Intrepid Travel is charting a new course in sustainable tourism. Starting next year, Intrepid will move beyond carbon offsets with a new Climate Impact Fund—redirecting resources toward measurable, on-the-ground emissions reductions that reshape how travel businesses approach decarbonization.
The announcement, outlined in an open letter by Co-founder and Chair Darrell Wade and CEO James Thornton, marks a turning point for the certified B Corp and responsible travel operator.
“We are not comfortable maintaining a target that we know we won’t meet,” the letter states. “This is not a retreat from climate leadership, but a reset to have a new extended focus on the entire emission chain from Intrepid’s activities.”
Intrepid achieved carbon neutrality in 2010 and became the first global tour operator to have approved science-based targets. However, after five years of tracking progress, the company admits it hasn’t made sufficient headway in reducing emissions across its full value chain.
“Travel is a powerful tool to build empathy, shift perspectives, support local economies and drive global connections,” the letter states. “But that power means little if we aren’t willing to grapple with its environmental cost.”
A Climate-Action Reset
Intrepid will retire its long-running carbon offset program and its Climate Active certification. Instead, the company will launch a new Climate Impact Fund, redirecting roughly $2 million annually toward immediate, practical emissions reductions—such as converting owned and leased vehicles to electric and investing in renewable energy for hotels and offices.
Intrepid’s new climate model will include emissions from flights to and from their tours—often accounting for more than 75 percent of a trip’s total emissions footprint. The company will aim for an 8 percent reduction in carbon intensity by 2030, factoring in the entire lifecycle of travel. In addition, by 2030, the operator plans to achieve a 21 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions (covering offices, trips and accommodation) and an 8 percent lifecycle emissions reduction overall.
The company acknowledges that its overall emissions may rise with business growth, but emphasizes the importance of reducing intensity while investing in long-term decarbonization.
For more information about Intrepid’s new action plan, visit intrepidtravel.com.
