Explore our guide to responsible travel with Audley. View our recommended itineraries and eco-accommodation ideas, specially chosen to help you plan a more ethical tour.
When Audley established its Charity Portfolio in 2005, we were delighted to include Friends of Conservation as one of our first beneficiaries. Subsequently we decided to start ‘compensating’ for the carbon emissions from flights taken by our specialists on their research trips.
Global Warming
Carbon dioxide is the most significant of the greenhouse gases that are increasingly trapping solar heat and warming the global climate. Predictions are difficult to make but the United Nations Environment Programme has estimated that by 2025, at current rates of warming, world temperatures will have risen by 1.5 ºC. This will lead to a sea level rise of around 20cm and huge changes in climate and vegetation patterns.
Flying is the most carbon intensive way to travel. Aviation at present accounts for 3% of greenhouse gases and generates nearly as much carbon dioxide in one year as the total population of Africa. Moreover air travel is growing faster than any other form of transport. Predictions suggest that by 2050 it will become one of the single biggest contributors to global climate change, with around 10% of emissions directly attributable to aircraft.
Furthermore, the dramatic release of carbon from burning fossil fuels and from clearing vegetation has led to a 31% increase in concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide compared to pre-industrial concentration.
How you can help
If you would like to help compensate for some of the effects of your journey then you can do so by supporting FOC projects that either extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or reduce harmful emissions entering the atmosphere. All of the money you donate will be used to support projects that protect wildlife and bring benefits to communities.
Use the Friends of Conservation Carbon Calculator to find out how much you should donate to offset your flight.