Accounting for Tourism: alignment across scales and

boundaries

Wednesday 6th February, 11am – 1pm

Chaired by: Dr Rachel Dunk, Crichton Carbon Centre

Workshop Programme

11.00-11.10 Welcome and Introductions 11.10-11.25 Feedback from last year’s activities, todays key

questions and survey responses 11:25-11:45 Janie Neumann (Visit Scotland) - Quality and

Sustainability11:45-11:50 Q&A11.50-12:10 Stuart Park (GTBS) - Carbon Monitoring for GTBS Members12.10-12.15 Q&A12:15-12:45 Break Out Group Discussions – Addressing the Key

Questions12.45-13:00 Feedback to the Group and Close

ICARB: The Initiative for Carbon Accounting

We are a group of academics, policy makers and professionals working to create a set of transparent, consistent and accurate rules for carbon accounting.We exist to advance the field of carbon accounting to facilitate the reductions in carbon emissions necessary for a sustainable society.

Supported by

ICARB: Approach and StakeholdersOur approach is inclusive and collaborative – consensus building. Our (Tourism) stakeholders include:• Tourism agencies (national and regional)• Industry groups & bodies• Tourism businesses • Policy makers• Academics• Carbon / Env. / Sust. managers & consultants• Other 3rd sector / support organisations

ICARB: What resources are available?• Presentations from workshops and

conferences• Experts’ Directory• News, blog and discussion• Resources• Toolssee http://icarb.orgJoin the ICARB Mailing List to keep up to date with latest news and events.

5th International Conference on Carbon Accounting: Towards Rules and Tools for

Carbon Accounting in Scotland Wed 13th March, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh

Speakers include: Garvin Heath, NREL, DenverAngela Druckman, RESOLVE, Surrey UniversityDaniel Hinze, Scottish GovernmentAdam Hawkes, Imperial College LondonGary Davis, EcometricaFrazer Wilson, Pricewaterhouse CoopersSarah Boyack MSP

Register at: http://icarbconference.org/

Review of Last Years Activities1st Stakeholder Workshop• Made first steps towards forming a stakeholder

group• Considered which tourism actors

– are core tourism businesses (in the rule book)– are supporting businesses (data needed from

them for determining footprint of the ‘core’ tourism business)

– should facilitate / support carbon measurement and reduction in the tourism sector

• Proposed sub-categorisation of core tourism businesses

• Identified potentially significant Scope 3 (supply chain) emission sources that should be included in carbon accounting

Revised Industry Engagement ModelTechnical Method

Development Workshops /

Activities

Pilot Dissemination &

Training Workshops /

Activities

Industry Pilots / Road Testing

Refined Methods

CPD / Skills Developme

nt

Best Practice

Case Studies

Tourism – key outstanding issue• Transport and moving toward regional /

destination level carbon accounting model for sustainable tourism

Transition Route Region

Operational Context

Tourist Destinati

on Region

Tourist Generati

ng Region Returning Tourists

Departing Tourists

Source: Leiper 1990

Objective for TodayExpand the Stakeholder GroupAnswer the Key Questions...1. What should a carbon accounting tool look

like (be able to do) to meet the needs of all stakeholders from small businesses to support agencies and policy makers

2. Tourism and Transport– Whose responsibility do you think it is to

measure and reduce emissions from tourism related transport?

– How would you evaluate visitor travel? – What data is needed? Who should collect it?

Tourism Sector Survey – Initial Results• ~10 questions addressing standards,

guidance, the desired characteristics and role of carbon accounting in the tourism sector

• 35 registered workshop attendees, of which 19 completed the survey

ASK: we would like to increase the response rate in advance of the conference – we would be grateful for your assistance in circulating the link to colleagues and clients with an interest in carbon accounting / sustainability management (and encouraging them to complete the survey)

Involvement with C Accounting - FrequencyActivity % Ave MaxDeveloping Carbon Accounting Standards, Methodologies or Guidance

74% Sometimes Very Often

Internal User 68% Sometimes Very OftenProvide Sustainability Support Services 67% Sometimes Very Often

CM Trainer 53% Regularly/Often Very Often

Provide CM Support Services 33% Sometimes Very OftenRegistered Verifier of Sustainability Scheme 24% Regularly/

