carbonneutraltourism.co.uk

The National Trust and English Heritage are conducting research to identify historic sites which will disappear if sea levels rise.    The UK coastline is receding by up to 6.5 feet per annum in some locations.

The Southwest Tourism Network lists a range of accommodation providers and places to visit which have are award winners in the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

Andrea Thompson, LiveScience Staff Writer notes that: “You may have to kiss that summer trip to the beach goodbye later this century, thanks to rising sea levels and more intense tropical storms, scientists predict.” Read more here.

The World Monuments Fund has recently released its ‘Watch List’ report which sets out the world’s 100 most endangered monuments.

Monuments and sites at threat from global warming, include:

• Herschel  Island in Canada, home to an ancient Inuit sites (rising sea levels)
• Captain Scott’s base in Antartica (increase in snowfall)

Reuters reports that “Costa Rica aims to cut its net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2021, President Oscar Arias said on Thursday, in a push to make the tiny Central American nation the first to offset all its carbon. Here’s the big goal, which I am personally declaring for the first time tonight. By 2021, Costa Rica’s 200th birthday, we will be a carbon neutral country,” Read more at Reuters.

Visit Eastborne via new marketing campaign are trying to encourage holidaymakers to think about the environment and take less holidays abroad by taking holidays in the UK.  Read more about the campaign here.

The Guardian newspaper reports on the boom in eco-holidays.

The article highlights an important trend - as people at home are becoming more environmental conscious e.g. recycle their rubbish, switching off lights, purchasing fair trade goods etc., they are taking this new found ‘environmental consciousness’ with them when they are making decisions about their holidays.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Svalbard an Arctic archipelago is promoting itself as a destination where visitors can experience first hand the negative impacts of global warming.

VisitScotland are trying to attract green-thinking holidaymakers by trying to become the world’s first ‘carbon neutral’ holiday destination.

Travelife a project backed by the EU will rank tour operators and travel companies on how well they perform environmentally.  To read more visit Opodo’s website.

Blackpool has failed in its bid to become a casino destination resort. But Rainforest Ventures have proposed an alternative use for the site earmarked for the casino. They would like to develop an indoor rainforest along with a carbon neutral leisure and hotel complex. Other cities in the North West are also been considered.