from davos to copenhagen and beyond: advancing tourism’s response to climate change

8/7/2019 From Davos to Copenhagen and Beyond: Advancing Tourisms Response to Climate Change

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From Davos to Copenhagen and Beyond:Advancing Tourisms Response

to Climate Change

UNWTO Background Paper


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Copyright 2009 World Tourism Organization

Website:www.unwto.orgEmail:[email protected]

AcknowledgementsConceptandsupervision

LuigiCabrini(UNWTO)Consultants

Dr.MurraySimpson(UniversityofOxford,UK)Dr.DanielScott(UniversityofWaterloo,Canada)

ReviewEugenio Yunis, Zoritsa Urosevic, Sofia Gutierrez, Philippe Lemaistre and Alejandro Calvente(UNWTO)


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FromDavostoCopenhagenandbeyond:

advancingtourismsresponsetoclimatechange

UNWTOBackground

Paper

TableofContents

ExecutiveSummary ......................................................................................................................................2

1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................4

1.1Tourism

and

Climate

Change

.....................................................................................................4

1.2TheUnitedNationsandclimatechange ...................................................................................7

2.AgreementsonGHGemissionsreductionsandtheirimpactontourism ........................................8

3.UNWTOresponsestoclimatechange ............................................................................................10

4.CapacitybuildingandawarenessraisingeventsorganisedandsupportedbyUNWTO ................13

5.TheresponseofGovernmentsandtheprivatesectortothechallengesthatclimatechange

posestoTourism ................................................................................................................................15

6.Conclusions......................................................................................................................................17

References ..................................................................................................................................................18

AnnexI........................................................................................................................................................23


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2

ExecutiveSummary

Tourismand travel isavital contributor to theglobaleconomyandespecially important formany

developingcountries. Tourism isaneffectivewayofredistributingwealthandacatalystforgender

equality,culturalpreservationandnatureconservation. Asaresult,thesectorisalsocontributingto

theUN

Millennium

Development

Goals.

Climatechangeisoneofthemostseriousthreatstosociety,theeconomyandtheenvironmentand

hasbeenan issueof internationalconcern fordecades. The InterGovernmentalPanelonClimate

Change(IPCC)hasreportedthatwarmingoftheglobalclimatesystem isunequivocalandthatitis

very likely that anthropogenic (humanmade) greenhouse gases (GHG) have causedmost of the

observedglobaltemperaturerisesincethemiddleofthe20thCentury. Ambitiousemissionsreduction

targetsfordevelopedcountriesandaneffectiveframeworkthataddressestheneedsofdeveloping

countriesarerequired.

As climate defines the length and quality of tourism seasons, affects tourism operations, and

influencesenvironmental

conditions

that

both

attract

and

deter

visitors,

the

sector

is

considered

to

be

highlyclimatesensitive. Theeffectsofachangingclimatewillhaveconsiderableimpactsontourism

andtravelbusinesses. Insomepartsoftheworld,these impactsare increasinglybecomingevident.

The Caribbean, Small IslandDeveloping States, Southeast Asia and Africa are the tourism regions

thoughttobemostatrisk. Climatechangeadaptation,bythetravelandtourismsector,willensure

thatindividuals,communitiesandnationscontinuetoreceivethebenefitsoftourism.

Tourismandtravel isalsoavectorofclimatechange,accounting forapproximatelyfivepercentof

global carbon dioxide emissions. By 2035, under a business as usual scenario, carbon dioxide

emissions from global tourismareprojected to increaseby130per cent. Mostof the increase is

attributedtoairtravelbutthetourismsectorhaspledgedtosubstantiallyreduceemissions.

As tourism is so important topoverty reductionandeconomicdevelopment indevelopingnations,

anypoliciesaimedatmitigatingand reducinggreenhousegasemissions shouldbe formulatedand

implemented inaconsideredway inordernottodisadvantagethesecountries. Thetransportation

sector,sofundamentaltotourism,willformacriticalaspectofnationaland internationalmitigation

policy negotiations. Any strong global emission policy for aviation would have considerable

consequences fordestinationsdependingon tourismandtravel.UNWTOhascalled forpreferential

treatmentforairservicesthatsupportthedevelopmentoftourismintheleastdevelopedcountries.

