SCOTLAND'S biggest city has given its name to a major new tourism clampdown on climate change.
Glasgow has long been known as the "dear green place". Now it's lending its name to a worldwide drive to make leisure travel greener.
Global tourism chiefs have unveiled their new Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, named after the host city of COP26.
Developed by leading organisations from around the world, it "brings together the latest research and global expertise to galvanise climate action".
The declaration will be officially launched at the climate change summit in November and is described as an "urgent call" that commits signatories to a decade of climate action in tourism.
It is unveiled this evening with 40 days to go until the crunch talks begin.
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It's hoped the move will help slash global tourism emissions "by at least a half" over the next decade, according to the UN's World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
Those who sign up pledge to deliver a concrete climate action plan within 12 months.
VisitScotland chief executive Malcolm Roughead commented: "As the first national tourism organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency, we have long been committed to leading the development of Scotland as a responsible destination. We are reducing our own carbon emissions to meet our target to become net zero and are supporting businesses and destinations to do the same to ensure Scotland is enjoyed by generations of visitors to come.
"The Glasgow Declaration presents a unique opportunity to demonstrate the decisive action the tourism and events industry is taking globally in the face of the climate crisis."
The pledge states: "A just transition to Net Zero before 2050 will only be possible if tourism's recovery accelerates the adoption of sustainable consumption and production, and redefines our future success to consider not only economic value but rather the regeneration of ecosystems, biodiversity and communities."
Talks on the declaration were held today, with UNWTO joined by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), VisitScotland, the Travel Foundation and Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency.
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The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, the European Tourism Association, Peruvian eco-tourism firm Inkaterra, sustainable travel specialist Intrepid Group and Radisson Hotel Group were amongst other attendees.
Launch partners will be signed up from the start of October.
Zurab Pololikashvili, UNWTO Secretary-General, said: "We all recognise that tourism has an important role to play. It's highly vulnerable to climate change and contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases, while being well placed to contribute to adaptation.
"But no one organisation can tackle this alone. That's why we need to work urgently together within a consistent sector-wide approach to accelerate change and therefore I encourage tourism stakeholders to subscribe the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism."
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