MSC Confirms Two Hydrogen-Powered Ships for Explora with Fincantieri

MSC Confirms Two Hydrogen-Powered Ships for Explora with Fincantieri

Explora 1 arriving into Liverpool UK photo credit Spacejunkie2 (More Flickr Images)

MSC Group today confirmed firm orders for two hydrogen-powered vessels for its luxury travel brand Explora Journeys with Fincantieri and pledged to continue its push towards a net zero-carbon emissions target by 2050 by investigating additional new and advanced environmental technologies for the luxury ships, according to a press release.

The deal completes a total investment of €3.5 billion in six luxury ships for Explora Journeys. The contracts are subject to access to financing as per industry practice.

The company said that Explora V and Explora VI will have new state-of-the-art energy efficiency measures and will also be capable of using alternative fuels such as bio and synthetic gas and methanol and the Cruise Division will work in the future with Fincantieri to equip the ships with future technologies including carbon capture and more advanced waste management systems.

The two confirmed additions to Explora Journeys’ fleet will be delivered in 2027 and 2028.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman – Cruise Division, MSC Group, said: “With Explora Journeys we have created a luxury brand that has been successful at redefining luxury at sea. We are seeing continued growth in the luxury segment and the investment in these two new ships shows our commitment to continue to grow within this sector as well as to invest in ships of the future. Together with Fincantieri, we will study the newest technology that the world has to offer and continue with our commitment to introduce these technologies to drive efficiencies across the whole spectrum of ship performance. And of course, we will continue to deliver the very best luxury travel experience, immersing our guests in the ocean state of mind with a sustainable soul.”

Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer, Fincantieri, added: “This new contract with MSC is a sign of the growing vitality of the cruise sector, in line with what we had predicted. In strategic terms, our future will depend on our ability to lead the evolution of the sector towards all energy and digital transition technologies with the entrepreneurship required to validate, industrialise and commercialise new solutions. The relevance of the partnership with MSC in this sense is a great strategic stimulus towards the future in line with the technological development goals set out in our new business plan. We are therefore particularly proud that the Explora project will mark the acceleration of this new phase, which with the fifth and sixth ships, will reach the highest level of advancement, making Fincantieri’s vision of the ship of the future ever more concrete.”

The two new ships will pursue the use of liquid hydrogen with fuel cells for their hotel operations while docked in ports to eliminate carbon emissions with the vessels’ engines switched off.

The ships will also feature a new generation of LNG engines that will further tackle the issue of methane slip with the use of containment systems.

Hurtigruten Receives Best ESG Ranking of a Cruise Company

Hurtigruten Receives Best ESG Ranking of a Cruise Company

Hurtigruten Group has received an industry-leading ESG Risk Rating of 19.7 (Low) following an assessment by Morningstar Sustainalytics, an ESG research, ratings and data firm, according to a statement.

With ratings categorized across five risk levels, Hurtigruten Group is the only cruise company to be awarded a Low ESG Risk Rating and ranks fourth (out of 127 companies) in the “Travel, Lodging and Amusement” subindustry category.

“This rating is a result of our company-wide focus on emissions, nature, community and people,” said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group. “We have made significant strides over the past year, investing 66 million euros in emissions reduction. Our pioneering Green Bond, issued in 2022, has enabled us to finance ongoing environmental upgrades, including converting our fifth battery hybrid-powered ship. Simultaneously, we strengthened governance with executive compensation linked to ESG targets, a new whistleblower policy and improved supply chain control, emphasizing local procurement.”

In its latest ESG rating report, Morningstar Sustainalytics stated: “The company [Hurtigruten Group] is at low risk of experiencing material financial impacts from ESG factors, due to its medium exposure and strong management of material ESG issues. The company is not publicly held, which reduces its corporate governance risk compared to its peers. Although the company has a moderate level of controversies, its favourable risk assessment is primarily due to its above-average policies and programmes.”

“This rating is a quantitative method to assess our ESG efforts and a valuable tool to scrutinize how we execute on our ESG strategy through programmes and policies across the entire business,” explained Skjeldam. Hurtigruten Group – consisting of Hurtigruten Norway, Hurtigruten Expeditions, and Hurtigruten Svalbard – seeks to change the industry’s approach to sustainability. Hurtigruten Group was the first cruise line to ban heavy fuel oil (2009) and single-use plastics (2018). In 2019, Hurtigruten Expeditions added the world’s first battery hybrid-powered cruise ship and has since added two.