UNWTOhasbeenworkingtoraiseawarenessonclimatechangeissuesinthetourismsectorformany

years andmuch hasbeendone. In Tunisia in 2003, the first InternationalConference onClimate

Changeand

Tourism

was

organised

by

UNWTO

and

several

other

United

Nations

agencies.

The

conferenceresultedintheDjerbaDeclarationonClimateChangeandTourism,whichhighlightedthe

obligationofthetourismindustrytoreducetheirgreenhousegasemissionsandrecognizedthetwo

wayrelationshipbetweentourismandclimatechange.

AsecondInternationalConferenceonClimateChangeandTourismwasheldinDavos,Switzerlandin

2007. TheDavosDeclaration includedfirmrecommendationsandaclearcommitmentforactionto

respond to the climate change challenge including the urgent adoption of a range of sustainable

tourism policies.UNWTO is leading by example and has calculated the greenhouse gas emissions

generatedby itsownoperations since 2008 and intends to compensate them inorder to achieve

climateneutrality.


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3

Reducingemissionsisimportantforthelongterm,howeverthetourismandtravelsectoralsoneeds

toadapttothe impactsofclimatechange intheshort andmediumterm. Acrossdestinationsand

locationsthequality,quantityandaccuracyofclimateprojectiondatavaries. Thiscouldlimitoraffect

hownations,especiallydevelopingcountries,adapt toclimatechange. TheWMO, incollaboration

withUNWTO,establishedanExpertTeamonClimateandTourism. Their rolewas to improve the

applicationof

information

in

the

tourism

sector.

In

2007,

UNWTO

launched

aClimate

and

Tourism

Information Exchange Service to enable tourism stakeholders access to research and data. The

organization has developed and disseminated technical publications addressing climate change

impactsandadaptationresponses.Themost importantoftheseareClimateChangeandTourism

Responding to Global Challenges in support of the Davos Declaration, and Climate Change

AdaptationandMitigation in theTourismSector:Frameworks,ToolsandPractices incoordination

withtheUniversityofOxford,theWMO,andUNEPreleasedin2008.

Theprivatesectorisalsoimportantinaddressingthechallengesclimatechangeposesfortourismand

travel. They have an important role, alongwith nongovernmental organisations, in encouraging

governmentstodevelopandimplementregulatorypoliciesandoffereconomicincentives.

In June 2008, CEOs representing every industrial sector across the world, submitted a set of

recommendationstotheG8 leaders for inclusionwithinapostKyotoclimate framework. InMarch

2009,aWorldEconomicForumTaskForceonLowCarbonProsperitywaslaunchedpartlyinresponse

totherecommendationsfromtheCEOsandalsotoconsiderhowtheyshouldbe implemented. An

ambitiousvisionfortacklinggreenhousegasemissions,includingacommitmenttocutbyhalfcarbon

emission levelsof2005by2035,wasproposedbytheWorldTravelandTourismCouncil (WTTC) in

2009. Toachievethis,WTTCrecognisedthatpartnershipscanplayanimportantrole.

Theissueofclimatechangeisnowfirmlyentrenchedintheglobalagendaandcriticalnegotiationsfor

agreenhouse gasemissions framework continue. The tourismand travel sectormustaddress the

climatechange

issue

and

UNWTO

has

embraced

the

challenge

of

responding

by

establishing

collaborativepartnerships,raisingawareness,developingguidanceandprovidingsupport.Thetimeis

rightforallthoseinvolvedtoforgeahead. Anyfurtherdelayinactionwillresultinconsequencesfor

thetourismindustryandthepeoplewhodependuponthesector.


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4

1. Introduction1.1. TourismandClimateChangeTourismand travel isoneof the largestglobaleconomic sectorsand isa significant contributor to

manynational

and

local

economies

around

the

world.

