Could travel in the metaverse help to curb our flying habit?

Would you fancy waking up one day and climbing Everest, or gliding across the Amazon by helicopter? How about exploring the stone sculptures in Petra, or spotting tigers in Rajasthan, without ever leaving your couch?

Well you could, in virtual reality at least, when Web3 and the metaverse go mainstream. This tech could transform how we engage with the world, and each other. But could it also make us more ethical, encourage empathy, and help us solve global challenges? Most urgently, climate change. Could virtual travel, via the metaverse, stem our desire for wanderlust, by bringing us closer to must-see places, thus reducing our reliance on planes?

What on earth is the metaverse, anyway?

First off, what is the metaverse exactly? Is it more than Zuckerberg’s latest pride-project? Well yes, it’s much more than that. In short, it’s part of Web3, a 3D version of the internet. It’s the next step in society’s digital evolution, that will take us from passively scrolling through a social feed, to stepping into virtual worlds and living virtual lives, via an avatar (a 3D digital character). And these 3D technologies are creeping into common consciousness as we speak. In fact, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts predict that the metaverse market size could reach $800 billion by 2024. It’s set to be big business. 

And how on earth could it help to solve climate change? 

Well let’s consider where we are. Humans are standing at a juncture, facing the biggest existential crisis seen in our lifetime without, it seems, the resolve to fix it. The impacts of climate change are showing-up fast, and devastating communities and ecosystems the world over, with no sign of ceasing. 

The only answer is to drastically reduce carbon emissions and move to net zero across every potential area of our lives. Transport, alone, accounts for roughly one-fifth of global CO2 emissions, and air travel contributes 3%. In the past 20 years or so, transport options grew and the costs fell. Then along came Ryanair and other tantalisingly cheap low cost airlines and suddenly, for those in the West, regular air travel became a god given right.   

And quite simply, the more we stay put, the less energy we use. 

Afterall, less than 20% of the global population has ever flown, and just roughly 5% of people fly regularly. So this small segment of society is creating the worst effects, while vast swathes of the world see the biggest climate impacts, yet they’re creating the least damage, think Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia. 

What’s more, the pandemic lockdowns revealed our resilience. People in the West became more localised, and still thrived (just about). Technology enabled companies to switch from face to face to virtual meetings, transforming business travel forever. And tourist spots emptied, wildlife returned, and the air was cleaner, lakes and rivers thrived again. 

The environment appeared to enjoy this period of stillness. So I might be willing to compromise my need for physical wanderlust with the occasional virtual adventure. 

Could virtual travel replace the real thing? (of course not)

Of course, virtual travel will never replace the real thing. How could it? Donning a VR headset and attempting to virtually ‘explore’ one of the Wonders of the World, could never beat experiencing it, palpably, in analogue. 

It’s a complex topic, packed with controversy. Afterall, travel boosts economies, supports communities and protects land through conservation. Communities across the globe rely on tourism for survival. We can’t just strip it away, pull the support blanket from underneath those who rely on it. Physical travel must go on.

Travel is also known to open our minds to new cultures, it can build life skills and make us more open citizens, engaged in the world. It can even improve our mental health. And could technology ever really show us the true nature of a place like experiencing it physically could? Probably not.

So perhaps it’s about balance, yin and yang. We could explore Jordan’s ancient Petra via our VR headset, but not miss an under-the-sea adventure in Turkey; choosing to travel physically once, instead of twice, and halving our air miles, and curbing emissions.

Is it possible to experience a destination virtually and still feel like we have opened our minds, can we learn about the places we experience, and most importantly, can we learn about ourselves? It’s too early to say, but as adventures in Web3 take off, these are questions to consider. Isn’t it exciting to think about visiting any part of the world we choose, whenever we choose?  You only need to go to TikTok and type in #virtualtravel to see the idea taking off. 

Travel and media companies are exploring virtual worlds 

Travel trailblazer, National Geographic, began capturing stories of the world through phenomenal photojournalism in 1905. And since then, the publication grew to become the go-to source of inspiration and knowledge, not just for geography geeks and adventurers, but for everyone, everywhere. 

Now, Nat Geo is taking pioneering steps into virtual and mixed realities, bringing the world’s greatest sites to life. Its latest innovation - an AR experience of Stonehenge in Salisbury, England - allows users to explore the site and even take Stonehenge selfies from the comfort of their front room, try it here. Or why not step into the shoes of a Nat Geo explorer through the National Geographic Explore VR experience. 

Tech is engendering empathy for real-world issues 

Charities are already entering the gaming space. Inside Grand Theft Auto, an immersive replica of Los Angeles was created for Greenpeace to show the impact of rising global temperatures, through exposing players to heat, drought, air pollution and economic crisis. It led to a 40% increase in donations for Greenpeace as people dealt with the challenges of climate change through gamification.

This technology is coming, like it or not

We must face facts. Europe is not impervious to climate instability. It all seemed unrelated, a million miles away, until the floods and fires began. This summer, we saw wildfires in France, Spain and Portugal, and the UK experienced its hottest August on record, as we sweltered in 40 degree heat. 

So, as we edge closer to the metaverse as an everyday reality - undoubtedly it won’t hit mainstream culture tomorrow - it’s time to consider how this technology can help to build a better world.

Because it’s coming, like it or not.