In 2022, Hurtigruten Norway converted its first battery hybrid-powered ship, with one more joining the fleet in 2023 and a third planned for 2024. The conversions are part of a 100-million-euro green upgrade that will reduce CO2 and NOx emissions by 25% and 80%, concurrently. Moreover, this June, Hurtigruten Norway’s first-of-kind Sea Zero initiative revealed early concept plans for the world’s most energy-efficient cruise ship.

“In addition, our Svalbard operations have made considerable progress in reducing their impact, deploying two electric tour boats and eight electric snowmobiles. We are working towards becoming cleaner, greener, and quieter,” added Skjeldam.

Amsterdam bans cruise ships to limit visitors and curb pollution

Costa Medditrannia berthed in Amsterdam photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Amsterdam's council has banned cruise ships from the city centre as the Dutch capital tries to limit visitor numbers and curb pollution.

Politicians said the vessels were not in line with the city's sustainable ambitions.

It means the central cruise terminal on the River IJ near Amsterdam's main train station will close.

It is the latest measure to clamp down on mass tourism in the city.

Cruise ships have become a symbol of the problem, with more than 100 mooring in the capital every year.

The council has been trying to scrub up the city, banning cannabis smoking on the streets of the red-light district.

In March the city launched an online campaign urging young British men considering holding their bachelor parties in Amsterdam to stay away.

Amsterdam has become a victim of its own popularity, attracting 20 million annual visitors - some drawn by its party city reputation.

"Cruise ships in the centre of the city don't fit in with Amsterdam's task of cutting the number of tourists," said Ilana Rooderkerk of the liberal D66 party, which runs the city along with the Labour party and environmentalists.

Ms Rooderkerk recently compared cruise tourists to a type of "plague of locusts" descending all at once on the city.

Iconic buildings in Amsterdam are great for Photographers credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Other Amsterdam officials have baulked at that kind of language. But Mayor Femke Halsema complained last year that cruise tourists were let loose for a couple of hours, ate at international chains and had no time to visit a museum, consuming the city but doing little for it.

The other key reason for removing cruise ships is to lower air pollution levels in Amsterdam. A 2021 study of one big cruise ship found that it had produced the same levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in one day as 30,000 trucks.

Other mooring sites away from the city centre have been under consideration for some time but no decision has yet been taken.

In a separate development, Amsterdam has announced plans to beef up night-time culture for young people.

The city has outlined its aim to find nightclub locations such as disused tunnels and garages to develop the talent of "creative young people who want to organise something at night".

MSC cruise ship demonstrates fuel-cell technology

MSC Cruises’ latest ship, MSC World Europa, demonstrates the company’s strategy to decarbonise by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

This ship was delivered from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s shipyard in Saint-Nazaire 24 October, with the latest power and propulsion technology on board.

MSC Cruise Management (UK) head of electrical engineering Steven Frey said this ship is powered by LNG and has a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) to run as a pilot project.

He told delegates at Riviera Maritime Media’s annual Maritime Hybrid, Electric & Hydrogen Fuel Cells Conference in Bergen, Norway, 27 October, the importance of testing and investing in technology to cut carbon emissions.

“We are working to get to zero emissions from multiple fronts, including digitalisation, workshops and partnerships, hybrid propulsion solutions, shore charging and new technologies, such as SOFC,” said Mr Frey. “We are starting a demonstration of a 500-kW SOFC on a ship, and we want to scale this technology up to 20 MW.”

Using power from shore during port stays is an important method for MSC to reduce ship emissions.

“All of our newbuilds are ready for shore power and we are retrofitting the existing fleet,” said Mr Frey. "Around 50% of our ships will be ready by 2023 and 65% by the end of next year. We have also signed a memorandum of understanding with Cruise Baltic to use shore power in 32 ports from 2024 when it is available.”

He said smaller cruise vessels need around 4.5 MW of power and MSC’s largest ships to need more than 10 MW from shore power to shut down engines.

Mr Frey said a combination of shore power and technology to reduce energy consumption and fuel usage is needed to cut cruise ship emissions.