In

2008,

there

were

922

million

international

tourist arrivalswith tourism receipts ofUS$944 billioni. It is estimated that the global travel and

tourismindustrycontributed9.6percentofglobalGrossDomesticProduct(GDP)and7.9percentof

worldwideemployment in2008ii. However, tourismdemandhasslowedsubstantiallyover the last

yearasaresultoftheglobaleconomiccrisis. Internationaltourismandtravelisavitalcontributorto

theeconomyofmanydevelopingcountries. Between1995and2007,tourismandtravelinemerging

anddevelopingmarketsgrewattwicetherateof industrializedcountriesiii. Tourismandtravel isa

primarysourceofforeignexchangeearningsin46outof50oftheworldsLDCsiv. Withinternational

touristarrivalsprojectedtoreach1.6billionby2020v,tourismwillcontinuetohaveanimportantrole

in contributing to theUNMillenniumDevelopmentGoals,particularly thealleviationofpoverty in

developingcountries.

Climate change is thought tobeoneof themost serious threats to society, theeconomyand the

environment(Box1).

Box1:ClimatechangeandtheInterGovernmentalPanelonClimateChange(IPCC)

In2007,theInterGovernmentalPanelonClimateChange(IPCC)reportedthatwarming

of the global climate system is unequivocal and that it is very likely that

anthropogenic (humanmade) greenhouse gases (GHG) have caused most of the

observedglobal temperature rise since themiddleof the20th

Centuryvi.The IPCCalso

emphasizedthathumaninducedclimatechangehasonlyjustbegunandthatthepaceof

climatechange

is

very

likely

to

accelerate.

Depending

on

future

GHG

emission

trajectories, the IPCC predicts that global average surface temperatures will increase

between1.8oC4.0

oCby2100vii.

The environmental and economic risks of themagnitude of climate change projected for the 21st

centuryareconsiderableandhavefeaturedprominentlyinrecentinternationalpolicydebatesviii.The

IPCCixconcluded,withveryhighconfidence, thatclimatechangewould impede theabilityofmany

developing nations tomake progress on sustainable development bymidcentury and become a

security risk thatwould steadily intensify,particularlyunder greaterwarming scenarios. The Stern

Review similarlyconcluded that the costsof takingaction to reduceGHGemissionsnowwouldbe

muchsmaller

than

the

costs

of

economic

and

social

disruption

resulting

from

inaction

on

climate

change. While additional warming cannot be avoided, future temperature increases will heavily

dependon global emissionpathwaysover the next four decades. At the 15thConferenceof the

Parties inCopenhagen,the internationalcommunitywillattempttonegotiateanewclimatechange

agreement that would ensure that global temperature increase does not exceed 2C, a level of

warming considered by many scientists and over 100 nationsx, including the G8, to represent

dangerous interference with the climate system as outlined in the United Nations Framework

ConventiononClimateChange(UNFCCC)xi.

With itscloserelationshiptotheenvironmentandclimate,tourismandtravel isconsideredtobea

highlyclimatesensitiveeconomicsectorxii. Tourismdestinationsandtourismoperatorsareaffected

byclimate

variability

in

anumber

of

ways

(Box

2).


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5

Box2:Theeffectofclimatevariabilityontourismdestinationsandoperators

Climatedefinesthelengthandqualityoftourismseasons(e.g.wintersports)indifferent

regions.Sometourismdestinationsareclimatedependent;sinceclimateistheprincipal

resourceuponwhichthetourismindustryisbased(e.g.manytropicalsmallisland

developingstates).

Climatedirectlyaffectsvariousfacetsoftourismoperations(e.g.watersupplyand

quality,heatingcoolingcosts,snowmakingrequirements,irrigationneeds,pest

management,evacuationsandtemporaryclosures)thataffectprofitability.

Moreover,awiderangeoftheenvironmentalresourcesthatarecriticalattractionsfor

tourisminmanydestinationsaresensitivetoclimatevariability,suchaswildlifeand

biodiversity,waterlevelsandquality,andsnowconditionsandglacierextent.

Climatealsoinfluencesenvironmentalconditionsthatcandetertourists,including

infectiousdiseases,

wildfires,

algal

blooms,

insect

or

water

borne

pests

(e.g.

jellyfish),

and

extremeeventssuchashurricanes,floodsorheatwaves.

Climateisalsoacrucialdeterminantoftouristdecisionmaking.Seasonalclimate

fluctuationsattourismdestinationsandatmajoroutboundmarketsarekeydriversof

tourismdemandatglobalandregionalscales. Weatherisanintrinsiccomponentofthe

travelexperienceandalsoinfluencestouristspendingandholidaysatisfaction.

