tourism operators responding to climate change · benefits of becoming carbon neutral in the...

T o u r i s m O p e r a t o r s

RESPONDING TOCLIMATE CHANGE

BecomingCarbonNeutral

“Being a Climate Action ‘Leader’ has won ourcompany business as tourists increasingly make theirtravel choices according to climate action credentials."

Kim Thomas, Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises

GBRMPA Carbon Neutral case study.qxp:Layout 1 24/6/10 1:04 PM

RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE BECOMING CARBON NEUTRAL 2

What does it mean to be carbon neutral?The meaning of the term "carbon neutral" isevolving as the business of climate change moves forward.

Put simply, gases in the atmosphere trap the sun'senergy, keeping the Earth at a suitabletemperature for life. This is called the greenhouseeffect and the gases are called greenhouse gases.

As levels of greenhouse gases (mainly carbondioxide) increase, the atmosphere traps moreheat, causing the temperature of the Earth to rise,leading to changes in our climate.

In this case study, becoming carbon neutral meansachieving a zero overall carbon output andtherefore not contributing to climate change.

The steps to becoming carbon neutral are:

• Calculate your carbon footprint

• Reduce your carbon emissions

• Offset your remaining carbon emissions

Why should I care aboutbecoming carbon neutral?Climate change factors are likely to have the greatestinfluence on the long-term outlook for the GreatBarrier Reef.

Extreme weather events (cyclones, floods and dayswith wind over 25 knots) will increase, which couldaffect diving visibility, damage tourism infrastructuresuch as moorings and pontoons, and increasepassenger discomfort. Coral bleaching events willincrease in size and scale and ocean acidification willmake it harder for corals to grow.

By becoming carbon neutral you will:

• Minimise the effect of your business on the environment

• Stand out to climate conscious consumersworried about the impact of their holiday.

Research by Tourism Australia shows visitors fromthe key markets of the UK, China and Japan rankclimate change in their top three issues of concernand importance in holiday planning. By making yourbusiness carbon neutral, you can gain a competitiveadvantage in a marketplace of climate-savvy clients.

How do I become carbon neutral?Your business can become carbon neutral byfollowing these three steps.

Step 1. CalculateThe first step to becoming carbon neutral is tomeasure your business’ current direct greenhouse gasemissions or "carbon footprint". The Great BarrierReef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has an onlineemissions calculator specifically for the marinetourism industry.

Your overall greenhouse gas emissions are calculatedas the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2-e) andother greenhouse gases emitted as a result of yourbusiness. Your total emissions are usually expressedas kilograms of CO2 equivalents (CO2-e), which takesinto account the global warming effects of the manydifferent greenhouse gases.

Calculate your business’ greenhouse gas emissionson the Tourism Operators’ Emissions Calculator atwww.emissionscalculator.gbrmpa.gov.au/resourcedb/.There are ideas to help you save money and reduceemissions on the 'Resources' page.



� Become certified under a recognised scheme suchas Ecotourism Australia's ECO Certification orClimate Action Certification programs.

� Educate your visitors on actions they can take toreduce their carbon footprint at home.

Where can I find out more?• GBRMPA Tourism Emissions Calculator

www.emissionscalculator.gbrmpa.gov.au/resourcedb/

• Carbon Offset Guide Australiawww.carbonoffsetguide.com.au

• GBRMPA's Take Action on Climate Changewww.gbrmpa.gov.au/onboard/home/high_standards/climate_change_action

• GBRMPA's Outlook Report 2009www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/about_us/great_barrier_reef_outlook_report/full_report

• Carbon claims and the Trade Practices Actwww.carbonneutral.com.au/accc_carbon_claims_trade_practices_act.pdf

• Carbon Neutral, a not-for-profit organisationwww.carbonneutral.com.au

How will customers react?People are becoming more aware of climate change andwill generally respond very positively to a carbon neutraltourism product. You could:

• Include information on your sustainability activities inyour marketing material and interpretive programs.

• Offer your customers the opportunity to offset theirtravel emissions.

RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE BECOMING CARBON NEUTRAL 3

Step 2. Reduce The emissions calculator can itemise the greenhouse gasesproduced by different components of your business.

