Tourism and Carbon Offsetting

In the context of the accelerating climate crisis, society's environmental awareness is growing – and with it the pressure on companies to position themselves in an environmentally and climate-friendly manner.

In a recently published policy paper, researchers from the Wuppertal Institute shed light on the role of tourism companies in German-speaking countries on the voluntary carbon market: Based on interviews with eight experts from various sectors of the tourism industry, the paper provides insights into the motivation of tourism companies to purchase carbon credits, the use of claims such as climate neutrality and climate positivity, the knowledge existing in companies about the voluntary carbon market, the perception of the quality and reputation of the certificates traded as well as expectations for future developments on the market.

Based on the interview results, the researchers provide conclusions and recommendations, for example on the development of guidelines for the tourism sector or for a public support programme.

The policy paper "The Demand-Side Perspective on the Voluntary Carbon Market – Insights from the German-speaking Tourism Industry" is available for download free of charge via the link below.