How Tourism Will Beat Plastic Pollution on World Environment Day

The World Tourism Network in partnership with SUNX Malta joined to remind the global travel and tourism industry about Plastic.

The theme for World Environment Day in 2023 is “Beat Plastic Pollution,” against the background of some 400 million tonnes of plastic produced yearly, half designed to be used only once.

The WTN Chairman Juergen Steinmetz said: ” Speaking for many SMEs in our 132 member countries. The World Tourism Network supports the initiative headed by SUNX Malta and Professor Geoffrey Lipman, who has led our initiatives on Climate Change and sustainable tourism development.”

Professor Geoffrey Lipman said: “At SUN^x Malta, in solidarity and partnership with the World Tourism Network and ICTP, we are adopting a sub-theme to our 2030 Strategy that tracks IPCC Targets and building a responsive Plastics initiative to support our Community Members.

“Our Strategy now incorporates a call for peaking of plastic use in 2025, cutting by half in 2030 and Zero Plastics in 2050.“

IATA said: “Aviation wants to be carbon neutral by 2050.”

Lipman continued: “To support this, we are creating a CFT Plastics Reduction Initiative with our Members and Partners who specialize in this work – Common Seas, Serious Business, Travel without Plastic, and the Blue Community, who are global players in the Circular Economy, Plastic Elimination, and Waste Management.

“We will introduce the initiative through selected Chapters, supported by Climate Friendly Travel Services, later this year. It is part of our broader “Peak Emissions by 2025 Program.”

“SUN^x is reaching out to the leadership of the Travel & Tourism sector to act on the latest IPCC Report (6th Assessment 2022), which called for three clear actions to have any chance of stabilizing global temperatures at Paris 1.5 by mid-century:

• 2025 Peak GHG Emissions
• 2030 Cut by 43%
• 2050 Net Zero

“It is a fact that many of the leading Travel & Tourism organizations & companies have firmly committed to the 2030 / 2050 goals – epitomized by the Glasgow Declaration.

But what happened to 2025?

Prof.Geoffrey Lipman

“Who in the tourism sector has even recognized the IPCC science-based call that says any mid- and long-term goals depend on facing the harsh realities now and setting a 2025 peaking ambition? Who wants even to try to bend our trend?

“How many floods, wildfires, ice melts, and deaths will it take for tourism to act now – not in 7 years?

“It is a massive challenge for every tourism stakeholder, and aviation is a hard-to-abate sector. But during COVID, we faced up to that challenge because there was no alternative. Now we have a chance to prepare – and time to get our act together.”

SUN^x Malta is a not-for-profit, EU-based organization partnered with the government of Malta that has created a unique, low-cost system to help Travel & Tourism companies and communities transform to the New Climate Economy.

The SUN^x Malta “Green & Clean, Climate Friendly Travel System” is Action and Education focused – supporting today’s companies and communities to deliver on their proclaimed ambitions and encouraging tomorrow’s young leaders to prepare for rewarding careers across the sector.

The World Tourism Network emerged from the COVID crisis with its “rebuilding.travel” discussion and currently has members in 132 countries. At the World Tourism Network, members are associated. Associates include SMEs, larger private sector leaders, and public travel sector representatives.