“We are looking at ways to decarbonise by reducing energy consumption on the ships, by adding LED lighting and heat recovery, reducing hotel loads and using alternative fuels,” he said.

“We have a dedicated department dealing with energy efficiency and developing solutions for tracking data from our vessels, so we have a clear view of consumption,” Mr Frey added.

On the subject of fuels, MSC has already turned to LNG to cut pollutants and will consider other sources of energy.

“We are considering hydrogen as a fuel of the future and are using LNG now. MSC World Europa uses LNG fuel and has the SOFC pilot project. Other ships could run a fuel cell and LNG,” said Mr Frey.

World’s Largest Cruise Company Turns to Air Bubbles to Help Reduce Emissions

The world’s largest cruise shipping company has announced plans to install air lubrication technology on at least 20% of its fleet.

Carnival Corporation says the Air Lubrication Systems (ALS), which are already in use aboard four ships, will be added to five more ships this year with plans to install the technology on at least 10 more ships across a majority of its brands through 2027.

The hull drag-reducing technology is expected to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by about 5% per ship, according to the company.

ALS technology, which first saw service within the Carnival Corporation fleet in 2016 with the introduction of AIDAprima, generates a cushion of air bubbles to lubricate the flat bottom of a ship’s hull, reducing friction between the ship and surrounding water, resulting in savings in energy and fuel consumption across a wide speed range.

Carnival Corporation is currently installing the Silverstream® System ALS on five more ships, including two ships in 2022 for its Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises (UK) brands. In addition, the company is planning at least 10 more installations for existing and newbuild ships across more than half of its cruise line brands, and it expects continued expansion of the ALS program. The expansion plans build on the success of four systems currently operating on ships from its AIDA Cruises and Princess Cruises brands.

“The installation of air lubrication technology is another example of our ongoing efforts to drive energy efficiency and reduce fuel consumption and emissions throughout our fleet,” said Bill Burke, chief maritime officer for Carnival Corporation. “We look forward to expanding the ALS program and furthering our long-term sustainability strategy to continually invest in a broad range of energy reduction initiatives, which has included over $350 million invested in energy efficiency improvements since 2016.”

Carnival Corporation has committed to reducing carbon emission intensity by 20% from its 2019 baseline by 2030 and has set an aspiration to achieve net carbon-neutral ship operations by 2050.

Carnival Corporation is upgrading its ships’ engines and technical systems to improve energy efficiency

Carnival Corporation is upgrading its ships’ engines and technical systems to improve energy efficiency

The "service power packages" upgrades will include ongoing installations throughout 2023 on ships belonging to the company’s nine brands – Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Australia, Costa Cruises, Aida Cruises, P&O Cruises and Cunard.

 

Developed over the last six years and tailored to each vessel, upgrades to save energy include investments in variable speed drives and on-demand automation and controls, cooling enhancements, energy-saving LED lighting and more efficient heating and ventilation systems.

 

Carnival estimates the programme will deliver an average of 5-10% fuel savings per ship and is expected to reduce fleet-wide greenhouse gas emissions by more than 500,000 metric tons each year.

 

The upgrades will also result in around $150 million in fuel cost savings per year.

Carnival’s chief maritime officer Bill Burke said: “Based on our improved fleet composition, including adding six industry-leading LNG-powered ships, and our previous investments to increase efficiency and reduce emissions, our absolute carbon emissions peaked in 2011 despite significant capacity growth over the past decade.”

 

“These tailored service power packages further build on those efforts as part of our comprehensive approach to sustainability.”

 

The fleet-wide enhancements are part of Carnival’s energy efficiency investment programme. The company has committed to reducing carbon emission intensity by 20% from its 2019 baseline by 2030, supporting its efforts to achieve net carbon-neutral ship operations by 2050.

Carnival Corporation: More Efficient and Sustainable

“Our number one goal is reducing our emissions,” said Bill Burke, a chief maritime officer at Carnival Corporation.

That goal is a 40 per cent reduction in the company’s carbon emissions by 2030 when compared to a 2008 baseline, with carbon levels peaking for Carnival in 2011.

It’s a combination of efficiency and sustainability, Burke said.

That involves not only new efficient ships but finding more efficient equipment for the company’s existing fleet, making sure ships are operated well, meaning the right speeds, with the right engine loads.

