Plans for new passport feature will limit how much Brits can travel in a year
A REPORT has put forward potential plans that could limit how much Brits would be allowed to travel every year.
Currently, the only thing preventing people from travelling as much as they like is their own budget and circumstances.
However, new rules in the future could see holidaymakers’ trips limited by their carbon emissions.
The report by Intrepid Travel claimed drastic measures could be introduced after a summer in which wildfires have ruined thousands of holidays.
It predicted that “personal carbon allowances” may be introduced to reduce emissions and that we could see them by 2040.
The report stated: “These allowances will manifest as passports that force people to ration their carbon in line with the global carbon budget, which is 750 billion tonnes until 2050.
“By 2040, we can expect to see limitations imposed on the amount of travel that is permitted each year.”
It added that travellers will be “forced to forgo the horizon-expanding experiences so readily embraced by today’s tourists”.
The report, produced in partnership with foresight agency, The Future Laboratory, also warned that destinations such as Greece and Majorca may become too hot for many people to enjoy summer holidays.
It suggests that cooler locations such as Belgium, Slovenia and Poland would grow in popularity instead.
Thousands of UK holidaymakers were on the Greek island of Rhodes when parts of it were devastated by wildfires in July.
Intrepid Travel predicts that a cohort of people it describes as “travel transformers” will spark the emergence of “regenerative travel”, focusing on the social and environmental impact of holidays.
Darrell Wade, co-founder and chairman of the company, said: “Tourism must evolve and become regenerative, as the current model is unsustainable.
“We must recognise that the future needs to be different from business as usual.
“There is limited time left, and immediate collective action and innovation is needed to decarbonise travel together and truly achieve the immense potential for sustainable development within our industry.”
The Future Laboratory said: “These allowances will manifest as passports that force people to ration their carbon in line with the global carbon budget, which is 750 billion tonnes until 2050.
“By 2040, it will be unusual to see members of Generation Alpha without a carbon-footprint tracker on their smartphones.
“Every Uber ride, plane journey, and trip to the supermarket will be logged in their devices, noting their carbon footprint in real time.
“Transient and transformative travel experiences will revolutionise the notion of leaving no trace.
“We will see hotels will be at the forefront of this extraordinary change. In the next decade we will see more now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t travel experiences popping up across the world.”
There are currently no official plans for carbon passports to be created or introduced by governments.
However, Brits have admitted their holiday choices are changing as a result of warmer temperatures across Europe.
A recent survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, indicated that 70% of people aged 18-24 said they are “somewhat or very likely” to adjust the time of year they travel as a result of changing weather patterns.
That’s compared to just a quarter (25%) of people aged over 64.
Some 62% of respondents in the younger age range said they are likely to change their holiday destination due to climates becoming warmer in certain countries.
Sebastian Ebel, chief executive of travel company TUI, has also predicted that more holidaymakers will opt for cooler destinations and times of the year when the temperature is not at its highest.
He said the company will put more focus on locations such as the Nordics, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, this is why hot weather could get you kicked off your flight.
And this special app is used by pilots to check the weather and keep passengers safe.