Image credit: Red Cat Adventures
Climate Action Certification
Climate Action Certification will be retired from 31 December 2026. It was initially designed for all sectors of the tourism industry including hotels, attractions, tours, transport, restaurants, travel agents, tourism commissions and industry bodies.
Our Climate Action Certification program will be retired from 31 December 2026, after which the Climate Action Certification logo will no longer be valid. Climate action will continue to be assessed through ECO and Sustainable Tourism Certification.
Ecotourism Australia introduced Climate Action Certification in 2008 as a pathway for tourism businesses taking meaningful action on climate change, including businesses that were unable to achieve full ECO Certification or that did not operate primarily in natural or protected areas. The program provided a practical framework to recognise climate action, support emissions measurement and reduction, and help
operators consider how their businesses could adapt to a changing climate while building broader sustainability capability over time.
Climate action has always been an important part of ECO Certification, with successive updates to the standard continuing to strengthen requirements. It is now deeply embedded in both the ECO and Sustainable Tourism Certification standards, which include comprehensive requirements for emissions measurement and reduction, climate risk and adaptation, energy and resource efficiency, sustainable
transport, supply chains, waste management, and credible communication about climate-related and
environmental performance.
The introduction of Sustainable Tourism Certification in 2023 created a comprehensive certification pathway for tourism businesses that are not nature-based, including urban-based businesses. Sustainable Tourism Certification applies the same rigorous approach to sustainability as ECO Certification, while recognising the different operating environments and visitor experiences of these businesses.
With strong climate action requirements embedded across ECO and Sustainable Tourism Certification, maintaining a separate Climate Action Certification is no longer necessary and creates duplication within Ecotourism Australia’s certification framework. Retiring the standalone program will provide a clearer and more streamlined certification pathway for operators while maintaining Ecotourism Australia’s strong
focus on credible climate action. Since 2022, this certification has no longer been open to new applicants and was offered only as an additional module to an operator already holding ECO or Sustainable Tourism Certification.
Ecotourism Australia’s online search engine showcasing all our certified tourism operators and destinations.
Each operator receives a free listing with an opportunity to upgrade to a premium listing to maximise their reach.
Primary Certification Programs
Before considering Climate Action or Respecting Our Culture programs, please consider your involvement in ECO or Sustainable Tourism Certification programs as your first involvement. These are holistic programs overviewing all four pillars of sustainability.
You can choose to add Climate Action or Respecting Our Culture onto ECO Certification once certified by that program.
ECO Certification
Designed for tours, accommodations, and attractions with a nature-focus to their visitor experience.
Sustainable Tourism Certification
Designed for all businesses that operate in the tourism supply chain in a non-nature-based space, including hotels, attractions, tours, transport, restaurants, breweries, and more.