“Voyage planning is another area where we are focused,” Burke said. “That sort of thing is ‘free,’ if we can get it right, it’s free savings.”

Burke has his sights set on HVAC system improvements as a key area where the company can save money on fuel and cut carbon emissions.

“The efficiency of the equipment has increased in the last few decades. If we haven’t already, we change out chillers and HVAC equipment,” he said.

One megawatt of savings translates roughly to about $1 million annually in fuel, Burke said.

"It’s then the money we can use for other things … it’s seed money to make ships more efficient.”

New Ships Get Efficient

New ships are generally 20 per cent more efficient per passenger than the last class, and that starts with the hull design, Burke said.

Then it’s a process of looking for the best and most efficient equipment fleetwide, with Carnival Corporate Shipbuilding in the UK focused on the job.

With the new deliveries of the AIDAnova, Costa Smeralda, Carnival Mardi Gras and P&O Iona, Carnival sister brands now have four technically identical new ships on the Carnival XL platform. Expect a lot of note comparing.

“We will compare performance, but a lot of that comes down to the itinerary,” Burke said, noting variables such as the speeds the ships travel at plus climate conditions driving air conditioning use.

Trying to compare performance, the company uses climate zones to normalize energy use when reviewing data.

That data becomes easier to use with ships in port, without a propulsion load, with Carnival now asking its brands to operate on just one generator while in port.

“The brands will make adjustments and we will help them with targeted investments to reduce the hotel load to allow them to first operate on one generator (in port) and then get the load lower. We’ve dropped the electrical load down by several megawatts.”

Ships are compared against each other with adjustments for size and climate conditions, with Carnival using its own port power coefficient to measure power usage by ship while docked.

2030 Goal

By 2030 Burke envisions what he called a green fleet with nearly 20 per cent of Carnival Corporation ships powered by LNG.

"Both LNG and non-LNG ships would get some portion of their fuel from biofuels. Batteries would be on a number of ships for peak shaving and non-LNG ships would operate advanced air quality systems (scrubbers),” Burke said.

Those ships running scrubbers would have wash-water filtration and significantly reduced particulate.

“All ships would have achieved our port power coefficient goals and easily operate in port in all climate conditions on a single diesel generator, indicating efficient port hotel service operations.”

Another project is a single fleet-wide maintenance and procurement system.

“That will allow us to better leverage our scale and remove excess inventory.”

Burke also plans to add more courses to the company’s Arison Maritime Center (CSMART) in the Netherlands.

"In addition to operational team training for our officer core, we do have energy efficiency training and we will expand that.”

Many ships, continued Burke, will have air lubrication systems, adding that around 60 per cent of the fleet will be able to plug into shore power by 2030. Another three-quarter of the fleet will have advanced wastewater purification systems, and all ships will have food waste digesters.

“Our ships will be completely instrumented for measuring the efficiency of our largest power consumptions ... you have to be able to measure (consumers) to know how you’re doing.”

Data will result in self-correcting behaviour that will improve operational efficiency, according to Burke, who said the ships will continue to get more sensors and measuring capability.

“We will be well on our way to designing and building our first zero emissions and zero discharge ship … that’s the biggest challenge and we hope our work with LNG will have us well prepared for that next fuel.”

Sticking to lockdown washing routines could cut Britain’s long-term carbon footprint

• Changes to our daily routines as a result of lockdown could shrink the nation’s carbon footprint by reducing pressure on energy demand at peak times
• EDF estimates that if a third of households continue to use their dishwasher and washing machines at non-peak times, annual CO2 emissions could reduce by half a million tonnes - equivalent to more than 750,000 cars switching to electric vehicles
• 8 in 10 Brits keen to see lifestyle changes that have had a positive impact on the planet continue post-lockdown

Changes to our daily household routines could have a long-term positive impact on our carbon footprint – as data from EDF reveals households continuing to take care of chores throughout the day could reduce the need for fossil-fuelled generation at peak times once industries power up again. 

Historically, households created additional demand for energy at peak times, typically between 4 and 7pm, as people returned home from work and started to tackle these day-to-day chores at the same time. However, since lockdown began, demand for energy throughout the day has smoothed.

