Calculate the carbon footprint of your trip in France

First of all, it’s important to understand the different sources of greenhouse gas emissions that can be generated as you travel. The main sources of pollution when travelling are:

• Transport: plane, ferry, train, bus, car, etc. These modes of transport generate greenhouse gas emissions. Planes in particular are known to emit one of the highest concentrations of CO2 per kilometre covered. The ferry and car also pollute, as opposed to travelling on horseback, by bike or on foot.

• Accommodation: hotels, tourism complexes and other types of accommodation consume energy for heating, air-conditioning, lighting and other facilities. But the good news is that more and more of these establishments are now making an effort. 

You could opt for accommodation with the European ecolabel. For holiday gites, the Panda (WWF) label guarantees a natural stay in a destination such as a national park or protected nature reserve, and the Ecogite label guarantees management practices that are more respectful of natural resources.

Whether they have been awarded a label or not, some accommodation providers choose to use more natural and local construction materials. And more limited energy consumption. Some take this even further by choosing to use environmentally friendly cleaning products, and only offering their guests organic, ecological products.

Good to know: some booking platforms are specialised in ethical, sustainable travel. This is the case for Fairbooking, Fairbnb or to book a hotel where the profit goes to local charities, you can use Solikend.

• Food: food products of animal origin such as meat and dairy have a higher carbon footprint than food items of plant origin, due to the water consumption and the farming land needed to feed the animals. From now on, all you need to remember is this simple rule: the more organically grown, plant-based, local products you consume, the lower your carbon footprint.

It’s easy, to make sure your behaviour on holiday is more sustainable, just choose local producers, markets, restaurants that use local ingredients, vegetarian and vegan restaurants.

• Sightseeing and activities: the activities you choose will have an impact on the carbon footprint of your trip. For example, choosing to go out on a sea scooter doesn’t have the same impact as a kayaking outing. Likewise, a Jeep safari tour will have a higher carbon footprint than horse riding. 

The good news is that the most environmentally friendly option is generally the quieter one.

If you are looking to choose activities that have a low environmental impact, pick up a specialised guide such as the Guide Tao France, that will allow you to choose 100% sustainable destinations and activities, browse third places or even associations looking for volunteers.  

To reduce your carbon footprint, you could also choose to make a difference during your trip by volunteering at an environmental, cultural or heritage-based association. Alternatively, you can opt for the WWOOF scheme, which organises homestays on organic farms. The idea is that you are given free accommodation and meals in exchange for 4 or 5 hours of volunteer work.  Depending on the country, you can also use the platforms Workaway or Helpx.

The easiest way to calculate the carbon footprint of your trip is to use one of the online carbon footprint calculators such as those developed by Fondation Goodplanet, My climate, Ecotree... 

There are many tools that use algorithms based on specific data such as your chosen means of transport, the duration of your trip, planned stopovers, etc. Don’t hesitate to try two different tools for the same simulation to get the best idea.

Most tools are adapted for air travel because this is the means of transport that generates the most pollution. However, there are also tools for car, train and other journeys. For ferry trips, the calculator created by influencer Bon Pote and developer Maël Thomas is very practical for instance.

Some different examples to gain a better understanding of the carbon footprint of a trip: 

A return flight between Paris and Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Distance covered: 10,548 km 

Emissions for this journey: 1.9 T CO2e

A return flight between Paris and Biarritz

Distance covered: 700 km

Emissions for this journey: 0.50 T CO2e

Plane or high-speed train: a comparison

Train journey between Paris and Toulouse

Distance covered: 793 km

Emissions for this journey: 1.37 kg CO2e 

Versus

Flight between Paris and Toulouse

Toulouse-Orly: 81.4 kg CO2e per passenger 

Car rental for a week

Calculation based on a total distance of 500 km, Luxury car / SUV / Van with a petrol engine.

Emissions for this journey: 0.20 T CO2e

The CO2 emissions of an electric car will depend on how the electricity is produced. If the electricity comes from renewable sources (such as wind, solar or hydroelectric power), the emissions will be significantly lower than a car with a petrol engine.

Let’s assume that an electric car consumes around 15 kWh for 100 km (based on a realistic average for many current electric car models). For a distance of 500 km, this represents a total consumption of 75 kWh.

Electric car emissions=0.0222T CO2e