Inkaterra Hotels, the luxury hospitality and eco-tourism group in Peru, has become the first “climate-positive” hotel brand in the world. GreenInitiative (a certification company endorsed by the United Nations) measured Inkaterra’s carbon dioxide footprint and offset, and determined the ecotourism company as carbon-negative, or climate-positive.
Good to know: The term “climate-positive” is defined as “any activity that furthers the achievement of net zero carbon emissions, providing an environmental benefit by removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.”
The announcement coincides with the 2021 Climate Change Conference (COP 26), where the United Nations World Tourism Organization officially submitted the Glasgow Declaration to set in motion a "Decade of Climate Action" in the travel industry. Inkaterra is among the leading organizations that have made a pledge to cut global tourism emissions by at least a half over the next decade and reach net zero emissions as soon as possible before 2050, in accordance with the Paris Agreement.
Inkaterra is leading efforts to make Machu Picchu the first carbon-neutral Wonder of the World. It has partnered with the Municipality of Machu Picchu, AJE Group, the National Service of Protected Natural Areas and other key players. The hospitality group’s strategic alliance is ensuring a carbon-free future for the ancient Peruvian site. Through an innovative waste-management strategy and a reforestation plan to nurture at least one million trees across the Machu Picchu national reserve, Peru’s most iconic destination has become the first city in Latin America to achieve a circular economy.
“This outstanding accomplishment is a validation of Inkaterra’s 46-year efforts placing scientific research, biodiversity conservation and sustainability at the very core of our business,” said José Koechlin, founder of Inkaterra, in a press release. “GreenInitiative’s certification also reminds us all that the natural environment and native cultures are our industry’s most precious resources, and their preservation is the only way to ensure the future of travel.”
For more information, visit www.inkaterra.com.
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