How COP29 is Transforming Tourism, Transport, and Urbanization for a Climate and Nature Positive Future

On November 20, 2024, COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, marked a transformative moment in global climate action by dedicating a day to critical sectors shaping our climate future: tourism, transport, and urbanization. With two groundbreaking declarations, the conference showcased a vision of sustainability that integrates innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and a commitment to leaving the planet better than we found. This

Tourism Takes Center Stage with Climate Commitments

The COP29 Declaration on Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism highlights tourism’s dual identity as a vital economic force and a key partner of the climate change global challenges for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions supporting the Paris Agreement goals. This initiative seeks to redefine the sector, steering it toward a more sustainable and climate-positive future as a result of the determination and global leadership of the UN Tourism Executive Director Zoritsa Urosevic and her team, who have mobilized the interest of UN Tourism member states from around the world to raise awareness to connect tourism with climate and nature positive action. Complementing this leadership is the outstanding contribution of Virginia Fernandez-Trapa, Programme Coordinator for Sustainable Tourism and Resilience at UN Tourism. Her advocacy for climate and regenerative action has been instrumental, building on milestones like the Glasgow Declaration to achieve this significant breakthrough.

Key commitments in the declaration include:

Embedding Climate Action in Tourism Policies: Governments pledge to integrate sustainability into tourism strategies.
Supporting National Climate Goals: Tourism administrations are encouraged to align with their countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
Sustained Engagement in Climate Discussions: A coordination mechanism will ensure the sector’s ongoing participation in future UN climate conferences.

Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization, emphasized the sector’s potential to drive transformative change through innovation, decarbonization, and regenerative practices.

Resilient Cities Through Cross-Sector Collaboration

Urbanization, a defining feature of modern life, was addressed by launching the COP29 Multisectoral Actions Pathways (MAP) Declaration for Resilient and Healthy Cities. Developed in partnership with UN-Habitat, the MAP Declaration lays the groundwork for building sustainable, inclusive urban environments.

This initiative promotes:

Healthy and Inclusive Urban Development: Prioritizing the well-being of city dwellers through green construction, sustainable transport, and climate resilience.
Cross-Sector Collaboration: Encouraging local, national, and global partnerships to foster climate-friendly urban solutions.
Urban Climate Finance: Ensuring cities have the resources to implement transformative changes.

Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President, highlighted the critical role of collaboration, stating, “These initiatives are about enhancing the quality of life while addressing the profound challenges posed by climate change.”

The commitments made during COP29 underline the importance of addressing economic, social, and environmental dimensions together, with a shared vision of a sustainable future for people and the planet.

Green Initiative: Leading the Way in Regenerative Travel and Climate Certification

While COP29 sets the stage for global action, organizations like Green Initiative are translating these goals into tangible outcomes on the ground. Through regenerative tourism, climate certifications, and nature positive strategies, the Green Initiative team helps businesses and destinations make measurable progress toward sustainability.

Regenerative Tourism

Regenerative tourism is a transformative approach that aims to leave destinations better than they were found. By restoring ecosystems, enhancing community well-being, and reducing carbon footprints, regenerative tourism shifts the focus from sustaining to actively improving environments.

A prime example is Machu Picchu, where Green Initiative’s support helped the historic site achieve carbon-neutral certification. This included waste management improvements, renewable energy integration, and reforestation efforts in surrounding areas.

Similarly, Bonito, a globally renowned ecotourism destination in Brazil, has embraced regenerative principles by achieving carbon-neutral certification with the help of Green Initiative. Bonito’s initiatives include protecting vital freshwater ecosystems, promoting biodiversity conservation, and implementing sustainable visitor practices to ensure long-term environmental resilience while supporting the local economy.

Climate and Nature Positive Certifications

Green Initiative offers certifications that help businesses and destinations go beyond carbon neutrality, designed to empower businesses, destinations, and organizations to demonstrate and enhance their sustainability efforts.

Climate Positive Certification: Recognizes entities that actively remove more carbon dioxide than they emit.
Carbon Neutral Certification: Recognizes entities that achieve net-zero emissions through verified offsetting and operational efficiencies.
Carbon Measured Certification: This certification provides precise calculations of an entity’s carbon footprint, serving as the foundation for meaningful emission reductions.
Forest Friends Nature Positive Certifications: Focuse on halting and reversing biodiversity loss through proactive habitat restoration by encouraging individuals and businesses to adopt practices that actively restore natural habitats. Certified entities contribute to reforestation, support wildlife corridors, and align their operations with global biodiversity goals.

These certifications are essential for ensuring measurable, transparent progress toward sustainability goals. From tourism operators to urban planners, the Green Initiative provides tools to align operations with global climate objectives.

Join the Movement

Interested in making your organization a leader in sustainability? The Green Initiative provides a clear path to certification and actionable strategies for regenerative practices.