Our climate commitment
We believe climate change is everyone’s business, so we’ve made it our business to be part of the solution.
As a tourism business, we have a front-row seat to the global climate crisis that is unfolding in iconic natural areas and destinations across the world.
In 2005, we kicked off a companywide effort to measure, reduce and offset all the emissions generated by our trips and global offices.
Then, we became carbon neutral in 2010 and certified our commitment to doing good by becoming a B Corp in 2018.
Carbon neutrality is not enough.
That's why, when we declared a Climate Emergency in 2020, we created our climate action plan featuring verifiable science-based targets. We were the first global tour operator with targets aligned with a 1.5C future and the Science Based Targets initiative.
Since then, we've added carbon labels to more than 800 trips to help our travellers make informed decisions. To help other tour operators do the same, we published an open-source guide to carbon labelling and emission modelling so we can work together to build a better industry.
We’ve developed a robust decarbonisation roadmap to meet our 2035 science-based targets. You can find the details in our latest Integrated Annual Report.
Intrepid was one of the first signatories and a launch partner to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism in November 2021. By becoming a signatory, we've agreed to implement the commitments detailed in the Glasgow Declaration, most notably supporting the global commitment to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net zero as soon as possible before 2050.
Intrepid Foundation partners protecting the environment
Coastal wetlands take in carbon 30 to 50 times faster than trees, but we’ve lost 65 per cent of wetlands globally. Intrepid Foundation partner Blue Carbon Lab restore threatened coastal wetland ecosystems and supports Traditional Owners to protect coastal landscapes of cultural significance in Australia.
Eden Reforestation Projects works with local people to identify lands devastated by deforestation – both legally and illegally – that the community wants to restore. They provide employment opportunities and encourage the community’s commitment to protecting the forests for generations to come.
Greening Australia rebuilds resilient ecosystems across Australia, restoring landscapes at scale – in ways that work for communities, economies and nature. They tackle the country’s complex environmental challenges through large on-ground restoration projects and innovative research initiatives that help scale their impact.
Indigenous rangers play a critical role in protecting nature and increasing biodiversity in Australia – combining ancient wisdom and modern conservation techniques. Alongside over 48 Indigenous Partners, they work hard to ensure Indigenous rangers and Indigenous Protected Areas are supported into the future.
How we offset our emissions
Carbon offsetting is an internationally recognised way for organisations to compensate for the carbon emissions they can’t eliminate by investing in projects that reduce or remove emissions.
Intrepid is certified Climate Active, Australia's collective initiative for climate action, for achieving a state of net zero emissions, otherwise known as carbon neutrality.
Intrepid’s Purpose team calculate emissions on a trip level by looking at the different components of the trips, including accommodation, transportation, meals provided, activities, staff and office operations and waste. A 15% contingency is added to each trip’s emissions to account for anything we may have unintentionally missed.
When it comes to our offices, we measure and offset our emissions from electricity, bottled gas, natural gas, water, flights, vehicles, waste, paper, work-from-home outputs and operational expenditures.
We reduce our consumption on trips by using public transport, encouraging travellers to pack reusable water bottles and removing non‑essential flights from trips where viable alternatives exist.
In our offices, we recycle waste and have introduced efficiency measures, including energy-saving light bulbs, digital conferencing, and water conservation. Plus, we’re moving to renewable energy wherever possible.
We offset our carefully calculated carbon emissions by purchasing carbon credits associated with key international projects that generate additional economic, social and environmental benefits, including habitat and biodiversity protection.
Being Nature Positive
Nature is a critical ally in the fight against climate change and nature loss. Evidence shows that strong and healthy ecosystems can help fight climate change, build resilience, and help us adapt to climate impacts.
Being Nature Positive means going further to help to repair and regenerate ecosystems and biodiversity. Along with mitigating climate change, Nature Positive solutions will protect ecosystems and biodiversity, restore degraded land, and support sustainable livelihoods. We identify opportunities to take Nature Positive action and, where possible, share case studies and learnings of our journey towards nature positivity. And we’ll seek to continuously enhance our understanding of nature-related business impacts.