Expedition cruise lines are focused on improving their sustainability practices and working towards “ambitious” targets, according to a survey conducted by the Expedition Cruise Network (ECN).
The association surveyed 12 of its members, all of which claimed to be measuring sustainability goals year-on-year and say they have either “significantly reduced” or “eliminated” single use plastic on board.
A quarter of respondents said they are currently carbon neutral, while others, such as Ponant, shared plans to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030, become carbon neutral by 2040 and net zero by 2050.
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More than 90% of those surveyed claimed they work with citizen science projects and charities – with 43% working with more than three and 30% with more than six.
The ECN shared its findings ahead of a webinar titled Sustainability and Responsible Travel in Expedition Cruising, which will take place on June 28 and aims to educate the trade on which brands are striving to become more sustainable.
ECN chief executive Akvile Marozaite said: “Sustainability is an urgent topic in the travel industry and expedition cruising is no exception.
“While the entire sector is working hard to curb greenhouse gas emissions and reach the UN net zero emissions goal by 2050, sustainability is a complex subject and expedition cruising companies are leading the way in addressing it through various initiatives that not only explore how to support conservation, communities and cultures, but often enable scientific research and contribute to helping scientists understand the world.
“From ground-breaking innovations such as plans to build the first net zero ship in 2030, to working with local communities to develop local talent and creating economic opportunities, expedition cruise companies have certainly some positive news to share and I very much look forward to discussing both the challenges and opportunities on this often demanding topic with some exceptional experts in the industry.”