Adventure Canada has proudly aligned with other tourism industry leaders and become a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism.
Officially launched at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November 2021, The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism unites travel and tourism behind a common set of pathways for climate action, aligning the sector with global commitments and catalyzing collaborative solutions to the many challenges facing businesses and destinations globally. To do this, they have brought together the latest research and global expertise to galvanize climate action throughout the global tourism industry. The Declaration encourages the acceleration of climate action in tourism by securing commitments to reduce emissions in tourism by at least 50% over the next decade and achieve Net Zero as soon as possible before 2050. The Pathways to action defined in the Glasgow Declaration include:
- Measure: measure and disclose all travel and tourism-related emissions.
- Decarbonise: set and deliver science-based targets to accelerate tourism’s decarbonization.
- Regenerate: restore and protect ecosystems, supporting nature’s ability to draw down carbon, as well as safeguarding biodiversity, food security, and water supply.
- Collaborate: share evidence of risks and solutions with all stakeholders and our guests, and work together to ensure our plans are as effective and coordinated as possible.
- Finance: ensure organizational resources and capacity are sufficient to meet objectives set out in climate plans.
“We are proud to join other leaders in tourism as signatories of The Glasgow Declaration to demonstrate our unequivocal commitment to climate action and responsible tourism,” says Scott McDougall, Director of Sustainable and Regenerative Travel at Adventure Canada. “While we have always tried to do our part when it comes to climate action and education, this formalizes our commitment and helps us establish a firm foundation on which to take further action. We see this as an important step in formalizing our journey towards improvement, and look forward very much to meeting—and exceeding—the high standards set to ensure that our operations are productive and positive for the planet and people.”
As a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, Adventure Canada has committed to aligning its actions with the latest scientific recommendations to ensure its approach remains consistent with a rise of no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100. They also agree to deliver climate action plans within twelve months, aligning their plans with the five pathways of the Declaration, report publicly on an annual basis, and work in a collaborative spirit, sharing good practices and solutions, and disseminating information.
To date, Adventure Canada has taken several steps to set the foundation for climate action and leadership as a company and plans to take continued action to provide leadership in the sector and comply with the standards of the Glasgow Declaration. This includes:
- Quantification of carbon outputs. Since 2019 (except for COVID-19 years where they did not operate), Adventure Canada has undertaken GHG quantification through a third-party consultant to understand the extent of their carbon emissions. Over time, this reporting has become more precise and useful and will continue to guide Adventure Canada through their decarbonization efforts.
- Effecting a decarbonization strategy which prioritizes the replacement of their current vessel, the Ocean Endeavour in 2026 which will offer considerable improvements in GHG emissions and actioning on board carbon reduction strategies centred on power management, food procurement and meal planning, food waste management, refrigerant management, and plastics elimination. Adventure Canada has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and is working to reach this target before that deadline.
- Implementing a carbon offsetting program. Adventure Canada enacted a voluntary carbon offsetting program in 2024 to support the Great Bear Carbon Initiative. This program will become compulsory in 2026 with the cost of offsetting (different for each voyage) built into the pricing of Adventure Canada expeditions.
- Climate education. Although climate and climate action have featured for many years on Adventure Canada expeditions, in 2024 they enacted a formal policy of centering the on-board educational program on climate change on all expeditions. The educational program aims to educate and empower guests and measure the impact of that education in post-trip guest surveys.
- Compliance in regulated carbon markets. Adventure Canada is subject to two regulated carbon environments in Canada and Europe which they are readying themselves to happily comply with. In Canada, this takes place in the form of a fuel surcharge which was introduced in 2024 and will continue to increase until 2030. In Europe, they are subject to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme which will impact their operations from 2025 onward.
