Dan Scott In the Media: Global tourism's carbon footprint is four times bigger than thought

Global tourism accounts for 8% of total worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, four times more than previously believed, new research says.

Some gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat in the atmosphere, producing a "greenhouse effect," and so make the planet warmer. The amount of greenhouse gases released by a particular activity is referred to as its "carbon footprint."

For Daniel Scott, a professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management at University of Waterloo in Ontario, the important finding in the study is "the scale of the contribution, at approximately 8%."

"People are often surprised at the size of their travel and tourism emissions," said Scott, who was not involved in the new research. "A frequent flyer can have a larger carbon footprint from their work or leisure travel than their entire carbon footprint at home."

Instead of a buying an electric car or slapping solar panels on your house, sometimes the biggest action you can take to reduce emissions is to travel differently, he said.

Read the full story from CNN.