València becomes the first city in the world to verify and certify the carbon footprint of its tourist activity

Valencia has become the first city in the world to verify and certify the carbon footprint of all tourist activity in the city. A study carried out by the company Global Omnium, in collaboration with the Visit València Foundation and the city council, has measured the sources of greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on the environment in ten different areas related to tourism, such as transport to and in the city, accommodation, the enjoyment of restaurants, leisure premises or shopping; waste treatment, water management or the infrastructures necessary to support the tourist offer.

The report has been certified by the Spanish Association for Standardisation and Certification (AENOR), making Valencia a world reference in the field of sustainability.

What is the carbon footprint of tourism in Valencia?

All the tourist activity in 2019 measured in this report reaches 1'286 million tons of CO₂, of which 81% corresponds to the use of transport (train, planes or cruiseships) of tourists to Valencia, but only 0.92% corresponds to the use of transport in the city.

Other interesting data are extracted from the study, such as the fact that the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by tourist activity is only equivalent to one third of the carbon footprint generated by the food consumption of all the city's inhabitants. Or that only 0.01% of the footprint of tourism comes from water consumption, in the most water-efficient city in Europe, and 0.41% from solid waste collection and treatment.

Progress in the Strategy for Sustainable Tourism in Valencia

The Sustainable Tourism Strategy for the city, which began at the beginning of the year, is committed to achieving carbon-neutral tourism activity by 2025, making Valencia the world's leading tourist destination with zero environmental impact. To this end, actions will be established to reduce and compensate for the CO₂ emissions derived from tourism.

The strategy will be based on the potential of Valencia for energy self-generation with renewable energies, the possibility of having full electric mobility in an almost flat orography or the capacity of natural areas such as the vegetable garden, the Turia Garden or the L'Albufera Natural Park in absorbing CO₂ emissions.

It also provides for the reduction of direct consumption of oil-based fuels, the improvement of energy efficiency and the reduction of energy consumption from non-renewable sources. It also aims to encourage the consumption and correct management of products, goods and services, whose manufacture and logistics lead to the lowest emission of greenhouse gases in their transport. It will also ensure that the local economy and circulation is strengthened, by developing and managing proximity labelling so that tourists are aware of the impact of the sustainable, safe and healthy product they are buying.

The strategy also aims to achieve the goals set by the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the social and economic areas, in the area of heritage, resources, environment and climate and in the area of governance for sustainability. In this way, the tourist activity developed in the city of Valencia, in line with the commitments of the Visit Valencia Foundation and Global Omnium, is adapted to the environmental needs marked by the UN, the European Green Deal and the new Spanish Ecological Transition Law, which will have important implications for the tourism sector.

See the full report here. 

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