REPORT - WORLD TRAVEL MARKET - LONDON: With just 25 days to the opening of the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen, the travel industry must play its part in fighting the catastrophic effects of global warming.

Launching the third World Travel Market World Responsible Tourism Day, Fiona Jeffery, Chairman of World Travel Market, said: “December’s climate summit is vital to more than just our industry. It’s essential for the future of our children and our grandchildren.”

She quoted the Prince of Wales’s warning about climate change: “If unchecked, it will result in billions of environmental refugees, uncertain production of food and lack of water, the increasing spread of disease and growing social instability. In other words, this will affect the well-being of every man, woman and child on our planet.”

World Travel Market, the premier global event for the travel industry, is hosting World Responsible Tourism Day in association with the UNWTO and is supported by hundreds of associations, travel firms and leading responsible tourism experts throughout the world.

Companies and individuals who cannot take part during the WTM exhibition at ExCeL-London are marking the day with activities such as press conferences, awards ceremonies, trade fairs or more light-hearted events such as a children’s picnic, charity walk or community event.

Jeffery said: “Just imagine Switzerland or Colorado with no winter sports; or the traditional sunny hotspots becoming like a total desert. It doesn’t bear thinking about – but without sounding alarmist, the world’s scientists are in agreement that this could happen unless action is taken.”

She said the focus of debate on carbon efficiency in travel and tourism is shifting as there is an increasing acceptance that carbon offsetting simply does not deliver what the industry needs.

“Instead, the industry needs to be clever, to think out of the box, to scrutinise and invest in the latest technology and cutting-edge ideas to develop carbon efficiency,” she said. “International travel and tourism has a hugely positive influence on the quality of people’s lives across the world: last year alone the industry created 30 per cent of the world’s export of services, generating a staggering $944billion and providing jobs, investment, poverty reduction, skills training, education and much more. Doing nothing is no longer an option... no longer an option, that is, if we want to look forward to the future success of the industry.”