As a consequence, the integrated effects of climate change are anticipated to have farreaching

impacts on tourism and travel businesses and destinations. Indeed, climate change is not some

distant,future

threat

to

tourism

and

travel,

as

the

varied

impacts

of

climate

change

are

increasingly

becoming evident in various destinations around the world and affecting the tourism and travel

industry and the communities who depend upon it. Climate change is also already altering the

decisionsoftravellersintermsofthedestinationstheychooseandthetimingoftheirtrips. Climate

changewill result in both negative and positive impacts for the tourism and travel sector and its

impactswillvarysubstantiallybygeographicregionandsectorxiii. Therearefourbroadpathwaysby

whichclimatechangewillaffecttheglobaltourismandtravelsectorxiv:

a.) Direct climate impacts: Changes in the length and quality of climatedependent tourismseasons(i.e.sunandseaorwintersportsholidays)couldhaveconsiderable implications for

competitive relationships between destinations and intraregional tourism flows. Other

impactswill

include

increased

infrastructure

damage,

additional

emergency

preparedness

requirements,higheroperatingexpenses (e.g. insurance,backupwaterandpower systems,

andevacuations),andbusiness interruptions.Similarly,keyculturalheritageassets thatare

also importantattractions for touristsarealso increasingly threatenedbyextreme climatic

eventsandprojectedclimatechange.

b.) Indirect environmental change impacts: Tourism isoften based on ahigh qualitynaturalenvironment. Changes inwater availability, biodiversity loss, reduced landscape aesthetic,

alteredagriculturalproduction(e.g.winetourism),increasednaturalhazards,coastalerosion

and inundation, damage to infrastructure and the increasing incidence of vectorborne

diseaseswill all impact tourism to varying degrees. In contrast to the varied impacts of a

changedclimateontourism,theindirecteffectsofclimateinducedenvironmentalchangeare

likelyto

be

largely

negative.

Mountain,

island,

and

coastal

destinations

are

considered

particularlysensitivetoclimateinducedenvironmentalchange,asarenaturebasedtourism


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6

market segmentsxv. Visitorsmaybedeterred from visiting if thequalityof the attractions

decreasesmarkedly.

c.) Impactsofmitigationpoliciesontourismmobility: Aswillbediscussedinmoredetaillater,national or international policies to reduce GHG emissionswill potentially impact tourism

flowsbycausinganincreaseintransportcostsandfosteringenvironmentalattitudesthatlead

touriststo

change

their

travel

patterns

(e.g.

shift

transport

mode

or

destination

choices)

xvi

.d.) Indirectsocietalchangeimpacts: The impactsof,andadaptingto,climatechangewillhave

aneconomiccost. Ifnottackled,climatechangemayalsothreaten futureeconomicgrowth

andeventhepoliticalstabilityofsomenationsxvii.AnyreductionofglobalGDPduetoclimate

changewouldhavenegative implications foranticipated futuregrowth intourism. Tourists

areaversetopoliticalinstabilityandsocialunrest,andtherewouldbenegativerepercussions

fortourismintheclimatechangesecurityhotspots.

Thetourismandtravelsector ischaracterizedbyconsiderablediversityandconsequently,thereare

extensive differences in the nature of climate sensitivities and adaptive capacities of tourism and

traveloperatorsanddestinations.Furthermore, the implicationsofclimatechange forany tourism

businessor

destination

will

also

partially

depend

on

the

impacts

on

its

competitors,

with

anegative

impact inonepartof the tourism system constitutinganopportunityelsewhere. Assessmentsby

different groups of international expertsxviii have consistently identified developing nations in the

Caribbean, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Southeast Asia, and Africa as the most atrisk

tourism destinations, because of their high exposure tomultiple climate change impacts thatwill

affectkeytourismproducts,distancetomajormarkets(longhaultravelgreaterthanfivehours)and

consequent exposure to increasingly stringent emissionspolicyon aviation, loweroverall adaptive

capacity, limiteddomesticmarketsandahigheconomicdependencyon international tourismand

travel.