The data, released as part of work by the low carbon electricity supplier to assess the impact of lockdown routines on energy efficiency, estimates that if just over a third of households continue to use their dishwasher and washing machines at non-peak times in the future, as they have been doing during the lockdown, annual CO2 emissions could reduce by half a million tonnes – the equivalent to more than 750,000 cars switching to electric vehicles (EVs)*.   

The announcement comes as consumer research** undertaken by EDF reveals 8 in 10 of us are keen to see environmentally-friendly lifestyle changes continue after restrictions are lifted. 

The study of 2,000 UK residents found that lockdown restrictions have caused the nation to reassess the impact of their daily habits on the environment, with 40% planning to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint post-lockdown, rising to 51% of those under the age of 34. The most popular steps were:

• Walking more (67%)
• Recycling more (52%)
• Purchasing more locally produced products (47%)
• Using the car less (46%)
• Unplugging electronic devices when not in use (37%)

The reduced pollution levels resulting from dramatically fewer vehicles on the road have also sparked an increased interest in EVs, with 1 in 5 (19%) more likely to consider switching to a low emission EV in the future. 

78% of people believe we can all do more to reduce our carbon footprint once restrictions are lifted. However, despite the potential impact on CO2 emissions, less than a third (31%) are aware that the time of day they do household chores, such as washing dishes and laundry, impacts their carbon footprint.

There is a strong demand for more advice on living greener, with nearly two thirds (62%) wanting information about how to reduce their carbon footprint.

Global disruption

By Michelle Baran

No matter where the travel industry shifts its focus, climate change is a clear and present danger. From severe weather systems to polar ice melt, from warming waters to rising sea levels, its effects pose serious threats to natural resources and travel destinations the world over.

More immediately, climate change is compromising with greater frequency and urgency than ever before.
Travel and climate experts alike say the industry has a lot to lose if it fails to acknowledge both its contributions to climate change and economic and environmental opportunities: It should embrace more energy-efficient strategies and use travel products to help travelers understand climate change and its impact on destinations.

Last month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a sweeping report on the causes and effects of global warming, asserting that transportation systems -- planes, trains, cars and ships -- account for about one-fourth of all energy-related carbon emissions worldwide.

"Without aggressive and sustained policy intervention, direct-transport carbon emissions could double by 2050," the report warned.

If the world doesn't reduce carbon emissions, we can expect to see more intense droughts and floods, more and longer heat waves, more wildfires, thawing permafrost, melting ice caps, disappearing glaciers and rising sea levels, according to the report, which was designed to relay the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community.
"Everybody who burns fossil fuels has to look at their impact," said Trey Byus, CEO of Lindblad Expeditions, a company with a long-standing tradition of offering conservation-based travel products. "We have to look at how [we can] become a more friendly organization to the places we visit."

As glaciers erode, wildfires engulf forests, rising seas eat away at coastal beaches and the warming of the world's oceans causes coral bleaching, destinations across the globe that travelers visit in large part because of their natural beauty are changing, and in some cases they could soon disappear entirely.

Climate change tourism

The notion that travelers should rush to see certain natural phenomena before they are gone forever has been dubbed "climate change tourism." It's a phenomenon that Greenland has experienced, as word got out that some of its notable northern glaciers are beginning to fade away.

Sarah Woodall, a research consultant for Visit Greenland, remarked that there are some sections of the Greenland ice sheet that are at risk of permanent alteration, as are glaciers, including the Ilulissat Glacier on the west coast, which fills the fjord and Disko Bay with massive icebergs year-round.

Woodall noted that dogsledding, a traditional transportation method for hunters and fishermen and a popular tourist attraction, has declined along with the amount of sea ice. In northwest Greenland, she said, it has been reduced to the point where the activity itself is endangered.

According to Bob Simpson, vice president of product operations and small ships at Abercrombie & Kent, regions he has observed that are currently undergoing rapid and likely permanent alterations due to climate change include the Antarctic Peninsula (though the east side of the Antarctic continent has not yet begun to warm); the Arctic, including the Svalbard Islands, Alaska and the Kamchatka Peninsula of Siberia; central Canada, including the lake and spruce forests of Manitoba and Nunavat, Churchill and Hudson Bay; Greenland; and Iceland.

