Chimu Adventures’ Managing Director Chad Carey has joined the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) Climate Change Committee to help improve sustainability in the Antarctic tourism space, according to a statement. 

Carey was elected to a one-year term on the Climate Change Committee and his first step will be to collect a baseline for fuel emissions. “Tour operators are now submitting all their emissions for the previous Antarctic season. That sets the baseline, and then the idea is to reduce that,” said Carey. 

“I think it’s really the expedition cruise companies like us that are leading the way in the travel sustainability space, as Antarctica is its biggest destination in the expedition space. We are the ones that are focused on the environment. That’s what we do. So, Chimu is uniquely positioned to be a body to help lead that industry transition to be more environmentally friendly in the polar travel regions.”

Over the next 12 months, Carey will work with industry partners to improve Antarctic tourism.

He will bring new ideas to the Climate Change Committee, particularly regarding sustainability in Antarctic ship fuel as well as infrastructure. 

“I think one of the main things that need to be done is lobbying governments and private enterprises to build the port infrastructure that’s needed for a sustainable energy future.

“We need a combined approach where we can lobby governments as an industry to actually provide the infrastructure before we build the ships.”

Carey hopes the Climate Change Committee will investigate ship improvements as well, such as water lubrication systems, turbines for reusing heat in the galley as an energy source, new propeller designs and innovative ship management software.

 “It’s not enough to just get more sustainable fuel. It’s also about asking the question, how do you just reduce energy usage more broadly?”