Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

      Dear   Michael (Felix) WELCOME to the 15th edition of eXist the monthly e-bulletin of SUN x Malta .      “Climate Action 2023”     Another Year Passes - Progress in so many small ways - a record number of Tourism Climate Reports - an arguably successful Climate COP, with a Methane Control Agreement and some movement on the Climate Fund for the poorest countries transformation.  Plus a distinctively successful Biodive...

 Guest blog by Geoffrey Lipman - Present UNx Malta and former Assistant Secretary General of the UN World Trade Organization Goodbye 2021 Despite the permanent drama of an intensifying Pandemic, 2021 also underscored the magnitude of our creeping, existential global Climate Crisis.   Weather extremes decimated communities on all continents - crazy floods in Europe and Canada: massive forest fires in the US and Australia: droughts in Africa: Typhoons in the Pacific and Atlantic. And growing numbers of Climate refugees around the world.   COP 26, in November kept Climate on the public agenda. We saw a Glasgow Tourism Declaration & at SUNx we unveiled a Code Red , Plan for our Kids, calling for our sector to go further, faster. It argues for 50% less carbon emissions by 2030: and absolute Zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) by 2050;   including the more potent methane, sulphur and nitrous compounds. And it’s absolute zero not some vague “net,” kick the can down the 2050 ...

Guest blog by Geoffrey Lipman leads SUN. Former top exec in IATA, WTTC and UNWTO, Geoffrey is President of ICTP and the Green Growth Travelism Institute (GGTI), as well as a Visiting Professor at Hasselt University, Belgium & Victoria University Australia. The COP26 Glasgow Race to Zero and its pathway of Net Carbon Zero 2050 was crafted by the UK hosts long before IPCC 6 - which UNSG Antonio Guterres called " A Code Red for Humanity."   Given this warning and the reality of accelerating and intensifying extreme weather, SUNx Malta iscalling for a DASH-2-Zero for the influential Travel & Tourism sector.   Pushing for further action faster. Yes, to Net Zero Carbon, but by 2030 and a commitment to NO GHG 2050 . DASH means Declare & Act with Support & Hope. We are training 100,000 young Strong Climate Champions across all UN States by 2030. Together with our SDG17 partners we are offering a UNFCCC linked Registry of Accelerated Ambition and free support for the...

Guest blog by  Professor Geoffrey Lipman, President SUNx Malta “Let me start by making it clear that today and for the coming months every government and industry action must be focused on a total response, repeat total response, to the global enemy of COVID 19. To health issues: livelihood issues: family issues and business survival issues. It is war. Nothing is more important than coherent national and international response, where co-ordinated,   joined-up   action is the only path open.” As the pandemic crisis intensifies, pulling the world economy towards recession it’s clear that the Travel & Tourism sector is in the centre of the maelstrom. Airlines are slashing flights: Cruise companies are cancelling programs: Hotels are seeing bookings evaporate. And with it the entire Travel Ecosystem of airports, ports, stations, along with meetings, sports events, theme parks, music festivals and all the attendant hospitality services...

Preparing For the Glasgow 2020 Climate Summit article 6 SUN x is a legacy to Maurice Strong, former Under-Secretary-General of the UN, father of Sustainable Development and visionary on climate resilience. He had a passionate belief in the potential of Travel & Tourism to be a positive change agent for sustainability generally and in response to the Climate Crisis specifically. It is advocating Climate Friendly Travel ~ Measured, Green, and 2050-proof. “The eXistential Climate Crisis requires even more urgent action by the entire global Travel & Tourism sector than has been generally recognized to date.” SUNx Malta Board meeting ·         The inaugural SUN x Malta 2020 Climate Friendly Travel Think Tank with 35 global thought leaders (attachment 1) met from 24 th - 28 th February in Qawra, Malta. It operated in the context of the long-term transformational vision of the late Maurice Strong for sustainable development that res...