The World Tourism Organization (WTO), present at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), launched yesterday the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism.

The declaration assumes the sector's commitment to reduce its emissions by half in the next decade and reach the much sought-after carbon neutrality by 2050, and already has more than 300 signatures.

The new document admits the "urgent need" to develop a global blueprint for climate action in the tourism sector and commits signatories "to measure, decarbonize, regenerate and unlock financing" in this regard, according to a note from the WTO.

In addition, each of the 300 signatories to the declaration also commits to submit a "concrete and updated action plan" within 12 months of signing the document.

Among the signatories of the declaration are tourism officials, destinations, countries, stakeholders, and several private companies.

WTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili argues that the declaration is an important step between "good intentions and meaningful climate action," and assumes that "a more ambitious sectoral approach is needed to ensure that tourism accelerates climate action in a meaningful way."

Among the main supporters of the Glasgow Declaration is also the World Travel and Tourism Council, whose president and CEO, Julia Simpson, acknowledges that support for the declaration aims to bring together private sector stakeholders.