An SDG 17 Partnership, for Climate-Friendly Travel, was announced on 14^th December at COP 24 in Katowice, Poland. 

The partnership between EXO Foundation who support Sustainable Development projects through responsible tourism in South East Asia and SUN^x the Strong Universal Network, a legacy program for Maurice Strong responding to eXistential Climate Change. 

It focusses on a shared commitment to develop the Maurice Strong Legacy Scholarship Program, under the SUN^x “Plan for Our Kids” with EXO Foundation as the first regional sponsor. 

Speaking from the COP 24, the UNFCCC Climate Change conference Professor Geoffrey Lipman, co-founder of SUN^x said: 

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with EXO Foundation as our first regional sponsor of our “ Plan for our Kids” and its Maurice Strong Legacy Scholarship Program. Together we have identified an opportunity to help strengthen education on Climate Resilience for Travel & Tourism in South-East Asia. Through our partnership EXO Foundation is supporting the lifetime learning of 21 graduates committed to Sustainable Tourism Development, with a focus on Climate Friendly Travel.   

Our strategy is to create a cadre of 100,000 next generation of “Strong Climate Champions” by 2030, to help to drive the behavioural change and influence the fundamental government and industry actions needed to tackle Climate Change.

Strong Climate Champions will be graduates, who engage in the movement for Climate Friendly Travel, for transformation to the New Climate Economy. They will help to build the thinking; drive the behaviour, identify innovations and influence the fundamental government and industry actions needed.”

Lipman added that “The awardees, based on 1000-word essays on practical aspects of Climate Friendly Travel, will be linked with EXO Foundation through a certificate of excellence and lifetime access to the SUNx learning platform. This includes curated information on Climate Resilience, and a Climate Friendly Travel Course, supporting transformation of the sector to the New Climate Economy.”

Alexandra Michat, EXO Foundation Manager said:

“The vision of EXO Foundation is to use tourism to make destinations better places for people to live in, and for travellers to visit. We aim to be a driving force in actively fostering sustainable development and improving positive societal and environmental changes through the promotion of responsible tourism. Through our partnership with SUN^x we want to support the next generation of climate change activists who will help shape the future of the Travel industry in SE Asia. Together we will identify academic partners to promote the call for nominations and support their work on Climate Resilience education to Tourism students.”