We're a collective of travel companies, organisations and industry professionals who believe tourism should declare a climate emergency.

We acknowledge the science stating we have one decade to address the climate crisis.

We accept we have a responsibility to tell the truth, act now, and work together to help turn it around.

We commit to:

1. Develop a ‘Climate Emergency Plan’.

2. Share commitment and progress publicly.

3. Cut carbon emissions.

4. Work together.

5. Advocate for change.

Earth Changers’ Declaration

At Earth Changers, we work in travel because we love the world and all that travel brings us.

We recognise its contribution to global GBP and jobs, cross-cultural understanding and tolerance, and that without its support, many places, people and wildlife will be endangered.

But we’re also acutely aware that travel creates negative impacts. In fact, it’s why we set up Earth Changers – to show another way and facilitate the most sustainable alternative choices to help deliver positive impacts in destinations.

Earth Changers love the world, its people and places, and we want it and travel to be able to continue in a sustainable way.

And we curate our partners by choosing to work with select suppliers with shared vision, mission and values.

We will therefore:

1. Tell The Truth

• We tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency.

• From our foundations, our core and focus is positive impact travel as a solution for tourism for sustainable development.

• We encourage positive impact travel for adventure and connection with integrity: our values.

• We work as equals with our partners at home and abroad who demonstrably evidence alignment.

• We are fully transparent about all they do to minimise negative and maximise positive impacts.

• We empower our audience with information on alternative places and people serious about sustainability for making better tourism choices.

• We support our audience and partners by facilitating their connection and working together.

• We provide a model for industry and consumers to follow how tourism can be better.

• We advocate for change in the sector representing positive impact tourism in the wider world.

2. Put Earth First

• At Earth Changers, we’re purpose-first, impact-driven, values-led and centre on people.

• Carbon and climate are key considerations in balance with needs of conservation and community development.

  All the sustainable development goals inter-relate, and all impact, and are impacted by, the Climate Crisis and tourism.

• At Earth Changers we put planet before profit to put Earth First.

3. Act Now

• Earth Changers act to tell the truth and put Earth First.

• We research, learn, share, inform and empower others to join our journey.

Our Climate Emergency Commitment Progress to Date

Since launch, Earth Changers have committed to raising awareness and advocating to Tell the Truth, put Earth First, and Act Now:

All partner Places’ available impacts and emissions have been published and shared since our pre-launch beta site.
We also highlighted the significance of Climate Change to Sustainable Development Goal #14: Marine Conservation.

From launch, Earth Changers was named a UN World Tourism Organisation-authorised Partner Solution to Sustainable Tourism for development, for the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development (#IY2017).

Published and shared article on SDG #7: Affordable & Clean Energy, highlighting its connection to Climate Change, since regularly updated.

Published and shared article on SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production, to advocate reducing footprints that underpin carbon emissions and climate change, including sustainable buildings and construction, reducing pollutants, reducing food waste and loss, promoting best practice reduction, recycling, reuse, measurement and monitoring, and raising awareness and education in tourism. Since regularly updated.

Published and shared substantial article on Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Change and its inter-relation with tourism in layman’s terms. Since regularly updated.

Earth Changers nominated for 2 UK Blog Awards for advocacy and influence in the Green & Eco and Travel categories.

Earth Changers invited to be part of the Council of Collaborators for SunX, to build climate resilience through Impact Travel.
2 Blogs published: De-plastic Fantastic your Travel: 5Rs for more Sustainable Tourism.

June 2018

Podcast: #EthicalHour with Earth Changers: SustainableTourism, the SDGs and How Storytelling can Change the World, highlighting Climate Change SDG 13 priority.
Blog published: Zero Waste in Hotels, in light of sustainable production and consumption, and plastic and their contribution to the climate crisis.

Podcast guest: Sustainable(ish) with Jen Gale: Sustainable(ish) Travel with Vicky Smith of Earth Changers. Does climate change and our desire to not exacerbate it mean that foreign travel is off the cards?

Founder Vicky named an Ambassador for the #YearOfGreenAction by Defra, the UK’s Government Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for advocacy and influence.

Blogs published: Travel in the Era of Nature and Climate Breakdown and Food: Waste Not Want Not highlighting the Climate Emergency and contributing factors.

Part of a month-long cross-sector initiative, Goals for Change, supporting the SDGs on social media, including this interview with Claire Lyons of The Frugal Family including the importance of Climate Change.

Guest Speaker for Winchester Sustainable Business Community on Sustainable Travel & The SDGs.

Attended the First 2050 Climate Ambitions Event at the World Travel London, convened by SunX.

Contributor to the travel & transportation chapter in “'The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide - Everything you need to know to make small changes that make a big difference' by Jen Gale.

Feb 2020

March 2020

June 2020

August 2020

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Jan 2021

Feb 2021

April 2021

Our Climate Emergency Plan

It is impossible to develop an emissions-reduction climate plan when a solopreneur new start-up aiming to grow - of course we aim for an opportunity cost savings of clients switching to our sustainable trips from others’ nsustainable trips we can’t measure. Add Covid to that, and the lockdown of travel, the only emission reductions we can offer are from our website - and we’re working on that.

In the meantime, we also commit to developing our business with climate at heart for our:

Audience:  

• We commit to continue raising awareness of the climate crisis and advocating for positive impact tourism in our blogs, social media, talks, interviews, press and interactions with the public.

• We commit to dedicate communications to the Climate Crisis at least monthly.

Operations:       

• We commit to supporting clients and partners with information to measure, monitor and reduce carbon to enable and empower better impact decisions.

• We commit to further explore partnerships to offer complementary ancillary services to support the climate emergency.

Partners:            

• We commit to highlight our involvement in Tourism Declares to all our partners.

• We commit to encourage and communicate our partners’ climate and carbon initiatives, measurements, monitoring and reduction.

Company:

• We commit to reviewing, measuring, monitoring and reducing our own carbon impacts, personally and professionally

• We commit to continuing to update and enhance our targets and plans.