Climate

Devastating heatwaves and unpredictable summer weather could end up shifting tourism demand into the shoulder seasons.

Tourism Holdings, the New Zealand Airports Association, KiwiRail, and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency are among the members of a new working group to understand the impacts of climate change on the transport sector.

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Travellers could adjust how, when and where they vacation to cope with climate impacts.

Tourism is crucial to many economies but climate change is putting parts of the industry at risk.

Electrify heat or electrify transport – those are the two options tourism operators have to reduce their climate emissions, says Malcolm Johns.

“I think we’ve got an incredible opportunity to showcase to the world, what we can do here,” says Ziptrek Ecotours’ executive director.

The Auckland Climate Festival is bringing more than 150 events and tens of thousands of people to the city this September to celebrate and inspire transformative change for the climate.

Tour operator Cycle Journeys is committing to offset its carbon emissions from its fuel-powered vehicle fleet and its clients’ accommodation.

Wellington Airport plans to be net zero in its carbon emissions by 2030.

New Zealand needs biodiversity data to help address tourism’s impact on the environment, says The Aotearoa Circle.

Drought, fire and higher temperatures could affect the region’s tourism industry.

The warming climate and changing weather patterns pose “a great risk” to the viability of ski fields and glacier tourism.

Unless action to reduce emissions is taken by 2030, the world will suffer more extreme weather events and economic damage with tourism one of the sectors already exposed.

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has drafted an agreement with Toitū Envirocare to help reduce its environmental footprint.

Christchurch Airport has teamed up with Contact Energy and solar developer Lightsource bp to deliver its Kōwhai Park renewable energy precinct.

The airline wants to replace its ageing Q300 domestic fleet with more sustainable aircraft by 2030.

The extraordinary flood event Auckland experienced on the night of 27 January, the eve of the city’s anniversary weekend, was caused by rainfall that was literally off the chart, writes weather and climate researcher Professor James Arthur Renwick.

Queenstown Lakes District Council has opened invitations to join its independent Climate Reference Group.

North America’s travel and tourism sector accounted for 9.3% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, according to new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council Sustainable and the Saudi-based Sustainable Tourism Global Center.

Extreme weather is posing more risks for operators and will transform business models, says RealNZ’s CEO.

Climate change could have a major impact on New Zealand’s marine mammals, with food supply identified as the biggest threat in a new report by the Department of Conservation.

The rate of sea level rise has rapidly increased in recent decades and will continue to do so due to the effects of climate change, according to Stats NZ.

Air New Zealand says it is the first passenger airline in the world to join a NASA Earth Mission.

Winter 2022 has been the country’s warmest and wettest on record, with the nationwide average temperature reached 9.8°C 1.4°C above the 1981-2010 average, says NIWA.

How much of an impact does soaring temperature have on business profitability?

Tourism is under threat from climate change but there are opportunities to be found in the sector as businesses innovate and adapt – and work is underway to examine these possibilities.

The airline needs to reduce its carbon emissions by 28.9% by 2030 if it wants to be a net zero emitter by 2050.

Greenhouse gas emissions from transport, postal and warehousing, including aviation, dropped almost 36% between December 2019 and 2021

The tourism sector is facing a combination of environmental and business risks that could make some operators unviable

Possible congestion charges and reduced reliance on inter-regional aviation have been proposed in a $1.2bn shakeup of transport.

Minister of Climate Change Minister James Shaw has released details of the government’s first three emissions budgets, which determine the total amount of emissions reductions New Zealand meet by 2035.

More than a third of 5,500 air passengers surveyed said they planned to fly less to reduce their climate impact.

An action group will target the proposed international airport development at Tarras as part of the Global Climate Strike today.

Glaciers are melting at a faster rate in the last 10 years, with the three worst years in the last 35 being since 2011.

There is agreement within government and industry that climate change is tourism’s most significant environmental challenge, but the way forward remains unclear.

Increasing global temperatures will impact sun and snow destinations as well as environmental assets critical for tourism.