But whether or not to promote these destinations on the basis of their possible eventual disappearance poses both practical and ethical challenges.
"The Catch-22 situation here is that when a revered organization such as the national tourist board suggests that tourists visit a particular site or do a particular activity, especially with the buzz phrase 'before it is too late' attached, the effect is a rapid increase in visitation, which can, ironically, contribute to the faster decline of the very site the organization promotes," Woodall said.

However, Bruce Stein, director of climate change adaptation at the National Wildlife Federation, said messaging that might be seen by some as fear-mongering or even shameless self-promotion is in many cases simply a matter of communicating the realities on the ground.

"People are always drawn to vanishing phenomena, whether that's the mass migrations in the Serengeti of wildebeest or the receding glaciers in Alaska," Stein said. "In certain places, it is not fear-mongering; it is simply the reality. Are these things going to be gone next year? No. But over the next couple of decades, there are definitely places that are not going to have these iconic features."

Stein provided several examples of environments experiencing forms of distress that could have a direct impact on tourism: the constricting of beaches on low-lying islands as sea levels rise; coral bleaching caused by warming waters in the Caribbean; shifts in vegetation in the Arctic that could affect wildlife; the melting of permafrost that supports roads in Alaska; reduced snowfall for skiing and mountain sports; and less-than-favorable conditions for the Joshua trees in Joshua Tree National Park.

The upside to climate change

While it has created numerous fronts for concern, there is an argument to be made that not all the results of climate change are bad.

"Ringing changes, defining them as good or bad, I would be cautious about that," said Mike Beck, lead marine scientist at the Nature Conservancy, an environmental organization based in Arlington, Va. "Let's just take a look at it from people's point of view. It's certainly true that some places are going to get warmer. [As a result,] people will have longer summers. A lot of people like that over winter."

While Beck had no shortage of examples of the negative effects of climate change on the world's coastlines and ocean resources, his view offered a counterpoint to the doom-and-gloom alarmism that often prevails in climate change discussions. If a glacier melts, will the naked landscape it leaves behind necessarily be less attractive? Perhaps it will, but in an ever-changing world, it also makes sense to embrace, perhaps even see as beneficial, some of the inevitable transformations to come.

"The unofficial mantra in Greenland is 'Adapt and thrive,'" Woodall said of that country's approach to its changing landscapes.

Along those lines, rather than just look at the challenges that lie ahead, Visit Greenland is identifying opportunities within its tourism sector that climate change can facilitate. For example, Woodall said, it is looking at how rising temperatures could help the destination expand its allure beyond its traditional high seasons of spring and summer.

Climate changes, Woodall said, "also bring more universal appeal to visit the Arctic and greater possibilities for cruise ships to sail in Arctic waters during these months."
Along those lines, several companies have recently added expedition cruises through the Northwest Passage, a sea route that traverses the Arctic Ocean, connecting the Pacific and Atlantic. Formerly a treacherous, verging on impossible route to pass, polar ice melt has literally helped clear the way for cruise ships to sail through.

Crystal Cruises, Lindblad and Abercrombie & Kent are all offering itineraries that traverse the Northwest Passage over the next couple of years.

"That is one of the ironic things with climate change, certainly in the polar regions," said Lindblad's Byus. "Certain areas are opening up more."

The company's former vessel, the Lindblad Explorer, in 1984 became the first passenger cruise ship to sail through the Northwest Passage. Looking back, Byus acknowledged that it had been a risky decision.

"It's only over the last 10 years that the ice has been more reliably decreasing through that passage," he said earlier this month, just days before the 148-passenger National Geographic Explorer was about to head into the Northwest Passage.

Crystal is offering a 32-day cruise on the Crystal Serenity in August 2016 from Anchorage to New York by way of the Northwest Passage. And Abercrombie & Kent is adding a Northwest Passage itinerary next year onboard the 200-passenger Le Boreal, which will sail from Aug. 21 to Sept. 11.

Tackling the crisis

When 13 people were killed in Nepal earlier this year in the deadliest avalanche ever on Mount Everest, it served as one of the more recent wake-up calls about the effects of climate change on the world's most precious resources as well as on the people traveling to experience them.

As the industry looks to future development, it is finding it has little choice but to take climate change into account, in terms of both accountability and activism.

