BUSINESS NEWS sustainability gathered in France last week. Ian Taylor reports from Nîmes


Car rental sector ‘held back by lack of available EVs’


A “bottleneck” in the availability of electric vehicles (EVs) and lack of consumer demand are slowing the decarbonisation of car rental. That is according to Europcar


Mobility Group public affairs director Jehan de The, who told the forum: “We have a goal to be 100% EVs by 2036. But there are not enough EVs on the market. “Our aim is to reduce emissions


by 46% by 2030. The bottleneck is the availability of EVs. There is [also] a lack of demand. Consumers fear to rent an EV on holiday because of the lack of infrastructure. It’s not at the level it should be. “Most of our customers are


experiencing an EV for the first time.


Jehan de The


Climate forecasts spur ski resorts to develop summer facilities


Alpine resorts are looking to develop summer activities in anticipation of global warming increasingly affecting ski seasons. Loic Bonhoure, chief operating


If you don’t know how it works, it’s not easy. You have to download an app to refuel; there is no price, so you don’t know what it costs. The next time you recharge there is another app and still no price. We have to make it simpler and transparent.” However, De The insisted car


rental is more environmentally friendly than owning a car, arguing: “We buy cars for less than one year, which means we have the most efficient fleet – 40% more efficient than the global fleet now and 50% more efficient by 2024.”


officer of ski resort operator Companie des Alpes, reported the winter snowline in the Alps could recede from about 1,560 metres to 2,400 metres within 20 years. He told the forum: “Climate


change is here. Ski resorts are organised for winter. [But] we need to develop activities for summer. “For ski you can have a lot of


capacity – one million visitors a season. Summer activities will be low capacity, will be different activities [and] will have to be


developed sustainably to protect the environment.” He argued: “We have to invest


for the long term. In the short term, it won’t be profitable.” Bonhoure noted: “We often


see companies make huge commitments on climate but provide very little proof. But we have biodiversity observatories in all our resorts with scientists working every summer.” He added: “We have to


accelerate. Two years ago we planned to cut CO2 emissions by 6% by 2024 and 48% by 2030. Now we plan to cut 47% by 2024 and to be at zero net carbon by 2030.”


‘Sustainability must be paid for’


Tourism will not survive without becoming environmentally sustainable and including a “fair carbon price” in the cost of travel, according to Travel Foundation climate specialist Jeremy Smith. Smith told the Nîmes forum:


“Tourism would be unsustainable if the carbon price was included. “The problem is we’re not adding


a fair carbon price. It will have to be paid by the traveller. Travel has to become more expensive.” World Travel & Tourism Council


head of research Nejc Jus agreed, warning: “If we don’t make destinations sustainable, there won’t be tourism.” But he added: “Sustainability and


growth go hand in hand. If we don’t have tourists go to a destination, there is no positive contribution.” Zina Bencheikh, Intrepid Travel


managing director for the EMEA region, said: “The majority of our


travelweekly.co.uk The problem is


we’re not adding a fair carbon price. Travel has to become more expensive


customers don’t book holidays with us because of sustainability but because they are good value for money. Yet often they came back and want sustainability.” She insisted: “It’s not true that


sustainability is more expensive. It’s often cheaper.” For example, she said: “Eat in a mainstream tourist restaurant and then go with a local guide to a local food place and it will be cheaper.” Bencheikh added: “A lot of


businesses show certification now. It’s an easy way to show a customer a destination is sustainable without


them having to think too much.” Smith, the co-founder of Tourism


Declares a Climate Emergency and co-author of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism launched at the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow last year, argued: “You can’t work on tourism, climate and sustainability and not have bleak days. It’s terrifying we have to do so much so quickly but it’s great for collaboration. “Tourism Declares launched three


years ago with not many signatories and grew to 450 and the Glasgow Declaration now has 700 companies and destinations signed up. “There are three essential


points: first, within 12 months you must publish a climate action plan. Second, the plan must be based on understanding your impacts on the planet, not on communications. Third, you must collaborate.”


Zina Bencheikh 3 NOVEMBER 2022 55


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