18:01 | Cusco (Cusco region), Dec. 29.
The Machu Picchu Carbon Neutral initiative —a project that seeks to turn the Inca citadel into the first tourist destination in Peru and the world to drastically reduce carbon dioxide emissions— has been included in the list of 10 good news stories of 2020, prepared by the prestigious global travel guide publisher
Lonely Planet.
"Thankfully, conversations about the importance of sustainable travel have become more frequent over the last few years, with many people realizing that drastic action must be taken in order to secure the future of the planet," it states.
The publication indicates that the country also launched a sustainability brochure that celebrates the unique natural attractions, animals, and landscapes that visitors to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu can enjoy in a low-impact way.
The carbon neutral certification, which will be granted by the
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in 2021, puts Machu Picchu at the forefront of sustainability in Latin America and the world.
Machu Picchu Carbon Neutral
The Machu Picchu Carbon Neutral initiative comprises a series of activities undertaken over the past two years.
One of them is the campaign "One million trees for the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu and its buffer zone," which is promoted by the
Ministry of Environment, and whose challenge —by 2021— is to recover degraded spaces in said ecosystem. This recovery will be equivalent to 779.42 hectares.
It should be noted that the forest recovery process is carried out with native plant species such as queñua, chachacomo, and tasta (in the Andean area), as well as alder, pacaymono, chalanque, and incense, among others (in the Amazonian area).
In addition, the first 100,000 seedlings were planted in the Salkantay River basin in January this year.
This project —run by the
National Service for Protected Natural Areas (Sernanp), REI Adventures, Mountain Lodges of Peru, and its NGO Yanapana Peru— is being developed in a sustainable way and with the articulation of diverse actors from the civil society, mainly the population residing in the zones where reforestation will take place.
(END) LZD/MAO/RMB/MVB
Published: 12/29/2020