The Carbon Neutral Initiative is a project that seeks to turn the New 7 Wonders of the World into the first tourist destination in Peru to drastically reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This is the second official Wonder to be certified as carbon neutral, following Puerto Princesa Underground River’s certification back in 2011.
Peru’s goal is reducing emissions 45% by 2030 and 100% by 2050, following the guidelines of the climate agreement of Paris. A Lonely Planet publication indicates that the country also launched a sustainability brochure that celebrates the unique natural attractions, animals, and landscapes that visitors see in the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu and 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.
The project comprises a series of activities undertaken over the past two years as the campaign “One million trees for the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu and its buffer zone,” whose challenge, by 202, is to recover degraded spaces for 779.42 hectares.