Climate change and hotels: Marriott’s net zero by 2050 pledge and what it needs to do to achieve the goal
- The world’s second biggest hospitality group has pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. How will it do that? Will it bring real carbon reduction?
Given the extreme weather events that have brought heartache to many around the world this year, the COP26 meeting is an opportunity – perhaps mankind’s last – to avert a cataclysmic future.
To do this, humans need to get much better at reducing our carbon footprint, and, with governments and individuals able to do only so much, businesses will have to be a driving force.
Consumer research shows that the public are increasingly eco-aware and seeking ways to make changes to their lifestyles. For example, a Booking.com survey found that 83 per cent of global travellers think sustainable travel is vital, with 61 per cent saying that the Covid-19 pandemic has made them want to travel more ethically.
But people are looking beyond switching to sustainable products and now want the companies they book with to be more responsible. As a consequence, there’s been a rush in recent months of corporations making carbon “net zero” announcements to appease customers, with the bonus of helping to protect the global resources upon which they rely.
One notable pledge came recently from Marriott International. The second largest hotel group in the world by number of properties managed – Hong Kong properties in its portfolio include the JW Marriott, the St Regis and the Renaissance Hong Kong Harbour View – Marriott’s announcement of its “ambition to go net zero” by 2050 is significant, particularly to customers in Southeast Asia, where it has an ambitious expansion plan. But does the commitment amount to genuine carbon reduction? The answer is complex.
