Website of the UK government

Travel choices

A significant  part of the UK’s carbon emissions are from transport. Air travel makes a growing contribution to CO2 emissions (currently accounting for around six per cent of the UK total). The further you travel, particularly by air, the more you contribute to climate change. If you want to take a greener holiday, here are some things to consider:

• choosing a destination closer to home, or taking fewer longer breaks rather than several short ones, will help reduce the climate change impact of your holidays
  

• there is often an alternative to flying or driving, especially when you are going away for longer - on average, travelling by rail will result in about a third of the CO2 emissions of the equivalent domestic or short-haul flight in Europe

• Information and advice on travelling by rail and sea world-wide (opens new window)
• World-wide train travel information (opens new window)

• if you are driving to your destination, using efficient driving techniques can help reduce your fuel consumption, saving you money and reducing your environmental impact
  

• Greener cars and driving

• if you are hiring a car while on holiday, choosing a more efficient model will help reduce your climate change impact
• if you have to fly, one choice is to offset the carbon emissions your trip generates by paying for projects which reduce emissions elsewhere
  

• Greener travel and leisure

While on holiday

Many of the things you can do to be greener on holiday will be the same things you can do at home - but there are also some extra things too, like avoiding gifts made from endangered species. Here are some suggestions:

• making the most of locally produced food and drink, and local activities and attractions will support people in the area you are visiting and reduce the need for further environmental impact from transport
• switching off any air conditioning, heating and lights when you’re not using your accommodation will help reduce climate change effects
• try not to waste water – some countries suffer from water shortages and saving water can help avoid damage to natural habitats

Endangered species abroad - your responsibilities
Some gifts and foods available in some countries can be made from endangered plants or animals, for example, animal skins, ivory, orchids, caviar, or coral.

It may be hard to tell the difference between permitted and non-permitted goods, or to find out when you buy something whether it came from an endangered source.

• Endangered species abroad - your responsibilities

Making a positive contribution to the place you are visiting

There are ways in which your holiday can help support local people and the environment:

• some organisations and companies offer holidays which aim to minimise impacts on the environment - they can help find accommodation with low energy needs and activities that benefit local communities
• there are reliable accreditation schemes for green accommodation, such as the European Ecolabel and the Green Tourism Business Scheme
• there are many opportunities to volunteer and help with projects that conserve and improve habitats and nature reserves
• when you are away, or if you are looking for somewhere to visit in the UK, you can support projects or attractions which protect wildlife, such as nature reserves and conservation projects
  

• Find out more about the Ecolabel (opens new window)
• Green Tourism Business Scheme (opens new window)
• Natural England: find a national nature reserve (opens new window)
• Find an RSPB bird reserve (opens new window)
• Find a wetland visitor centre (opens new window)

The wider issue

Transport is the source of a quarter of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions, and a high proportion of this relates to leisure - for example five out of six flights made from the UK are for holidays.

More useful links

• WWF advice on responsible tourism (opens new window)
• Tourism Concern (opens new window)
• Green volunteering (home and community section)