Intrepid Travel, certified B-Corp and responsible travel operator, is making big changes to its decarbonization project next year, transitioning from a carbon offsetting program to a new Climate Impact Fund that will transform the operator’s everyday emissions production.
The new change will fund $2 million in projects to switch to electric vehicles, invest in renewable energy in hotels and offices and work with over 10,000 suppliers around the world to decarbonize. The change will be immediate, with the operator providing loans for operators to fund EVs and solar panels for homestays in places like India and Nepal.
In an open letter, Intrepid’s Co-Founder and CEO, Darrell Wade, and CEO James Thornton wrote: “In 2020 we joined the Science Based Targets initiative with three near-term 2035 targets and backed that commitment by cutting flights on trips, promoting alternative transport, introducing carbon labelling on our trips, ceasing operations in Antarctica and more.”
“These actions were real, tangible steps towards emissions reduction, but they haven’t been enough. The transition to renewable energy, sustainable aviation fuels and electric vehicles across the 117 countries in which we operate is progressing—but not fast enough,” they wrote.
Intrepid will also move away from the Science Based Targets Initiative, replacing it with a new lifecycle 8 percent carbon intensity reduction target. It hopes to reduce emissions per trip by 2030.
It will continue a 21 percent absolute reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030. These emissions are ones produced by offices, trips and accommodations.
Intrepid will also increase carbon reporting to cover the full lifecycle of the travel process: including flights booked directly by customers.
“Travel is a powerful tool to build empathy, shift perspectives, support local economies and drive global connections,” the letter continued. “But that power means little if we aren’t willing to grapple with its environmental cost. Intrepid’s new approach to climate action is designed to reflect the urgency of this crisis and accelerate the work we need to do to decarbonize our business.”
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