What is the history of the Green Globe programme?
Green Globe is the world’s only Benchmarking, Certification and Performance Improvement programme based on the Agenda 21 principles for sustainable development agreed to by 182 Heads of Government at the United Nations Rio Earth Summit of 1992. Green Globe is supported by the science and technology of the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, the largest source of sustainability research in the world.
The Agenda 21 Plan which was endorsed by 182 heads of state at the Rio Earth Summit of 1992 provided a set of principles for local, state, national and international action on sustainable development. The result was Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry: Towards Environmentally Sustainable Development. As an action plan, it included a number of overall objectives for the industry:
- To contribute to the conservation, protection and restoration of the ecosystem;
- To be based on sustainable patterns of production and consumption;
- To make development decisions with the participation of the local population and with recognition of local identity and culture;
- To create employment for women and indigenous peoples;
- To respect international laws protecting the environment;
- To halt or reverse protectionism in trade; and
- To develop systems to warn nations of natural disasters that could affect tourists/tourism areas.
The plan aimed to convert its objectives into specific targets, naming ten areas in which travel and tourism operations could take action:
- Waste minimisation, reuse, recycling;
- Energy efficiency, conservation, management;
- Management of freshwater resources;
- Waste water management;
- Hazardous substances;
- Transport;
- Land-use planning and management;
- Involvement of staff, customers, communities in environmental issues;
- Design for sustainability; and
- Partnerships for sustainable development.
In 1994, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), a London-based organisation comprising CEOs of major tourism companies, initiated the Green Globe programme with the aim of providing guidance materials and support for industry members undertaking activities to achieve sustainability outcomes in the Agenda 21 target areas.
The programme was expanded in 1999 with the introduction of the Green Globe Standard and commencement of independent auditing. It was further upgraded in May 2001 as part of continuous leading-edge improvement.
Over the years, Green Globe has been aligned with a number of important industry associations. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has endorsed the programme as part of its commitment to sustainable travel and tourism. The Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) markets the Green Globe programme in that region. The Green Key programme in the Nordic countries has previously worked closely with Green Globe, as has the Green Seal programme in the United States. The New Zealand Tourism Industry Association, Bali Greenery, the International Hotel and Restaurant Association, the China Environmental Protection Agency, the West Virginia EPA and Ecotourism Australia have also had formal alliances with Green Globe.
Green Globe receives feedback and advice on the content and quality of its programme from a number of sources. These include external referees contributing to the Benchmarking indicators, consultants including Sustainable Tourism Services in Australia and PA Consulting, attendees of the Green Globe assessor training courses, and the 16-member Green Globe IAC, which comprises representatives from the travel industry, NGOs and international agencies. To view the IAC’s Terms of Reference, please click here.
Green Globe currently has four environmental sustainability standards which cover the environmental and social impacts of companies, communities, constructions and precincts.
In 2007, Green Globe revised its Company Standard to encourage more operators to achieve certification. As part of the revision and expansion of the programme, there are also plans to link with popular online booking engines to encourage travellers to take advantage of properties that have demonstrated their commitment to environmental responsibility.
Back to top