Earth Day 2022
April 22nd, 2022, by Jonathan Brannan
This Earth Day we celebrate the beauty of our planet and raising awareness of conservation and climate change.
This year's theme is 'Invest in Our Planet' and everyone is encouraged to act (boldly), innovate (broadly), and implement (equitably). We understand that it is going to take all of us to preserve and protect our health, our families, and our livelihoods.
Next-Level Sustainable Experiences
At African Travel, we recognize the importance of conservation, a green future is a prosperous future. In partnership with The TreadRight Foundation, we support three pillars: people, wildlife and the planet.
Visiting Africa is all about the memorable experiences you make with its people, culture, and wildlife while also learning about the importance of preserving and rejuvenating what makes the continent so special.
The world’s wildlife population is balancing on a dangerous precipice. We have partnered with leading wildlife organizations to work to protect and rehabilitate elephant, rhino, and big cat populations around the world to restore nature and build a healthy planet for our children and their children.
We have highlighted some next-level experiences that connect guests with Africa’s people, environment, and wildlife and leave a positive impact on local communities. Every safari includes a donation to wildlife conservation or a child's education. In East Africa, we invest in future conservation leaders, supporting a local child’s participation in the Life & Land Wildlife Warrior Program. This program aims to educate the next generation of conservationists - who live in prominent wildlife areas - about the importance of wildlife conservation and tourism.
Net Zero Goals
Travel has great power to do good, but we must also recognize the role it plays in climate change – the greatest risk to our planet. As a travel company, we do not shy away from our responsibility.
Along with our parent company, The Travel Corporation, we have taken the next step in our collective net zero journey and have committed to science-based reduction targets. TTC has developed company-wide emission reduction targets that are currently under review by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and will be announced later this year. Science-based targets ensure we reduce our emissions in line with keeping the global temperature well below a warming of 1.5 C by mid-century.
We have continued to accelerate our climate action efforts in response to the glaring threat of climate change to our planet, communities and wildlife. Last year we launched our 5-point Climate Action Plan, committing us to Measure, Reduce, Remove, Offset, and lastly, to Evolve. This has given us the flexibility to adapt our plan as new guidance and technologies become available. We are actively working with industry and destination partners and investing in promising nature-based climate solutions.
In 2021, TreadRight invested in GreenWave and Project Vesta, two nature-based carbon removal solutions which are showing very promising results in their pilot stages. In addition, TTC and TreadRight have joined forces with VisitScotland and The Travel Foundation in a new project that aims to shape Scotland as the world’s first net zero destination. In alignment with TTC’s commitment to net zero, this pilot project will develop a structured process to better understand, avoid, and otherwise reduce in-destination travel emissions through a joint effort between the tour operator and destination, and will benefit destinations worldwide in the transition to become low-carbon destinations.
Learn more about our climate action plans here.
Sustainable Kenya
Generations of adventurers have traveled to Kenya in search of a safari into quintessential Africa. Kenya does not disappoint with one of the greatest natural shows on earth. The annual migration of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra crossing the Masai Mara’s rolling grasslands and wooded savanna is a sight to see. Luckily a luxury safari to Kenya does not come at the expense of sustainability. There are a variety of experiences that invest directly in the future of our planet and guests will not be disappointed. Learn how to experience conservation first-hand - and contribute to the future of wildlife conservation in Kenya.
