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Your journey to net zero

A step-by-step process for you to create and manage your own Climate Action Plan.

The move to a net zero economy is already happening, bringing both opportunities and challenges to businesses. The tourism, hospitality and events sector can lead this change, starting with every business having a climate action plan. A climate action plan will help you work towards the target of net zero emissions by 2045. It can help you find ways to increase efficiency with a view to reducing costs. As well as meet customer demand, recruit, and keep staff, build resilience, and manage risks.

What is a Climate Action Plan?

A good Climate Action Plan is not just about reducing your emissions. It's about understanding how the net zero transition will affect your business, your community, and the environment. 

Creating a Climate Action Plan will help you understand:

  • Your contribution to emissions
  • Identify opportunities 
  • How you can respond 

A Climate Action Plan will help with your journey to net zero, whatever your starting point. Building resilience and maximising the positive impact on your business and the environment.

How to use this guide to create your plan

This guide, aligned with the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism, takes you step-by-step through the process of creating a Climate Action Plan for your business. The guide will take you through:

  • Identifying, measuring your carbon emissions
  • How to adapt to unavoidable climate change
  • Support nature-based solutions
  • Communicating with your stakeholders

The steps build on each other and especially the first three steps benefit from being done in order. You can also dip in an out to find information and inspiration as needed on your climate action journey.

Using the Climate Action Workbooks 

Throughout the guide there are Climate Action Workbooks to download and use in conjunction with the guide. These workbooks will help you identify and measure emission sources, plan your actions, record progress and report on achievements.

Frequently asked questions

Net zero advice for different sectors

There is a growing range of climate action advice and support for businesses. Here are some of the advice and guidance developed for specific sectors in tourism, which you might find useful besides this step by step guide.

In partnership

This guide has been produced as part of the Scottish Government tourism recovery funded Destination Net Zero programme. We’ve created it for you in partnership with Green Tourism and The Edinburgh Climate Change Institute.

Further advice and support