SUNx Malta Launches Climate Friendly Travel Registry

25^th September 2020, New York

Today during Climate Week NYC and in the side-lines of UN General Assembly, SUN^x Malta launched a Climate Friendly Travel Registry for 2050 Climate Neutral & Sustainability Ambitions in partnership with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), and Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA).

The idea of a Climate Neutral 2050 Ambitions Registry was built into the Paris 2015 Agreement, as a way for Parties to transparently declare and progressively increase their Carbon reduction ambitions through 2050, so as to secure global temperature stabilized at tolerable levels for human survival. 

As a transformation catalyst this Registry will be open to all Travel & Tourism companies and communities, whether they have created a 2050 Carbon Neutral Ambition yet. It will cover transport, hospitality, travel services and infrastructure providers – from the smallest to the largest, anywhere in the world. It will also be a conduit to the mainstream UN Climate Action Portal.

Malta’s Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection, Hon. Julia Farrugia Portelli, opened the event by saying:

"It is with great pleasure that I want to announce here today, the launch of the SUN^x Malta Climate friendly Travel Registry – linked to the UN Climate Action Portal. This is another important building block in Malta’s commitment to support the Travel & Tourism sector in the battle against existential Climate Change. It places our nation in the forefront of transformation for this economically vital sector to become low carbon: SDG linked for 2030 and on the Paris 1.5^o trajectory for 2050.

And in that context, we are very pleased to welcome as launch partners the important World Travel and Tourism Council WTTC as an industry leader, and Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) as a destination leader. It is good that we share a common vision for a greener, cleaner future.

This launch is also very much in line with the EU Green Deal and the recent call by the UN Secretary General for post Covid-19 Tourism to be Climate Friendly.

Finally, it extends Malta’s proud tradition of being a global Registry for Shipping, into the Tourism sector, which is so important to our long-term Sustainable Development and that of the international community at large."

Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC said:

"The Travel and Tourism industry has an enormous role to play and can have, through its actions, positive impacts.

As the U.N. Secretary General said: "It is imperative that we rebuild the Tourism sector in a "safe, equitable and Climate Friendly" manner and so "ensure Tourism regains its position as a provider of decent jobs, stable incomes and the protection of our cultural and natural heritage".

To put it bluntly: this industry is being forced to change right now. But this also opens the opportunity to do things better — more sustainably."

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said:

"We are delighted to be partnering with SUN^x Malta and Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association on this incredibly important initiative. Sustainable growth is one of our key priorities, and our Members care deeply about Climate Change and sustainability issues.

As the body which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, we are committed to supporting the sector in developing ambitious climate strategies, and this time last year, during the first Travel & Tourism Climate & Environment Action Forum in New York, we revealed our sustainability action plan to lead the Travel & Tourism sector, which included our ambition for the sector to be climate neutral by 2050.

We would also like to take this opportunity to applaud and thank the Government of Malta, which has been a leader on climate resilience, for its continued support."

"There is no greater threat to humanity than the climate crisis and now is the time for the Travel and Tourism sector and communities to take transformative action," said Glenn Mandziuk, President and CEO of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. "As part of our commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism, we are honoured to align with SUN^x Malta as a launch partner for the Climate Friendly Travel Registry for 2050."

Professor Geoffrey Lipman, President SUN^x Malta said:

"SUN^x Malta is proud to deliver this Climate Friendly Travel Registry, to help our sector deliver in the mainstream UN Climate & Sustainability Agenda, and we are grateful to the Government of Malta for their strategic vision and encouragement. It will be a vital support tool in the long-term transformation to cleaner and greener Travel & Tourism companies and communities. It will also help them to stay on track as they shift from aspiration to performance, in linking to the relevant Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Climate 1.5 trajectory, as well as meeting the intensifying regulatory framework."

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Notes to Editors

The Strong Universal Network SUN^x is a global Travel & Tourism Climate Response system, designed to act as a catalyst for the sector to develop Climate Friendly Travel – Paris 1.5 and SDG linked: and a conduit to the UNFCCC driven New Climate Economy. Operating globally from Malta, with a Registry of Climate Neutral Ambitions; a Climate Friendly Travel Diploma and an SDG17 led Climate Champions outreach program. Established as legacy to Maurice Strong, Climate Activist and Sustainable Development Pioneer. In 2019, through a partnership with Malta’s Ministry for Tourism and Consumer Protection, and Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) SUN^x Malta was created to establish Malta as a Global Centre for Climate Friendly Travel. 

For more information, please contact:

Olly Wheatcroft, SUN^x Program Manager

[email protected] +44 (0) 7765 132408