in Data, 2018, Share of global passenger-kilometers from air travel. Available here
22.
NGO Possible, 2021: Available here
23.
Inequality Watch, 2024, According to the data, 40% of French people do not go on vacation, Available here
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