World Environment Day is on Friday, June 5 — and it has prompted Australian small group touring company World Expeditions to call on the tourism industry to move beyond carbon offsetting in its commitment to climate action.
It is calling for operators to prioritise “real emissions reduction, transparency and accountability across all areas of operation”.
And a spokesperson for the company, founded in 1975 on principles of environmental responsibility and human-powered travel, is adamant that climate action must be at the centre of tourism’s future.
“We acknowledge that the travel industry depends entirely on healthy natural environments and stable communities, yet tourism is contributing to the climate crisis threatening those very places,” said Sue Badyari, CEO of World Expeditions.
Sue was named Sustainable Champion of the Year at the 2025 Women in Travel Awards.
“It’s no secret that the impact of climate change is already being felt across the environments and communities in which we operate, from melting glaciers and biodiversity loss to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns affecting remote regions and local livelihoods,” she explains.
“Climate action can no longer rely on carbon offsetting alone. We have sharpened our focus on transparency, accountability and reducing emissions at source.
“For World Expeditions, climate action is not a trend or a campaign attached to a single day of the year; it is embedded in our brand DNA — in how we design trips, operate globally and think about the future of travel.”
INITIATIVES
World Expeditions is strengthening its climate initiatives through:
+ Carbon labelling for each trip. Travellers can see the estimated carbon footprint of their journey before booking. A bit like a nutritional label on food packaging, this gives CO2 estimates and is intended to help travellers better understand their impact — while holding the company accountable for emissions reductions.
+ Annual footprint reporting.
+ Practical emissions reduction strategies across its operations and supply chain.
COLLABORATIONS
World Expeditions is working with accommodation providers and encouraging them to measure their environmental impact using the e-collective accommodation calculator. This provides a snapshot of an accommodation’s total annual carbon footprint and estimated carbon footprint per room per night.
“This initiative is designed to support accommodation providers in developing carbon reduction plans, undertaking more detailed emissions measurement and setting achievable annual reduction targets,” Sue says.
“World Expeditions believes practical collaboration and transparency across the tourism supply chain are essential to delivering meaningful long-term emissions reductions.”
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails