Iberostar on path to zero emission in six years; Jamaica ops lagging
LARGE HOTEL chain Iberostar has installed a 1.2 megawatt solar power plant in Jamaica as part of the wider group’s move to slash its carbon emissions.
The group of Spanish origin plans to become carbon neutral by 2030 or 20 years prior to global targets. Its Jamaica holdings, however, increased their carbon footprint over five years, but the installation of the plant should aid in reducing such emissions going forward.
“Our dedication to renewable energy was evident in the construction of a 1.2MW photovoltaic plant at Rose Hall Resort in Jamaica, contributing to clean energy production,” Iberostar said in its sustainability report titled Wave of Change.
The Iberostar Group, which is headquartered in Palma, Spain, operates three hotels in Jamaica and some 73 properties globally. The carbon emissions from the Jamaica hotels moved upwards by nine per cent on average over five years ending 2023 within the context of the overall group’s emissions, dipping 12 per cent over the period.
Specifically, its direct emissions from the Jamaica operations grew to 7,400 tons in 2023 from 4,860 tons in 2019. On the other hand, the indirect emissions, which include carbon from its suppliers and others with which the hotel chain does business, dipped to 11,550 tons from 12,580 tons.
Carbon dioxide is the most toxic of the greenhouse gases that are heating up the Earth. Every second, the world emits 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, according to NASA, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which is a global authority on space and science.
The Ibersostar Jamaica management was not reached for comment on the reasons for the carbon fluctuations. The baseline 2019 year equates to the final financial year prior to the onset of the pandemic, which led to travel disruptions. It is also the baseline year for scientists testing fluctuations in global temperatures.
Under the Paris Agreement, nations generally agree that to get temperatures below 1.5º Celsius (2.7º Fahrenheit) by 2050, emissions need to be cut virtually in half by 2030 relative to 2019 levels.
Europe is among the most aggressive in relation to climate-change initiatives alongside efforts to hold corporations and others to account over their carbon emissions.
Last week, for example, Germany’s vice chancellor launched a programme initially worth up to €4 billion to help heavy industry shift to more climate-friendly production over a 15-year period.
Germany, as Europe’s biggest economy, aims to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045 and was the first in the European Union to launch the so-called “carbon contracts for difference”.
The installation of the solar plant at Rose Hall by Iberostar Jamaica has moved the needle for the local operation. It resulted in a reduction in energy consumption by 12.3 per cent, which equated to the second largest energy savings in the group next to Montenegro at 12.7 per cent.
The three hotels in Jamaica generated 19 million kilowatt hours of energy in 2023, down from 21.7 million kWh.
Next, Iberostar plans to set up renewable plants in the neighbouring territory of Hispaniola. “Additionally, we initiated soil conditioning for two photovoltaic plants in the Dominican Republic, laying the groundwork for expanded renewable energy capacity in the region,” the report stated.
Jamaica betters other territories in the group in most other categories except for what the hotel group called ‘responsible seafood’, which received a 62 per cent responsible score, far below the 83 per cent group average. The report focused on seafood rather than all food types.
The local hotel is considering a lobster fishery and coral reef growth initiative in 2024 and beyond. The next step involves coral-reef protection, along with food and water waste reductions.
In 2023, the Jamaica operations generated 1.0 million kilogrammes of waste garbage, which was down by one-quarter less from 1.3 million kg in 2022, the report indicated.
“By fostering the continuous circulation of materials, products, and resources within closed loops, the circular economy aims to decouple economic growth from resource depletion and environmental degradation. Strategies such as designing products for durability, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling play a pivotal role in reducing waste generation and extending the lifespan of materials, thereby lessening the need for virgin-resource extraction,” stated the report.
“For tourism, this concept is particularly relevant as it addresses key concerns such as overtourism and negative impacts on biodiversity and local communities and bolsters resilience in the face of global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss,” Iberostar said.