As part of CWT’s $100 million investment into its myCWT travel management platform and sustainability offerings, the travel management company has launched point-of-sale carbon footprint indicators that let travelers see the potential environmental impact of a trip.
Using emissions data from carbon intelligence platform Thrust Carbon – one of PhocusWire’s Hot 25 Startups for 2022 – the carbon footprint indicators for myCWT’s mobile and web platforms provide travelers with CO2 emissions calculations at the point of booking to help them make more sustainable choices.
“If the traveler cannot see their emissions at point of sale, then it simply will not be a factor in their decision making,” says Thrust Carbon founder and director Mark Corbett.
“We are rapidly moving to a world where emissions data will be valued side by side with financial data. Together with our partners at CWT, we have made a giant leap toward delivering this for business travelers around the world.”
Meanwhile, IATA has developed its own CO2 emissions calculator that quantifies CO2 emissions per passenger for a specific flight.
Called the IATA Recommended Practice Per-Passenger CO2 Calculation Methodology, it provides travelers, corporate travel managers and travel agents with precise flight CO2 emission information based on verified airline operational data.
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IATA believes that creating an accepted industry standard for calculating aviation’s carbon emissions will help the sector meet its net-zero goal by 2050.
An industry standard also helps the corporate segment meet emission reduction targets and reduces confusion over various carbon calculation methodologies, which can impact consumer confidence.
The methodology was developed with an airline working group of 20 major airlines; IATA also consulted and discussed the approach with industry stakeholders.
The Recommended Practice Per-Passenger CO2 Calculation Methodology is pending a vote by member airlines of the IATA Passenger Service Conference, which takes place at the end of March.
Once approved, the methodology will be available to all passengers, airlines and travel and tourism stakeholders.