The big question on everyone’s lips is: How will the growth of travel impact the environment? Will we be flying our way into the apocalypse? Airline trade body IATA (International Air Transport Association) predicts that over the next 15 years alone, global air passenger numbers will double from about 4 billion in 2019 to 8 billion in 2040. Sally Davey, CEO of Travalyst, a ‘force for good’ initiative led by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, says: “Such huge growth could risk major negative impacts—or it could be an opportunity to do things differently. The future of sustainable travel is about balance, between encouraging more responsible travel while ensuring it remains accessible to all.”
By 2050, the impacts of climate change may have fundamentally altered life on Earth, with widespread consequences for ecosystems, economies and societies. Average global temperatures could rise by 2°C or more, leading to more frequent and severe hurricanes, droughts and floods, devastating vulnerable regions. Turbulence will make air travel much bumpier and more unpredictable. If the Gulf Stream that helps carry planes across the Atlantic collapses, temperatures across Europe will plunge.
Melting polar ice caps and glaciers would accelerate the loss of biodiversity, with numerous species facing extinction due to habitat destruction. Food and water insecurity could intensify, as shifting climate patterns disrupt agricultural productivity and deplete freshwater sources. Economically, trillions of dollars could be lost to climate-related damages, while global inequality widens as poorer nations bear the brunt of the crisis. At the same time, efforts to adapt–through renewable energy, geo-engineering and resilient infrastructure–might showcase humanity’s ingenuity, even as the planet’s natural systems remain under unprecedented strain.
