ABSTRACT
The tourism sector must rapidly respond to climate change, within the evolving UN framework and progressively reduce its Greenhouse Gas contribution if it is to grow in a sustainable manner. Facing this challenge, the tourism industry, as well as the consumers, is offered several options for reducing emissions. Four major mitigation strategies for addressing greenhouse gas emissions from tourism can be distinguished: reducing energy use, improving energy effi ciency, increasing the use of renewable energy, and sequestering carbon through sinks. Reducing energy use is the most essential aspect of mitigation, which can be achieved by altering destination development and marketing, destination choices, as well as shifts in transport use from car and aircraft to rail and coach. Anticipating a carbon-constrained tourism economy thus appears as a vital challenge for the tourism industry, as well as a crucial priority for the well-being of citizens.
