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Holiday homes with a conscience - 10 January 2007

On the very day that Tony Blair was quoted as saying that he thinks it is ‘a bit impractical’ to expect people to take responsibility for reducing their own personal carbon footprint, a new EU report has painted a bleak picture for the future of Europe under the effects of climate change.

Inevitably, this leads to the question of how to make sure you can still own and use a property overseas and still be a responsible citizen in trying to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere as a result.

This question extends from the simple act of travelling to and from your overseas property to the fact of it being built, and whether by buying on a development which is damaging the local environment and eco-system, you are condoning the damage which is being done.

There are various things that overseas property buyers can do to try to ensure that while they are still able to enjoy buying and owning property overseas, the property is as environmentally sound as possible.

There are numerous eco-resorts being developed at present, specifically targeting those customers who are concerned about the environment in which they buy their property. If this is not your ideal solution, ask what is being done to protect the local ecosystems and wildlife. The production of electricity and water management are important areas to consider here. If you have the option, consider buying a resale property, rather than new-build.

Once you have moved in, make sure the property is as energy-efficient as possible by keeping warmth in and switching off appliances when not in use, and when you are not using the property. From the travel point of view, consider the options of travelling out to your property by train, or do some research to find the ‘greenest’ airline. Ryanair was found by the Dutch Consumer Group to be the greenest in Europe, with investment in new aircraft cutting emissions and fuel consumption.

Mr Blair, who enjoyed a long-haul holiday over the Christmas period with his family, is quoted as saying that ‘it is a bit impractical’ to expect people to make personal sacrifices in their choice of holiday destination in order to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The prime minister feels that science will bring more energy-efficient ways for people to travel, and is quoted by the BBC as saying that there was a risk of ‘putting people off the green agenda by saying you must not have a good time anymore’.

This stance appears to contrast with the views expressed by his environment minister Ian Pearson, who last week rounded strongly on the major airlines, including branding Ryanair as the ‘unacceptable face of capitalism’, for their opposition to the proposed EU carbon trading scheme.

The prime minister’s comments are also at odds with the views expressed by the Prince of Wales, who last month declared that he would cut down on domestic and international flights.

Yesterday also saw the release of a European Union report into the effects of climate change, painting a picture of devastation for the ecosystems of the world’s most fertile continent. The report, described in The Independent to be ‘as ominous as it is detailed’, outlines how the fertility, and therefore agriculture and wildlife, of Europe will be devastated. The European lifestyle culture of package holidays through summer and winter months, while being one of the major causes of the change, will also disappear as the Mediterranean becomes unbearably hot, and the ski seasons of mountain resorts are ruined through lack of snow.

The report’s recommendations to cut carbon emissions would likely see governments across Europe urging their citizens to cut their personal contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.

To find out more about how to buy environmentally-sustainable overseas property, read our Sustainability Buying Guide

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