The Wilderness Group has released a “Carbon Emissions Framework Methodology,” designed by the carbon consultancy eCollective. It outlines how the company calculates an accurate carbon footprint per guest; the goal is to demonstrate accountability on its pledged efforts to reach “true net-zero” by 2030, besides engaging and assisting other tourism businesses in reducing their overall carbon footprint.
Measuring the greenhouse gas emissions of the business, the scope of the methodology covers everything from office emissions, staff business travel, websites and staff commuting, to virtual and hosted in-person events, along with the various components (transport, accommodation, activities, food, and guides and trip leaders) of the adventure trips offered by the Wilderness Group, including Wilderness Scotland, Wilderness Ireland, and Wilderness England.
Paul Easto, CEO and founder of The Wilderness Group, said: “With the release of this new methodology as an ‘open source’ document, our hope is that others can use it as a guide in their own sustainability initiatives, with an end goal of making the industry as a whole a force for good in the conservation of our planet.”
In partnership with eCollective, The Wilderness Group has developed a carbon-labeling scheme for travel. Like reading the nutritional information on a box of cereal, each itinerary has a carbon label, or score, indicating the amount of kilograms of carbon attributed to each trip, with an average of 142kg CO2e per traveler per trip across the whole business. These labels were determined based on an analysis of the carbon footprint of over 5,000 services such as food, accommodation, transport, and activities.
Here is a sample of Wilderness Group departures with a focus on sustainability and below-average carbon scores:
The “Wildlife Adventures - Autumn Wildlife Islay” itinerary has a carbon footprint of 108kg. Visitors can travel to the island of Islay on the west coast of Scotland. On a guided tour, they can witness the diversity of wildlife, including barnacle geese, which flock to Islay in their thousands each year. They can explore beaches and coastal trails, besides visiting a distillery for a tour and tasting.
The “High Points of the Cairngorms” itinerary has a carbon footprint of 129kg. Visitors can explore the high reaches and hidden corners of the Cairngorms Mountains on this all-inclusive hiking tour. Based at a private wilderness lodge in Glen Feshie, this small-group trip explores the northern and western side of Cairngorms National Park. The park is also home to ptarmigan, capercaillie and osprey.
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