Carbon footprint in the hotel industry
Climate change is a global problem affecting communities, lives, businesses and economies around the world. The World Economic Forum has identified failure to act on climate action as the top global risk, highlighting the urgent need for governments, businesses and individuals to act.
Global carbon dioxide emissions have increased by almost 50% since 1990. Since the 1960s, each decade has seen warmer temperatures than the last, accompanied by extreme weather events that impact lives and livelihoods globally.
The tourism sector, including the hotel industry, is already facing the consequences of climate change: extreme weather conditions increase operating costs, reduce the number of tourists in certain destinations, and drive the implementation of environmental policies and sanctions at the local and national levels.
Tourism is responsible for approximately 8% of global carbon emissions. From airline flights and boat trips to the production of souvenirs and the management of accommodation, various activities contribute to this carbon footprint.
The hotel sector, in particular, accounts for about 3% of global carbon emissions and, like other industries, has a responsibility to manage its environmental impact.
In this article we analyze how the carbon footprint of the hotel industry has evolved globally, in Spain and in the Community of Madrid, highlighting initiatives to mitigate its impact and the challenges facing the sector.
The carbon footprint of the global hotel sector
In 2022, the annual carbon footprint of the hotel sector accounted for approximately 3% of global carbon emissions. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), one-third of these emissions come from the day-to-day operations of hotels.one-third of these emissions come from the daily operations of hotels.
Energy consumption for air conditioning, lighting, hot water and activities related to food and maintenance are the main source of these emissions. Staze estimates that 70% of the carbon footprint generated during a hotel stay is associated with energy use.
This situation is explained, in large part, by the dependence of accommodations on heating and air conditioning systems to maintain a comfortable temperature in extreme climates. These systems, which demand high levels of energy, generate large amounts of CO2, as do the water heaters used in showers, swimming pools and spas. In addition, the use of electricity for lighting, appliances and other equipment contributes especially in facilities with inefficient infrastructures.
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The carbon footprint of the hotel sector in Spain
In 2023, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) published a study that analyzed the climate footprint of the travel and tourism sector in Spain, covering 185 countries. According to it, the sector's contribution to Spanish GDP increased by 2.3%, while greenhouse gas emissions grew by only 0.9%.
The study highlights a decoupling trend between the sector's economic growth and its greenhouse gas emissions. In 2010, the sector generated 0.44 kg of greenhouse gases per euro of GDP, a figure that declined progressively. In 2019, at its peak, emissions fell to 0.39 kg per euro generated. In subsequent years, this amount continued to decline, reaching 0.36 kg in 2020 and 0.33 kg in 2021.
These data show progress in the sustainability of the tourism sector in Spain, although it still faces challenges to further reduce its environmental impact.
During the period from 2010 to 2019, the travel and tourism sector in Spain achieved an average annual growth of 2.3% in its contribution to national GDP, while greenhouse gas emissions associated with the sector increased by only 0.9% per year.
WTTC also highlights an improvement in the sector's energy efficiency. Between 2010 and 2019, total energy use decreased by 1.2% annually, indicating that economic growth was accompanied by advances in energy sustainability.
In terms of energy sources, the share of low-carbon energy in the national energy mix increased from 10.9% in 2010 to 12.8% in 2021, while dependence on fossil fuels as a source of energy in the tourism sector experienced a gradual reduction.
Impact of the hospitality industry on carbon footprint
In the hospitality sector, which includes activities related to feeding customers in restaurants and other establishments, electricity consumption accounts for the largest share of emissions, with 62.6% of the total according to the Observatory for Climate Action in the Hospitality Industry.. It is followed by natural gas, with 19.1%, and propane, with 7.8%.
These data reflect the need to move towards more efficient and sustainable energy systems in the hospitality industry to further reduce its environmental impact.
The research suggests that actions such as replacing traditional light fixtures with energy-efficient options or acquiring more efficient appliances reduce emissions and generate significant economic savings. For example, replacing a conventional halogen with an LED can reduce annual consumption by 122.31 kWh and emissions by 14.80 kilograms of CO2. This represents a saving of 28.50 euros per luminaire per year, along with an 80% reduction in energy consumption.
Global and local initiatives
Large hotel chains have adopted energy efficiency technologies, such as LED systems and renewable energies, in addition to installing energy management systems to monitor and optimize consumption. These initiatives seek to reduce emissions by 30% to 50% by 2030, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
In Spain, the hotel chains and the government have implemented sustainable strategies, such as the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) 2021-2030, which aims to reduce emissions from the tourism sector by 23% by 2030.which aims to reduce emissions from the tourism sector by 23% by 2030. In the Community of Madrid, numerous hotels have adopted measures such as renewable energy systems, energy efficiency projects and carbon offsetting programs financed by the European Next Generation Funds.
Challenges in the decarbonization of the hotel sector
The global tourism sector reduced its share of GHG emissions from 7.8% in 2019 to 6.7% in 2023, with a 12% decrease in total emissions and an 8% decrease in GHG intensity per unit of GDP. This progress demonstrates that the sector's growth can be decoupled from an increase in emissions, as Julia Simpson, executive director of WTTC, emphasized, "our sector is proving that we can grow responsibly."
The transition to a more sustainable model in the hotel industry requires the commitment of all stakeholders: hotel chains, governments and tourists. Although progress has been made, there is still a long way to go to achieve effective decarbonization of the sector, ensuring that tourism development is compatible with the protection of the planet.