Measuring and Mitigating the Environmental Footprint of Tourism: A Comprehensive Review of Methodologies and Tools
Author:Edmundas Jasinskas, Vilija Bitė Fominienė, Artūras Simanavičius and Antanas Ūsas
JEL:Q56, Z32, L83.
DOI:10.24818/EA/2026/73/1328
Keywords:tourism environmental footprint, carbon emissions, sustainable tourism, greenhouse gas measurement, life cycle assessment, ecological footprint.
Abstract:
The tourism industry is a significant contributor to global environmental degradation, accounting for approximately 8.8% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and generating 5.2 gigatons of CO₂ equivalent annually. As the sector continues its post-pandemic rebound, accurately measuring and mitigating its environmental footprint has become a critical imperative for achieving the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. This paper offers a comprehensive review of the methodologies and tools used to assess the environmental footprint of tourism, with a specific focus on carbon, water, and ecological footprints. Through a systematic analysis of current literature and industry practices, the study evaluates prominent measurement approaches, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Environmentally Extended Input-Output (EEIO) analysis, and the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol framework. Furthermore, the paper examines practical calculation tools available to tourism stakeholders, such as the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) and the Tour Carbon Footprinting Tool developed by Sustainable Travel International. The findings highlight the necessity of adopting holistic, multi-indicator frameworks to capture both direct and indirect environmental impacts across the tourism value chain. The paper concludes with recommendations for policymakers and industry practitioners to enhance sustainability monitoring and accelerate the transition toward net-zero tourism.