Sustainability in travel & tourism

The planet we inhabit is changing, and here at Weather2Travel.com, as those who love to explore this wonderful world, we can no longer turn a blind eye to the impact we have and the role we can play in this evolving reality.

Playa Chiquita on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast
Playa Chiquita on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast © Simon Dannhauer - Dreamstime.com

Instead, we're attempting to tackle, educate and discuss some of the biggest issues around sustainability and responsible travel.

We're not only highlighting the problems but posing questions to make us all stop and think. We'll also be offering some solutions, looking at how small changes in the way we all travel can have a big impact on the communities and destinations we visit.

Glossary of sustainability terms

To get started, we've listed the definitions of some key terms used when discussing sustainability and responsible travel.

Climate change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature, rainfall patterns, and weather extremes that ultimately alter the climate and environment of regions on Earth. These changes normally take place over many thousands of years, driven by natural forces, but in the past 150 to 200 years, climate change has been driven by human activities, mainly as a result of burning fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Global warming

Global warming is the long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature, mainly caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. These activities release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which trap heat and lead to changes in climate patterns, warmer temperatures, rising sea levels and extreme weather events.

Greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases are gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat from the sun, helping to keep the planet warmer than it would otherwise be. The main greenhouse gases are water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, intensifying global warming.

Carbon emissions

Carbon emissions are the release of carbon-based gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2), into the atmosphere, mainly from activities such as burning fossil fuels and industrial processes. These emissions increase the amount of greenhouse gases in the air, contributing to global warming.

Please note: we refer to both carbon dioxide and its chemical formula CO2, interchangeably.

Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels are natural energy resources such as coal, oil and natural gas that were formed over millions of years from the remains of plants and animals. When burned for energy, they release carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution and global warming.

Net zero

In the climate debate, 'net zero' means balancing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere over a period of time with equivalent amounts that are extracted by using technologies that capture and store them. When the world reaches net zero, it will no longer be adding to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Temperatures may continue to rise for a time, but eventually the Earth's climate should stabilise.

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