In addition to reducing the carbon footprint of the touring sector, another objective of the pilot program is to test the importance of providing a carbon offset facility for travellers. The pilot will run until the 30 June 2009 at which time Tourism NT will assess its success and the viability of establishing a carbon offset arrangement for the collective Northern Territory tourism industry.

Tourism NT has partnered with three Central Australian tour operators to establish this pilot program: Adventure Tours Australia, Connections Safaris and Wayoutback Desert Safaris. In the first instance, each operator is endeavouring to respond to climate change by adapting their business operations in order to reduce their emissions. With this commitment to minimising emissions, all three operators have invested considerable resources in this project and are actively working towards improved environmental practices. Measurement of their carbon footprint, emissions monitoring plans and calculations of required offsets have been verified by PE International (Australia), a part of the leading international sustainability management company PE International. Prior to determining emissions to be offset, PE International (Australia) worked with these operators to analyse and identify ways to reduce or avoid emissions.

Tourism NT has purchased 5000 tonnes of carbon credits from LMS Generation Pty Ltd (LMS), an Australian Government approved Greenhouse Friendly™ abatement provider. The LMS abatement project from which these carbon credits have been sourced, is the Shoal Bay Landfill Gas Generation project in Darwin, Northern Territory. This facility produces electricity from methane gas harvested from waste and is the first of its kind in the Northern Territory.

WWF Australia supports Tourism NT in the development of this pilot carbon offset program. Greg Bourne, Chief Executive Office, WWF-Australia, says “WWF congratulates Tourism NT and the tour operators for this important Pilot Project. WWF supports this project because it believes that it is very important to establish an independent, transparent and credible programme for small and medium businesses to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. ”

“This collaboration between WWF, Government and the tourism industry shows how constructive partnerships can be forged to develop innovative and practical solutions to caring for our planet. It demonstrates to the touring public and to industry that we can continue to participate in and enjoy our wonderful natural environment if we simultaneously put in place programmes which help to protect that environment.

I am hopeful that the learnings from this Pilot Project can be applied to and extended throughout the tourism industry and into other industry sectors.”
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