Carbon Emission and Footprints of Hospitality Industries in Akure Metropolis, South Western Nigeria

Abstract

Climate change and global warming have been identified as major threats to the development of existing ecosystem services and local livelihoods. Mitigating greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions has become an urgent global policy trajectory with countries acceding to related Treaties and setting national targets. This forms the basis for undertaken this study with a view to assess and report on the Green House Gas (GHG) emission of some hospitality industries in Akure, Nigeria. Using qualitative methodology, the carbon footprint of thirty hotels was assessed. The hotels were selected based on star ratings and categories. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents based on management heads of the hotels while the result was presented qualitatively using thematic analysis. Results revealed that the sources of GHGs emissions are constituted by human activities including consumption of electricity, fuel combustion, waste generation and laundry services, of which waste and fuel combustion are the highest factor. Reports also showed that the bigger the hotel in term of star rating and category the higher the carbon and GHG emissions. The evaluated hotels emit significant amount of greenhouse gases each year which is detrimental to environment health, The study recommended further research to assess the applicability of the identified strategies for enhancing environmental performance of hospitality industry and to quantify GHGs emissions from cooling appliance within the hospitality industry in the study area.