Climate change is one of the single biggest threats to the world as we know it. However, according to a recent report launched by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), immediate action can reduce current levels of GHG emissions and redesign a sustainable global economy, at the same time as helping to minimise the threat of climate change.

WTTC is the global forum for the Travel & Tourism industry. Members of the Council are Chairs and CEOs of the industry's foremost 100 Travel & Tourism organisations. In their report entitled Leading the Challenge on Climate Change industry leaders set out a vision for, and commitment to, tackling GHG emissions.

The report underlines the important role of partnership in attaining the vision defined by WTTC and calls for an alignment of goals and efforts among leaders of industry, employees, customers and policy-makers - whether in the commercial or public domain.

The report was the culmination of a joint effort, led by WTTC and facilitated by experts from the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership. A group of management executives specialising in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the environment from 30 Travel & Tourism companies across the world formed a 'soundboard' committee, helping to guide the vision, commitment and action plan which has since been adopted by more than 40 CEOs from the industry.

The achievements of this group were heralded as one of the most successful partnership approaches adopted in Travel & Tourism, representing government, academia, science and industry.

WTTC now plans to use this report - actively - to drive progressive commercial and public policy at local, national and international levels.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process comes to a head this year; ministers and officials from some 192 countries will gather in Copenhagen to renew the Kyoto Agreement. WTTC aims to use this report to help guide policy-leaders in Copenhagen towards a supportive framework that can unlock Travel & Tourism's potential to create economic and social prosperity, at the same time as decoupling growth from carbon emissions.

So what differentiates this report from the numerous other initiatives surrounding the industry at this time? First, the report features a commitment - which has been endorsed by more than 40 of the world's largest Travel & Tourism companies - to cut carbon emission levels of 2005 down by half (50% reduction) by 2035. An interim target has also been set to achieve 30% reduction by 2020 - in the presence of an international agreement - or 25% by the same year in the absence of such an agreement.
Second, the report identifies priority areas for action by industry which, if managed effectively, can help attain the targets defined. These actions are framed around themes including, accountability and responsibility; local community growth and capacity building; educating customers and stakeholders; the greening of supply chains; and innovation, capital investment and infrastructure within the industry.
Furthermore, WTTC sets out a series of commitments which the Council itself will use to track and measure the success of its own efforts towards leading the challenge on Climate Change. These commitments are set out in WTTC's implementation plan, which can be summarised as follows:

• Working with governments and inter-governmental institutions to align frameworks designed to measure progress against GHG emission targets.
• Guiding industry efforts towards common aims. WTTC makes particular reference to the role it will play in sharing information, best practice examples and detailed case studies with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the world. The Council plans to launch a web portal that will provide information, links and facilitate dialogue across the global industry and governments.
• Aviation - WTTC plans to support aviation's progressive CO2 emission reduction strategies and encourage airlines to halve carbon emissions levels by 2050.
• Local communities - assist in adopting practical carbon mitigation and adaptation strategies including new technologies.
• Forestry resources - encourage efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, with partners such as the Prince of Wales Rainforest Project.
• Financial instruments - target the investment community to encourage sustainable projects.
• Communication and education - share examples of best practice by sharing information, progress and experience, and facilitate innovation