Hospitality business leaders must prioritize climate action at the core of their operations to ensure long-term sustainability and address urgent environmental challenges facing the industry.
World Tourism Day 2023 is a call to action to the international community to unite around the future of tourism. In celebration of this global awareness event we are focusing this week’s article on why committing to climate action is crucial and how the global hospitality industry can embed it right into the heart of their core business operations.
Climate change 101 for hospitality management
Let’s start by understanding the fundamentals of climate change, because this is essential for equipping busy hospitality business leaders with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions. The scientific consensus is that human activities are the primary drivers of Earth’s recent warming trends. Factors such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other human actions have led to a rapid surge in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere.
These gasses, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, act like a blanket, trapping heat near the Earth’s surface and causing global temperatures to rise. The consequences are undeniable, with carbon dioxide levels having surged by more than 30% since the industrial revolution. This surge has resulted in a global temperature increase of approximately 0.2 degrees Celsius per decade, with current mean surface temperatures standing approximately 1.0 degrees Celsius warmer than the pre-industrial era.
The answer lies in the far-reaching impacts of even moderate climate alterations. These changes are set to have dramatic and damaging consequences, touching every corner of the globe. Already, climate change is manifesting itself through an increase in the frequency and severity of natural disasters, from floods and hurricanes to wildfires and droughts, all directly linked to this global temperature change.
For hospitality businesses, the consequences of climate change could be significant, extending across industries and global borders. From disrupted supply chains due to extreme weather events to heightened insurance costs and labor challenges, the impacts are tangible and costly. As highlighted by Deloitte Insights, at least 80