TUI Seeks Scientific Validation of Environmental Targets for Airlines, Cruise Ships and Hotels

Leading global tourism group TUI recently announced that it has submitted its environmental targets for scientific validation by the non-governmental organisation Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

A collaboration between the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), SBTi shows companies and financial institutions how much and how quickly they should reduce their emissions in order to achieve the goals agreed in the Paris Climate Agreement to combat global warming.

More than 3,000 companies worldwide are already working with the initiative.

“We want to set the standard for sustainability in the market and live up to our commitment as market leader. Our focus on emissions is clear: We are committed to avoiding and reducing emissions rather than offsetting them,” said Sebastian Ebel, future TUI Group CEO.

Sebastian Ebel

TUI has submitted its targets for reducing emissions from its aircraft, cruise ships and hotels.

Accreditation of these targets is expected by the end of this year and will confirm that the ambitious 2030 emission reduction targets set by TUI are based on the latest findings of climate science and are in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

“Our airlines are already among the most carbon-efficient in the world. We have continuously invested in new aircraft and today fly a very modern and carbon-efficient fleet by German, European and international standards. Our cruise ships use the latest technologies to reduce emissions. We are operating solar power systems in some of our hotels. What is clear, is that we want to and we will speed up and do more,” Ebel said.

TUI Group has set itself the goal of achieving net-zero emissions across its operations by 2050, at the latest. An important step towards this are the ’emissions roadmaps’ for its airline, cruise and hotel business areas. They represent 99 percent of the Group’s emissions.

For each of the three business segments, TUI has carried out detailed studies and developed action plans to realise significant reductions in emissions by 2030.

The action plans contain comprehensive packages of measures – from the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and the expansion of renewable energy sources for power generation in TUI Group hotels to the latest technologies to reduce emissions in the cruise business. The plans are part of a comprehensive TUI Group Sustainability Agenda, which is expected to be presented shortly by the company.

“I am convinced that sustainable transformation is not a cost factor, but that sustainability pays off – for society, for the environment and for business,” Ebel said.

He added that TUI intends to motivate its partners and provide more incentives to invest in sustainability, for example in the construction and conversion of hotels, transfers at holiday destinations, for the development of excursions or the purchase of food from local producers.

Further details on TUI Group’s plans and targets for emissions reduction will be announced after accreditation by SBTi.