Like Lindblad's Byus, a growing number of travel experts agree that the industry will first have to look inward at its own footprint and determine how to reduce it. The economic benefits of improved fuel and energy efficiency are already enticing companies to take a closer look at greener strategies, an approach that ultimately could become the status quo for companies that want to cut costs.
"Money talks," said the Nature Conservancy's Beck. "And we really do think that working with nature can be particularly cost-effective. Working against nature, that's a mother. In the long run, you're not going to win with that approach."

To that end, groups like the Nature Conservancy are constantly brainstorming ways that profit-making industries, including travel, can help improve their bottom line while helping to combat climate change.

Rather than build costly seawalls or spend millions of dollars replenishing beaches that have been wiped out by severe storms, Beck suggested that destinations build up and restore their reefs.

"Reefs are an incredibly effective first line of coastal defense," Beck said. "You can restore those reefs at a tenth of the cost. We think that that's a place where the tourism industry really could get involved. And you're creating a place where your guests can go, as well."

Hotels, too, should try to reduce their losses by not building too close to the coastlines, he advised.

Whatever the cost benefits, however, climate experts warn that if the public and private sectors don't get proactive about reducing carbon emissions, financial and environmental losses to climate change will continue to mount across the board.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report, for example, pointed to numerous impacts that transportation infrastructure will endure if the issue is not addressed, impacts that could become a burden on the travel industry:

• Extreme weather patterns and more frequent flooding will take a serious toll on roads.
• Thawing permafrost has already reduced the winter ice road season in Alaska from 200 days in the 1970s to 100 days in some areas.
• More storms could increase the number of weather-related air travel delays and cancellations.
• Airport runways and infrastructure are particularly vulnerable to changing temperatures.
• Higher temperatures pose a threat to rails because of thermal expansion and buckling.
• Underground electric rail systems are vulnerable to heat waves and flooding, as was the case during Superstorm Sandy, when eight under-river subway tunnels were flooded in New York and New Jersey.

Where the travel industry has the influence and ability, climate experts say solutions should include looking at ways to reduce emissions, including improving vehicle efficiency; shifting to lower-carbon-per-passenger forms of transportation, such as from private cars to mass transit; and replacing gasoline and diesel with alternatives that emit fewer greenhouse gases.

Educating travelers

In commenting for this report, conservationists and travel companies all agreed that one of the biggest opportunities the travel industry has with respect to climate change is its ability to bring those changes to life for travelers.

"In a comparatively small way, the tourist industry does generate greenhouse gases through its reliance on ships, planes and automobiles," said James McClintock, Antarctic researcher and author of "Lost Antarctica: Adventures in a Disappearing Land" (Macmillan Science, 2012).
McClintock lectures on climate ecology aboard Abercrombie & Kent's Antarctica expeditions, explaining, "As a polar marine biologist, I personally feel that the education that the guests gain about the ongoing impacts of global climate change and the international scientific efforts underway to study and mitigate polar climate change balance out the cost. Guests returning from the formative experience of visiting polar regions become citizen ambassadors for the Arctic and Antarctica."

Indeed, climate change is clearly becoming a larger part of the conversation among travelers, especially those heading to affected regions. Tour operators and travel companies say their guests are asking about it more and engaging local guides in more informed and vibrant conversations about the topic and what can be done about it.

"It is certainly a bigger part of the expedition dialogue," said Lindblad's Byus. "We talk about things a lot more. Guests ask a lot more. They go out with a lot more questions, and guests want to come back more informed. They want to be a part of that dialogue."

Woodall, too, expressed the hope that visitors to Greenland will leave with a better understanding of how climate change is manifesting itself there as well as with an understanding that it isn't all bad news for travel.

"What should go hand in hand with the promotion of visiting the Greenland ice sheet, glaciers and icebergs is an education about what the changes to the natural landscape at the ground level realistically look like," she said.

A new visitor center in Ilulissat in connection with the Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland has been developed as a place where tourists can learn about climate change.

"Then they can take that knowledge into the field ... in order to really understand what it is they're looking at when they see a glacier calving [i.e., breaking apart into icebergs] or see a pigment difference at the side of a glacier valley," Woodall said. "This combination of more or less technical learning with firsthand visual learning would have a great impact on tourists' retention and understanding of the climate change issue in Greenland."

Conservationists argue that similar measures could have the same effect worldwide.