Calculating the carbon emissions of vacations – Method note
Accommodation CO2
Energy use of hotels is first converted to kilowatt by energy types. This is then applied with the conversion factors provided by the European Commission to covert kilowatt to emissions.
Accommodation CO2 = ∑ (total) energy use in kilowatt * conversion factors
Three different emissions values are reported, including (1) CO2, (2) CO2-eq (CO2, N2O and CH4), and (3) CO2-eq based on the life cycle analysis.
Most energy types come with standard conversion factors disregarding which country the energy is produced and consumed. For electricity, conversion factors do vary by regions. For example, the conversion factor of electricity is 0.083 tCO2-eq/MWh in France and 0.517 tCO2-eq/MWh in UK. In other words, one watt use of electricity in UK will produce 6 times more emissions than that in France.
Divide the accommodation CO2 with total bed nights (or room nights) will yield the emissions per day. Food CO2
Food emissions of hotels are calculated using a similar formula:
Food CO2 = ∑ (total) food product in kg * conversion factor
Food use of hotels are first categorized into 32 food products, which are then matched with the conversion factors provided by the European Commission. The conversion factors discuss the carbon footprint of food through the life-cycle analysis, which is to trace the emissions associated with agriculture, animal rearing, industrial processing, packaging, logistic, retail, use and end of life. Same conversion factors apply to all hotels disregarding where the food is produced or consumed.
Transport CO2
Source for calculations: Methodology Paper for Emission Factors by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Calculations (all page numbers below refer to the above paper unless alternative source link given)
| Mode of transport |
Emissions kg CO2 / pkm |
Source |
| Unknown car |
0.058 |
table 20 on page 52 (excludes non-CO2 effects) |
Average fleet emissions in the UK given at 145 g CO
2/km. Leisure travel data for estimated number of passengers estimating at 2.5 [UNWTO-UNEP-WMO 2008: UNWTO-UNEP-WMO (2008).
Climate Change and Tourism: responding to global challenges. Madrid: UNWTO]. Assuming the average tourist uses an average car - 145 g CO
2 divided by 2.5, equals an emission factor of 0.058 g CO
2 per pkm for car travel.
| Mode of transport |
Emissions kg CO2 / pkm |
Source |
| Local Bus |
0.10471 |
table 24 on page 59 (includes CO2-equivalent effects) |
| Coach |
0.02779 |
table 24 on page 59 (includes CO2-equivalent effects) |
| Train |
0.03507 |
table 26 on page 62 (includes CO2-equivalent effects) |
Flights - page 79, for domestic, short haul and long haul flights. Measured in g CO
2 per pkm, and considering load factors, as well as deducting freight.
| Mode of transport |
Emissions kg CO2 / pkm |
Source |
| Flight - Long Haul |
0.095 |
table 37 on page 79 (excludes non-CO2 effects) |
| Flight - Short Haul |
0.077 |
table 37 on page 79 (excludes non-CO2 effects) |
Ferries - all data taken from
UK Government GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting.
| Mode of transport |
Emissions kg CO2 / pkm |
Source |
| Ferry - Foot passenger |
0.018738 |
Business travel – sea, tab on spreadsheet |
| Ferry - Car passenger |
0.129518 |
Business travel – sea, tab on spreadsheet |
