An influential group of hospitality, travel and tourism organisations has published a free guide outlining measures that hotels can adopt to help tackle climate change.
Hotel industry professionals are being encouraged to play their part in reducing global carbon emissions.
Defining emissions, setting milestones and using renewables
A comprehensive guide for hotels that want to lower their carbon footprints has been jointly released by a host of hospitality, travel and tourism organisations. The Net Zero Methodology for Hotels explains the technical aspects of net zero, such as what should be included in scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 emissions, as well as providing achievable milestones for target years such as 2025, 2030 and 2040, and information about decarbonising through renewable energy sources.
Launched at the Cop26 climate change conference, the methodology has been written by sustainable hospitality consultancy Greenview in partnership with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, the World Travel & Tourism Council, Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency and Pacific Asia Travel Association. It’s been developed alongside an advisory group comprising representatives of several major hotel companies, including Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Accor, IHG, Radisson Hotel Group, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Meliá Hotels International and Minor Hotels.
Making net zero commitments
Guidance is provided in a number of areas to help hotels make deliverable net zero commitments, including:
- Setting a baseline from which to pursue a net zero target
- Establishing the boundary of emissions that hotels should address over time as part of the baseline and target
- Establishing default categories for planning a net zero pathway, with milestones to achieve at five-year intervals
- Quantifying emissions over time
- Understanding the variables that will be involved in pursuing net zero
- Understanding how the hotel’s emissions relate to the wider value chain of tourism and real estate
Coordinating with existing frameworks
The methodology also discusses aligning with existing frameworks like the Science Based Targets Initiative, Race to Zero and the Glasgow Declaration.
Eric Ricaurte, founder and CEO of Greenview, said: “As more and more hotel companies make net zero commitments, it is important to document how the specific challenges faced by this sector should be addressed. All too often, existing guidance relates to commercial real estate, which does not take into account issues such as the particular owner / operator / franchisee relationships in hotels, ongoing changes in portfolio, or the differing status of renewable energy in countries around the world.
“The methodology provides comprehensive and detailed guidance on all the topics which will need to be addressed by a hotel owner or operator wishing to achieve net zero by 2050.”
Patrick O’Meara, CEO of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, added: “The Net Zero Methodology for Hotels is a significant innovation, which will enable hotels to make credible and achievable net zero commitments. The methodology helps hotels to set boundaries, to measure and report emissions in a consistent way, and to make appropriate use of carbon offsetting in the short to medium term.
“It will help those hotels who have yet to make significant progress to start immediately on their net zero journey.”
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