Explained: What Are Carbon Passports And How They Could Impact Travel, Tourism And Frequent Flyers

Travel has a climate problem.The global travel and tourism industry, which accounts for 10 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP), employs 320 million people and creates one in five new jobs, is at risk owing to the frequency and severity of fires, floods, drought and super storms, as well as high heat and sea level rise.Alongside this, concerns about overtourism and the climate impacts of air and cruise journeys, two of the most polluting forms of travel, mean that systemic change within and among countries is urgently needed. According to climate scientists, the world is currently on track for a 3.1°C temperature rise by the end of the century under current policies.There is hope as pockets of the travel and tourism industry are starting to clean up their act. Sleeper trains have taken off across Europe as a low-emission method of travel; airlines and cruise ships are experimenting with sustainable fuels; hotels and accommodations are increasingly being powered by renewable energy; and travellers themselves are increasingly mindful of their impact before and during their holidays.Now, a new concept has been added to the mix: carbon passports. The term refers to a way of tracking and monitoring an individual traveller's carbon footprint. It involves imposing a cap on how much carbon people are allowed to emit over a certain period of time, which they have to “ration.” The aim is to incentivise individuals to reduce their carbon emissions and make more sustainable travel choices.Would such an idea work in India and across the world? What do experts in the travel industry and travellers make of it? Outlook Traveller decided to find out.Are Carbon Passports Feasible?Ram Pratap Singh, a co-founder of the Indian School of Nature (ISN) and owner of the Chambal Safari Lodge, is not a fan of carbon passports, calling them “very academic” and not the way forward for the travel industry.“To make [the concept] practical on the ground would be next to impossible. Also, it may cause a short-term perception damage to the already-battling travel industry across the world,” he says.Meanwhile, Ritu Makhija, the director of sustainability at TOFTigers, is more positive about a cap on an individual's carbon emissions.“The concept of a carbon passport is ambitious but increasingly essential as the climate crisis deepens. As someone deeply committed to sustainable tourism, this feels like a dream rooted in climate responsibility,” she says.“However, for it to work practically, it must be introduced gradually with strong policy backing, equitable frameworks and reliable digital tracking systems. Over the next 3–5 years, we should focus on integrating carbon tracking into booking platforms and loyalty programs to raise awareness and encourage more conscious travel choices. Gathering this data will help assess behavioural patterns and create policies for effective management. In the following 5–10 years, we could see a more formal carbon allowance system rolled out—starting with frequent flyers or corporate travel segments—driven by climate regulations and growing public support.”Full-time cyclist and YouTuber Vijay Ramesh Malhotra, who founded the travel and lifestyle blog “Pedal and Tring Tring” in 2018 and is currently wrapping up a three-week cycling expedition in Belgium and the Netherlands, is dismissive of the concept.“[Carbon passports] do not resonate with me and I will feel leashed [and] restricted in my movement. This unfriendly travel policy will kill my creative energies and the ability to socialise and learn different cultures, and deprive my senses of taste, smell, touch, hearing and seeing. Life will be meaningless with controlled travel. I [would] appreciate taking the approach of incentivisation over punitive measures,” he says.Both Makhija and Malhotra expressed concern over whether carbon passports will be fair, privacy-focused and negatively impact on people’s livelihoods if they work in the tourism sector. “Will such a system limit travel access for less privileged groups while the wealthy simply pay to exceed their quotas? There's also the risk of implementation becoming bureaucratic or invasive if not handled with transparency and respect for privacy,” Makhija says.“For destinations heavily dependent on tourism, reduced visitation could threaten livelihoods unless alternative models of income and tourism are developed in parallel. And finally, the success of such a system hinges on global cooperation, which we know can be slow and fragmented.”Despite his misgivings, Malhotra says a carbon passport could have its upsides, such as by sensitising people to the climate crisis and encouraging sustainable practices that could induce behavioural change. “It might support long-term climate goals while bringing fairness and accountability, by say capping frequent flyers. People might get encouraged to rejig their lifestyle and shift to green technologies, electric mobility, use of sustainable/bio-fuels in the aviation industry, etc,” he says.What Are The Alternatives To A Carbon Passport?Singh says that cleaning up the travel industry involves businesses and tourists working in unison to bring down carbon dioxide emissions. He has designed a tool whereby tour operators and accommodation staff can audit their emissions and help plan reduction strategies to make their operations truly sustainable.“The travel industry needs to put its act together by first measuring their carbon outputs at every level, whether it starts from the smallest of homestays to hotels to trains, cars and air travel. Even destination management companies and tour designers [need to assess] what their carbon footprint is as it all adds to the carbon footprint of the individual traveller,” he says.“The second stage [involves travellers] choosing hotel partners which are more sensible and are actually offsetting and sequestering their carbon dioxide emissions. Travellers should start becoming demanding and discerning by choosing more responsible hotels and destinations which are more sustainable and choosing airlines and travel methods which are more environment-friendly. The moment the traveller starts demanding the down the line changes will happen.”Makhija agrees with Singh’s sentiments and adds that the “idea that ‘I’ve paid, so I can waste’ must be replaced with a sense of respect and responsibility.”“Leisure should not come at the cost of someone else's home. Travellers must recognise that the destination they’re enjoying is a home for some, and that they should be mindful of how they use resources like water and energy. [They should also] embrace fewer, longer and more meaningful journeys, avoid unnecessary flights, and support local communities and conservation initiatives,” she says.For Malhotra, incentivising low-carbon travel options on flight- and hotel-booking websites; phasing out plastic in airports and aeroplanes with recyclable packaging and encouraging fliers to carry their own bottles instead of purchasing one from a vending machine; offering home swap experiences; planning fuel-efficient journeys; and using planet-friendly transportation like cycles to get around a destination are just some of the ways that the industry can make sustainability a norm for travellers.“We humans have a curious mind and we are constantly exploring and researching about the life on different sides of the planet. Our appetite to know the ‘unknown’ is limitless,” he says.“As global citizens, our pursuit will go on forever—be it for business travel, study, job or recreation. [Travel must compliment the] very essence of human nature, which is to remain untied, unbound and free,” he says.5 Lessons In Sustainable Tourism By Bhutan, The World's First Carbon-Negative Country