Our Every Trip Offset Policy
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Our “Every Trip Offset” policy is a key part of Our Climate Commitment. While we’ll always aim to reduce our carbon emissions first, we’ll also make sure that the emissions from our trips that we can’t eliminate are fully offset. This means we’ll balance out the carbon emissions from the flights and ground arrangements of all our trips through verified sustainable development projects across Asia.
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We’ve declared a Climate Emergency at ITG, and we need to take decisive action now. We’re fully aware that the majority of our clients need to fly to get to their destinations with us, where they can have transformative experiences and provide positive impacts to local communities, like supporting intercultural understanding and promoting conservation efforts.
We can’t sit back and wait for cleaner air travel technologies to come along in the future. A carbon offset allows us to balance the carbon emissions from our trips by preventing carbon being released from sources in other places. We do this through supporting verified sustainable development projects across Asia - like the award-winning biogas project in rural Vietnam and renewable wind power in India.
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What the impacts of our climate projects?
We have been supporting climate projects through verified offset schemes since 2016. In 2023, we supported a renewable wind power project in India.
The project has contributed to the installation of 26 wind turbines and their maintenance in three states across India, collectively producing 25.5 Megawatts of renewable energy (one megawatt = one million watts).
This energy is used to replace that produced by fossil fuels, meaning renewable energy investment is a fast and effective solution to reduce emissions from energy generation.
70% of electricity in India is currently supplied by fossil fuels. Renewable energy projects such as this are vital to support India overcome its energy shortage, while also reducing carbon emissions.
The carbon offsets in the project are verified under the CDM or VCS.
The Wind Power Project supports 4 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- Affordable and clean energy
- Decent work and economic growth
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Climate action
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How do we measure the carbon emissions of our trips?
Carbon measurement is complex. That’s why we work with carbon experts ecollective to measure our entire carbon footprint as a company.
We take accurate measurements of every single trip, including the flights, accommodation, transport, experiences and meals included, as well as all the operational emissions that go into making that trip happen. We then target the largest emitting areas to try to reduce our footprint in the future.
We also measure the average emissions of our trips, and work with Climate Impact Partners, specialists in carbon market solutions for climate action to help us ensure each trip is fully offset through financing climate projects.
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What do I need to do?
Nothing! All our new bookings include the full carbon offset for your flights and ground arrangements in your trip price. There are no additional fees, and no extra hassle. Even if you book your flights elsewhere, we will include the cost of offsetting your flights in your trip price, so you don’t have to do any extra work to know your trip is carbon neutral.
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FAQs
We know that carbon offsetting can be a confusing and complicated topic. That’s why we’ve created this helpful list of Frequently Asked Questions. Integrity is one of our company values and we want to be as transparent as we can in explaining how, why, and where your carbon offsetting fee goes.
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This isn't Climate Change 'solved'
Carbon offsetting isn’t a silver bullet for climate change, but it can have a significant and immediate impact – not just on our climate, but on communities too. Our Every Trip Offset policy is only a part of ITG’s Climate Commitment. Before we look at offsetting, we will always try to reduce our emissions, in the way we work and the way we run our trips. We want to encourage longer, deeper and more meaningful trips that work in harmony with our destinations.
Read more about Our Climate Commitment and what Sustainability means to us here.