Is There Any Point in Travelling the World During the Climate Crisis?

This question is as personal as it is existential — especially for young people.

A friend recently asked me to explain why I want effective climate action as part of their campaign to source testimony for a placard. There were many great contributions, so I added one of my own. My response included, “I’m looking to travel the world and experience new cultures and people, but it’s hard to justify given the climate crisis.”

This explanation was somewhat spur-of-the-moment, but it needs full elaboration.

Young people are switched on.

Young people are drawn to the need to address the climate crisis. I’m not dwelling on the facts regarding the climate crisis here. I’m sure you already know them. I’m sure you also already know governments must take immediate action to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees. We are very concerned for the future of our generation and the planet. Climate anxiety (due to deliberate inaction by politicians) is a real thing affecting young people.

Young people are also switched onto the messages we hear from adults regarding travelling. These messages include:

“Travel while you’re young.”

“There’s a whole world out there waiting for you to explore.”

“Living abroad will change you as a person, it’s best to do it ASAP”

“the older you are the harder it will be for you to travel”

“Travel while you can before you have to work.”

These messages are problematic given the nature of the climate crisis. There are many reasons why this is the case, and they can be best summarised in a series of questions.

• What will the consequences of the climate crisis be on places you want to travel to, whether it’s from rising sea levels or increased natural disasters?
• Will it even be possible to travel by the time you’re in a position to do so financially, socially, and mentally?
• Do the local populations of these countries (both settlers and indigenous, but especially the latter in the global south) even want people to travel there?
• How can I travel affordably in ways that don’t require contributing to commercial aviation (and hence around 11% of total emissions?)
• Will I get support from my university, workplace, and my family to take the extra time off to travel over multiple days?
• And most critically, the title of this article — is there any point in travelling the world during the climate crisis?

The last question embodies all the other questions in the most succinct manner possible. This is because it emphasises the climate anxiety many young people have. It emphasises understanding of the need to consider the impact of travelling, both for the environment and the people living there. Finally, it emphasises the practicalities of travelling — not just how an individual will travel, but also on others.

So, is there any point in travelling the world in a climate crisis?

In a nutshell, yes — on the condition that travelling is done sustainably.

Travelling sustainably means utilising flight-free travel where possible (I wrote a full article on this) and telling others how good flight-free travel is, whether it’s in personal or professional contexts. It’s not always possible to avoid the aeroplane. However, there are more options than many believe.

Outside of flight-free travel, it means ruling out destinations where the locals specifically ask outsiders not to come due to the impact of tourism on their communities (and yes, this includes Hawaii).

Sustainable travel also means volunteering to give back to the communities wherever you go worldwide. It also means supporting small businesses and individuals wherever possible to ensure money flows into the local economy. In other words, going off the tourist track and all-inclusive resorts.

Travelling the world longer term — not just travelling abroad — requires more planning. It means building up the skills to do all the above and a professional career that is done remotely. This is something that employers are increasingly accommodating because this is what employees — but especially young people — are seeking in a job. It also means building up multiple income streams to ensure sustainable cash flow because government welfare states will not step in in almost all cases.

Finally, there are all the other reasons people normally say when discussing travelling the world — learning a language, building independent living skills, forging unforgettable memories, crossing places off your bucket list and so much more. All of these help make sustainable travel possible.

Regardless of where you travel, fighting the climate crisis is key.

Young people also know that the climate crisis is a global issue that requires a global response. Additionally, young people also know that direct, practical action is the best way to tackle climate anxiety. Hence, people travelling the world must show solidarity with locals in climate action where it’s safe and practical to do so (and also won’t jeopardise legal residency if applicable).

At the end of the day, young people from the global north will never experience the worst impacts of the climate crisis compared to all these other parts of the world people frequently travel to. Additionally, the above also applies to older people. Younger generations cannot do it alone, and we need solidarity and support from older people with more money and influential power than us in ways we don’t. There’s always a point in fighting the climate crisis.

It’s never too late to follow your dreams.

That is the key message I have to any young person who wants to travel the world. It’s possible to do that while fighting for a better future. They are not mutually exclusive. Your well-being is most important above everything else. You cannot fight for a better future while your well-being is suffering in one place or are otherwise yearning for an opportunity to explore and change your life forever.

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