Now that you know the components of your businessthat produce the most greenhouse gases, identifychanges to your operational procedures to reduceyour emissions.

Strategies to change your operational procedures andreduce emissions may include:

• Choose energy efficient products when replacingappliances, vehicles and outboards. For example,new technology low emission outboard enginesuse 30 to 40 per cent less fuel then oldtechnology two-stroke engines, saving you moneyon fuel as well as generating less emissions.

• Run all engines, vessels or vehicles at optimumefficiency levels.

• Use renewable energy such as solar or wind.

• Recycle, buy "green" and reduce business-related travel.

These actions may cost more initially, but energysavings and rebate or incentive programs will cut yourcosts from day one.

Step 3. OffsetWhen you can't reduce your footprint any more, youcan offset the remaining emissions to compensate forthe greenhouse gases emitted by your business.

Your business can buy carbon offsets by investing in aproject or activity that stores greenhouse gases or reduces the concentration of these gases in the atmosphere.

Carbon offset products should be:

• Accredited to a recognised standard

• Independently verified

• Offering other environmental benefits.

Checklist � Calculate your carbon footprint at

www.emissionscalculator.gbrmpa.gov.au/resourcedb/

� Reduce your carbon footprint by changing youroperational procedures, upgrading to moreenergy efficient equipment and converting torenewable energy sources.

� Offset remaining emissions using an accreditedscheme with direct positive benefits for theGreat Barrier Reef.



Big Cat Green Island ReefCruises (Big Cat) operatestwo catamarans fromCairns to Green Island, onecarrying 330 passengersand the other 130. The company provides full and half-day tours, experienced by about 130 000 passengerseach year.

“We realised there was a direct link between climatechange, subsequent coral bleaching and the future ofour business, so we decided to take direct action toaddress climate change by reducing our carbonfootprint,” said Kim Thomas, General Manager, Big Cat.

The company hired an external consultant to conducta carbon audit and assist with documentingprocedures. Senior management became involved andorganised workshops to educate their suppliers,landlord and staff, and drive ongoing improvement.

A major component was improving the fuel efficiencyof the 330 passenger vessel. Strategies included anextension of the vessel, adding purpose-builtpropellers, and working on engine efficiency. Thisinvestment helped the company achieve a 30 per centsaving on fuel costs and they anticipate that the costof the changes will be recouped in about 3-4 years.

The remaining emissions were offset through GreenFleet Australia, a company that plants native trees in Australia.

Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises - top threebenefits of becoming carbon neutral

In the process of becoming carbon neutral, Big Catbecame certified under Ecotourism Australia’sClimate Action Certification Program, which helpedstaff gain a high level of awareness and focus onclimate change issues.

Thanks to this new awareness, monthly fuel andelectricity accounts are now used by staff to regularlymonitor emission performance. Big Cat has also putin place ongoing waste monitoring and reductionefforts, and will continue to evaluate other areas forpotential gains in energy efficiency.

“One of the main advantages of being an ‘earlymover’ on the issue has been the recognition ofleading our industry and region on climate changeaction. Going forward, the business is better placedto monitor and improve climate actionperformance,” said Kim.

But the process has not been a smooth path. “Theinitial challenge was to convince owners andmanagement of the value of the commitment, giventhe substantial investment and resources involved.Once the approach was agreed to, the next challengewas freeing up resources for the audit andadministration processes,” Kim continues.

Looking to the future, Big Cat will continue toinvestigate future emission reductions through:

• Use of alternate fuel blends, including hydrogenaugmentation

• Electrification of vessels (dependent on technologydevelopment and engine replacement cycles)

• Changing over to hybrid vehicles and ongoingimprovements to waste reduction and recycling.

For more information on Big Cat visitwww.greenisland.com.au.

RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE BECOMING CARBON NEUTRAL4

Case Study -Big Cat Green Island Reef CruisesCairns

Annual amountbefore climatechange action

Annual amountafter climatechange action

Reduced dieselfuel consumption 213 000 litres 164 000 litres

Reduced emissionsfrom fuel

1654 tonnes CO2-e 1456 tonnes CO2-e

Reduced emissionsfrom landfill waste

49.9 tonnes CO2-e 47.5 tonnes CO2-e

Printed on recycled paper © Commonwealth of Australia. Published by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2010



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