National Express is offering its coach passengers the option to offset the carbon emissions of their journeys on its scheduled services.
The offset programme is sourced and handled by Norway-based climate and technology company CHOOOSE. It will “directly support projects that replace coal and oil with renewable energy to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs),” says the operator. Customers can include climate action at the checkout or visit a dedicated website when ordering tickets.
Says National Express UK Coach Managing Director Chris Hardy: “As we work to make our coach fleet zero-emission by 2035, our UK passengers can now choose to offset the currently unavoidable carbon emissions from their journey via some of the best climate solutions around the world.”
CHOOOSE CEO Andreas Slettvoll says the company is “delighted to partner with National Express on its journey towards zero-emission.” Mr Slettvoll adds that the carbon offset work is “solid proof of its environmental commitment and dedication to putting climate in the front seat of its operations.”
Projects currently powering the National Express carbon mitigation programme are a clean cooking with biogas project in India, a landfill gas to renewable energy undertaking in Ecuador and a wind power project in Costa Rica. The operator says that in addition to reducing global GHG emissions, the three projects contribute to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals, which benefit those that are hit hardest by climate change.
A National Express Caetano Levante III coach produces 21.7g of CO2 per passenger km when fully loaded, according to testing, which the operator adds is half that created by a train and one sixth of that from a car.