- The award recognizes the significant long time green tourism thought leadership of Martha Honey, in whose honor it is given.
- Martha Honey is Co-Founder and Director Emeritus of the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), based in Washington, DC.
- Over the last two decades, she has written and lectured widely on ecotourism, impact tourism, cruise and resort tourism, climate change, and certification issues.
This year, Mr. Geoffrey Lipman, Co-founder of SUNx – Strong Universal Network, and President of the International Climate & Tourism Partners (ICTP), was announced as the 2021 recipient of the 2021 Martha Honey Legacy Award from CREST.
Following are Mr. Lipman’s remarks on receiving this esteemed award:
I want to thank CREST for this prestigious award and to recognize the significant long-time green tourism thought leadership of Martha Honey, in whose honor it is given. I’m glad we traded thoughts in the more civilized time of the early 1990s and not in the polarized, hate Infected, Trumpian world of today. It allowed us to come at the same issues from differing perspectives, with civility and decency.
I accept the Award, not so much for myself, but as an acknowledgment of the inspiration I received back then from my friend and mentor for 25 years, the late Maurice Strong – sustainability and climate activist half a century ago.
And I marvel at what he achieved on the world stage.
The same Maurice Strong who organized the 1972 Earth Summit and the 1992 Rio Earth Summit – with 124 Heads of State. Who masterminded the birth of UNEP, the IPCC, the UNFCCC, the Earth Charter, and Ted Turner’s billion-dollar donation to the UN Foundation. And also arguably had fingerprints on the MDGs, the SDGs, and the Paris Climate Accord.
Just as his vision is baked into the DNA of SUNx Malta, a legacy to him in the Travel & Tourism space, an EU-based NGO, partnered with the government of Malta to advance Climate Friendly Travel.
My message today, from SUNx Malta, along with my real gratitude to CREST for the Award, consists of three points.
One, The Climate Crisis is existential – it needs to be our primary focus. And it needs it now. This is the hottest year in recent memory, with the most disastrous impacts escalating around the world. Our current 2030 emissions trajectory is a 16 % increase rather than the 50% decrease needed to stay on track to a 1.5-degree limit.
Two, The Glasgow Tourism Declaration is a step in the right direction, but we have to go further, faster. We need a DASH-2-Zero, Net Zero Carbon 2030 rather than 2050 and by 2050 (3 decades away) we need No GHG. DASH stands for Declare: Act: Support and Hope.
Three, our best hope is the Youth, who will as Greta Thunberg says will have to clean up our mess. Today’s young people are the Ja Ja – Yes we can generate. Not the blah blah – as Thunberg refers to ours. They will do take the tough actions needed to live with the Climate Crisis – because it’s not going away.
And we must give them the Support and Hope that they deserve.
As the Innuits say, “We do not inherit the earth from our fathers, we borrow it from our children.” Thank you
About SUNx Malta
SUNx is an EU-based, not-for-profit organization, established as a legacy for Maurice Strong, a climate and sustainability pioneer, and partnered with the government of Malta.
SUNx Malta created the “Green & Clean, Climate Friendly Travel System” which is designed to help Travel & Tourism companies and communities transform to the new Climate Economy. The program is based on reducing carbon, meeting Sustainable Development Goals, and matching the Paris 1.5C trajectory. It is action and education-focused – supporting today’s companies and communities to deliver on their climate ambitions and encouraging tomorrow’s young leaders to prepare for rewarding careers across the travel sector. Its co-founder and President is Professor Geoffrey Lipman.
SUNx Malta is calling for a DASH-2-Zero for the influential Travel & Tourism sector. Pushing for further action faster. Yes, to Net Zero Carbon, but by 2030 and a commitment to NO Greenhouse gases by 2050. DASH means Declare & Act with Support & Hope. SUNx Malta is training 100,000 young Strong Climate Champions across all UN States by 2030. Together with our Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-17) partners, we are offering a UNFCCC linked Registry of Accelerated Ambition and support for Climate Friendly companies and communities.
For further information please contact, Olly Wheatcroft [email protected]