Often Very Often

Registered Verifier of a QA Scheme 11% Sometimes Regularly/Often

Registered Verifier of a CM Scheme 0% Never NeverWe have a lot of expertise in the room

Never – Very Often

Reasons for Carbon Accounting - RankReason Overall

RankRange Mode

Reducing Carbon Emissions 1 (2.5) 1-4 2 (7)Sustainability - People, Planet, Profit =2 (2.7) 1-6 1 (7)

Protecting the Environment =2 (2.7) 1-5 1&2 (5)

Reducing Costs 4 (3.1) 1-6 2&3 (5)

Corporate Social Responsibility 5 (4.9) 2-6 5 (8)

New Markets / Customer Demand 6 (5.1) 1-6 6 (11)

Different to business views?

Forced Ranking

Business Drivers

Business Drivers Not a

Motivator

Motivator

Strong Motivat

orReducing operating costs 2% 44% 54%Meeting customer demands and expectations 4% 44% 52%

Personal Interest 9% 43% 47%Avoiding negative public relations and being good neighbours 12% 61% 28%

Achieving a competitive advantage 18% 50% 33%Meeting association membership criteria 27% 55% 18%

Complying with internal company policies 22% 42% 37%

Complying with UK and Scottish Regulations 31% 54% 14%Pryor et al., in prep

Carbon Accounting Criteria - ImportanceCriteria Ran

kRange Mode Ave

Robustness 1 Moderate-Very Very (9) Very

Accuracy 2 Moderate-Very Very (8) Importa

nt

Justifiability 3 Moderate-Very Very (7) Importa

ntStakeholder/Funder Reporting 4 Moderate-

VeryImportant

(7)Importa

nt

Internal Decision-Making 5 Slightly-Very Important (6)

Important

Public Reporting 6 Slightly-Very Important (9)

Important

Mandatory Reporting Standards 7 Slightly-Very Important

= Very (6)Importa

ntVoluntary Reporting Standards 8 Moderate-

VeryModerate

(8)Importa

nt

Everything is Important – but methods must be Robust above all

Not at all – Very Important

Carbon Accounting Aspects - ImportanceAspect Ave Rk Aspect Ave R

kEasy to Apply Very 1 Comparison within

SectorImporta

nt 8

Comparison to Benchmark Very 2

Comparison between Organisations

Important 9

Direction of Change Important 3 External Verification Importa

nt 10

Change over Time Important 4 Comparison

between ProjectsImporta

nt 11Effectiveness of Emission Reducing Actions

Important 5 Comparison

between ProductsImporta

nt 12

Effectiveness of Behaviour Change Actions

Important 6 Comparison

between SectorsModerat

e 13

Magnitude of Change

Important 7

Not at all – Very Important

Comparing Carbon Inventories - DifficultyComparison Average Range ModeWithin Organisation – Over Time Neither Easy – Very Easy = Difficult

(4)Within Sector – Between Organisations

Difficult Neither – Very Difficult (4)

Between Sectors Difficult Neither – Very Very (5)

Easy – Very Difficult

Around half of respondents answered don’t know /

never tried

Discussion Groups

StuartMehriban Nazarova

Yizhu BaoAlisah Shrestha

Gunay IsmayilovaHeather CampbellArzu TairguliyevaWarren McIntyreEmma Sinclair

Sue RoafScott Brady

StevenAnar Gurbanzade

Lala ImanovaAynur PiriyevaWai Him ChanLisa McdadeSui Lian Lim

Ben TwistJane Ali-KnightRuth MonfriesKeith Baker

Janie Louise Edwards

Aysel MustafayevaShabnam

FarzaliyevaGunay Huseynova

Amanda KratsAreej Riaz

Ewan HyslopKenneth Wardrop

Corinne DoffAnna Scott

Key Questions1. What should a carbon accounting tool look

like (be able to do) to meet the needs of all stakeholders from small businesses to support agencies and policy makers

2. Tourism and Transport– Whose responsibility do you think it is to

measure and reduce emissions from tourism related transport?

– How would you evaluate visitor travel? – What data is needed? Who should collect it?