Global Warming and Responsibility
How much responsibility does the individual have?
Everyone is telling us what to do, but are they practising what they preach? Should transport take more of the responsibility for the world's plight, or is it up to us?
A report by the UN World Tourism Organization states that about 842 million people travelled outside their home countries last year. Some 40% of those trips involved airlines.
Personally, I've had enough of celebrities telling me how to live "environmentally", especially as the cars, ‘planes, and yachts that convey the average celeb. around the world leave a larger carbon footprint than my puny travels ever will.
Can individual countries help? Recently the Bangkok Post reported that the Thailand Tourism Authority is encouraging local travel agents to avoid global warming in an effort to protect the environment. To quote Pradech Phrayakvichien, former governor of TAT, “It is time for Thai tour oeprators to study how to run business with less fuel use and adopt more green projects”.
However, demand for cheap flights continues to soar and it is doubtful if voluntary measures will be successful. Hong Kong has recently made concessions to AirAsia’s CEO, Tony Fernandes, who launches three new daily services to Hong Kong from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabulu. One way tickets to Bangkok from Hong Kong will now start at HK$300, about $38 US.
What should we, as individuals, do? Would anybody like to comment or start a discussion?
