Bangkok, Thailand, May 3, 2024 / TRAVELINDEX / The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce that all of PATA’s in-person events from 2023 have been offset in two projects in South Asia. The projects were selected and offset with the support of PATA member Sustainable Travel International, a global non-profit and industry thought leader committed to promoting responsible tourism and supporting the sustainable development of destinations worldwide.

PATA is deeply committed to sustainability and to reducing and mitigating the association’s carbon footprint, particularly of the in-person events where most of PATA’s emissions are generated. As outlined in the Climate Action Plan and Carbon Neutral Events Guidelines, PATA places strong emphasis on avoiding and mitigating events’ emissions through the selection of the destination, the venue’s location and its sustainability efforts, the proximity of official hotels to the venue, availability of public transport, among other strategies. For emissions that cannot be completely eliminated, PATA supports credible local carbon offset projects.

According to PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid, “PATA’s events are an intrinsic part of our work. It is through our events that we connect with our members and bring them together to share knowledge, discuss pressing topics in the industry and work together towards a more robust, thriving and sustainable tourism industry. However, we are mindful of our responsibility to mitigate our environmental impact in the destinations where our events are held, and we are proud to announce the offset of the carbon emissions in India and Nepal.”

The first project selected, Tamil Nadu Wind Farm, located in India, entails the installation of a 249.9 MW wind power project aimed at generating clean electricity through renewable wind energy. Over its initial ten-year crediting period, spanning from 2018 to 2028, it is estimated to annually displace approximately 707,515 metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions (MTCO2e) by substituting electricity that fossil fuel-based power plants would otherwise generate within the Indian grid.

The project directly contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), by investing in renewable energy technologies and infrastructure.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), by generating employment opportunities during the construction and operation phases, and improving local infrastructure.

The Tamil Nadu Wind Farm project allowed PATA to offset 139.51 MTCO2e from the PATA Destination Forum and Mart which took place in Kuching, Malaysia, in June last year, as well as 86.41 MTCO2e from the PATA Travel Mart held in Delhi, India, in October 2023.

The second project utilised to offset PATA’s 2023 events, the Improved Cookstove initiative, has been operational since 2018 across ten districts in Nepal. It is dedicated to replacing traditional, inefficient cookstoves with clean cookstoves to mitigate household air pollution (HAP). Through its operation, 15,292 improved cookstoves have been disseminated, resulting in an estimated total emission reduction of 28,413 MTCO2e for the monitoring period spanning from November 1, 2020, to October 31, 2021.

The project’s contributions to SDGs include:

SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), by improving living conditions of communities, reducing health risks associated with HAP, and enhancing the quality of life for women and children.

SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land), by contributing to energy efficiency and reducing reliance on non-renewable biomass as well as reducing firewood consumption and GHG emissions, conserving forests and biodiversity.

SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), by creating local employment opportunities and economic activities, and promoting local businesses involved in the manufacture and distribution of clean cookstoves.

The Improved Cookstove Project has enabled PATA to offset 108 MTCO2e from the PATA Annual Summit & Adventure Mart, held in Pokhara, Nepal, in late May 2023. Both the Tamil Nadu Wind Farm and the Improved Cookstove projects are registered and certified by Verra, a non-profit organisation founded in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. that operates standards in environmental and social markets, including the world’s leading carbon crediting programme, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).

Noor adds, “By choosing to offset our 2023 events’ emissions in India and Nepal, two destinations where they were generated, we are not only taking direct accountability but also investing in local sustainability initiatives. This decision reflects our commitment to support the communities where we operate and underscores our dedication to environmental stewardship on a global scale. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Sustainable Travel International who helped us offset our emissions and the delegates of the events who contributed to the carbon offset fee. Thank you for your support in making our carbon neutral events a reality.”

PATA extends its gratitude to our hosts: the Nepal Tourism Board, the Pokhara Municipality and the Pokhara Tourism Council, for supporting the 2023 PATA Annual Summit & Adventure Mart; the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts of Sarawak, the Sarawak Tourism Board and the Sarawak Convention Bureau for hosting the 2023 PATA Destination Forum and Mart; and the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, for sponsoring the 2023 PATA Travel Mart. We take pride in our events, which would not be possible without your kind and continued support.

For any queries, please contact ssr@PATA.org.