alex khajavi

Climate Change & Carbon Neutrality A Costa Rican Case Study

brasil / april 2010

regional airline - central america

community social programs

creating memorable experiences for travelers

storytelling for travelers

flight school, aviation & bio-fuel

creating destinations for rare experiences

brasil / april 2010

brasil / april 2010

• our commitment to the environment and the communities we serve is vital to our values

•  to motivate the costa rican tourism industry to take action, encouraged by our profitability and sustainable model

• be a catalyst so that other airlines would follow

why we took action?

brasil / april 2010

a force of our own nature

Airline Operations - fuel efficiency improved 7% through flight plans and scheduling - bio-fuel in all ground vehicles and equipment Admin Energy Use - energy efficiency training program - renewable power wind turbines brasil / april 2010

•  methods set by the Kyoto protocol are difficult to decipher and implement

•  controversy – Costa Rica was able to get words into Kyoto Protocol for “avoided deforestation” – outlined in Article 12. – this wording was eliminated in

implementation of Kyoto Protocol – pressure was to reduce, not to offset

•  consumer knowledge - in 2003 most people did not understand or accept climate change

challenges of going c-neutral

brasil / april 2010

•  we decided that the following criteria was important to us: – keep it local – protection of bio-diversity and creation of

natural corridors – social community benefits – transparency

key attributes

brasil / april 2010

•  Costa Rica’s National Fund for Forest Financing (FONAFIFO) -a government entity – period1995-2009 FONAFIFO incorporated

more than 500.000 hectares of forests that directly benefited more than 11,000 families

  multiple benefits in forestry protection  protects tourism destinations   conserves biodiversity   restores watersheds & soils   creates sustainable livelihoods brasil / april 2010

Bahía Drake

Límite PN Corcovado

Límite RF Golfo Dulce

N

Bahía Drake

Bosque

N Límite PN Corcovado

Límite RF Golfo Dulce

Fincas

Bahía Drake

Bosque

N Límite PN Corcovado

Límite RF Golfo Dulce

Fincas

Fincas con PSA

Bahía Drake

Bosque

PSA 2700 ha

N Límite PN Corcovado

Límite RF Golfo Dulce

Fincas

Fincas sin PSA

Bahía Drake

Bosque

Sin PSA 7000 ha

“the lack of resources has created the need to look for new sources to protect nature”

Alvaro Ugalde

Nature Air offsets • 2004 - 4650 tons of carbon dioxide • 2005 – 5400 tons of carbon dioxide • 2006 – 5800 tons of carbon dioxide • 2007 – 6796 tons of carbon dioxide • 2008 – 7000 tons of carbon dioxide • 2009 – 6800 tons of carbon dioxide

brasil / april 2010

– we challenged the aviation and tourism industry

– we became a catalyst for change – we are part of the solution, not the problem – proven that sustainable business is

profitable business – since 2004, 87 other companies have

joined the FONAFIFO program

what have we achieved?

brasil / april 2010

what can happen if morefollow...

brasil / april 2010

One Route New York-London

CO2 Emitted per year:

12,775 Tonnes

All Routes CO2 Emitted per year:

4650 Tonnes

brasil / april 2010

•  a global industry with profound impact on global economies – international visits expected to double from

800 million in 2008 to 1.6 billion in 2020 – zero tourism growth strategy not a solution

•  leisure travel is pre-disposed for conscious consumerism – travel is a positive action vs. negative/

fearful methods of education •  information is important but not sufficient

alone to induce behavioral change, experiences can encourage action

what’s tourism got to do with it?

brasil / april 2010

Conclusion   take a portfolio approach with climate actions –  reduce risk & costs, maximize benefits   include forestry offsets –  unique multiple benefits (socio-economic)   pick offset projects carefully –  good practice standards –  3rd party audits and authorization –  in tourism – stay local when and if possible   partner with right organization –  reputation, experience, local relationships

brasil / april 2010

the future is going this way…