Regardless of their relative vulnerability to climate change, all tourism and travel businesses and

destinationswill

need

to

adapt

to

climate

change

in

order

to

minimize

associated

risks

or

capitalize

upon new opportunities, in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable mannerxix.

Considering that the large information requirements, policy changes and investments required for

effectiveadaptationby tourismand traveldestinationswill requiredecades to implement in some

cases,theprocessofadaptationmustcommencenowfordestinationsanticipatedtobeamongthose

impactedbymid centuryxx.

Withtheirhighcapacitytoadapttotheeffectsofclimatechangebysubstitutingtheplace,timingand

typeofholidaysintheirtraveldecisionmaking,touristswillplayapivotalroleintheeventualimpacts

ofclimatechangeonthetourismandtravelindustryanddestinations. Touristsarealsoincreasingly

willing topay apremium for sustainabilityorenvironmentallyfriendlypractices andoperatorsare

respondingwith

new

products

and

services

xxi

.

Tourismand travelalso contributes to climate change through theemissionofGHG. Tourismand

travelaccountsforapproximatelyfivepercentofglobalcarbondioxideemissionsxxii. Thetransportof

tourists toandwithindestinationsaccounts for75per centofall carbondioxideemissionsby the

tourismsector,withairtravelmakingupabout40percentofthetotalxxiii.Ithasalsobeenpredicted

that,underabusinessasusualscenario,carbondioxideemissions fromtheglobaltourismsector

will increase by 130 per cent by 2035xxiv.Most of this growthwas attributed to air travel. This

projectedgrowthinemissionsfromtourismisinconsistentwiththedeepemissionreductionsneeded

toaddressclimatechange;thepledgeofthetourismsectortosubstantiallyreduceemissions inthe

decadesaheadisdiscussedbelow.


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7

1.2. TheUnitedNationsandclimatechangeAcrucialinterdependenceexistsbetweentheclimate,theenvironment,tourismandcommunitiesxxv.

In the year 2000, world leaders gathered in New York to adopt the United Nations Millennium

Declarationwhichcommittedthemtoaseriesoftimeboundtargetswithadeadlineof2015. These

developmentobjectives,

with

an

overall

focus

on

reducing

extreme

poverty,

became

known

as

the

MillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs).

Theworldspoorestpeoplearethemostvulnerabletotheimpactsofclimatechangesuchasfloods,

watershortagesandchangesinbiodiversity. Countriesthatareperhapsleastpreparedtodealwith

theeffectsarealreadysufferingthemoreseriousimpactsofclimatechange. However,tourismisone

of thebestknownwaysof redistributingwealth from richnations topoornationsand fromurban

areas to rural areas. It is also an effective catalyst for gender equality, cultural preservation and

natureconservation.

Asaresultoftheeconomicandsocialbenefitsoftourism,thesectorisincreasinglybeingpromotedas

contributingto,

and

being

avital

element

in,

the

alleviation

of

poverty

in

Least

Developed

Countries

asoneoftheUNMillenniumDevelopmentGoals. Inaddition,tourismandtravelalsocontributesto

theenvironmentalsustainabilityandgenderequalitygoals. Asaresult,in2002,UNWTOlauncheda

programme on Sustainable Tourism Eliminating Poverty (STEP).UNWTO have also adopted the

strapline:committedtotourism,travelandtheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals.

The issue of climate change has been of international concern for several decades. In 1992, the

UnitedNationsFrameworkConventiononClimateChange(UNFCCC)wasadoptedasthebasisfora

globalresponsetotheissue(Box3).

Box3:KyotoProtocolandcarbondioxideemissionreductions

ThefirstphaseoftheKyotoProtocolexpires in2012. The IPCCsuggeststhat ifcarbon

dioxideemissionsdeclineby50to85percentof2000emissionsby2050,globalwarming

by theendof thecentury is likely to remainbetween2.02.4C. Internationalbusiness

organizations such as the World Economic Forumxxvi

and the Copenhagen Climate

Councilxxvii have endorsed the IPCCs recommendation. The leaders of theG8xxviii also

endorsed an emission reduction target of 50% by 2050, but could not agree on a

baselineof1990or2005.

Theglobalclimatepolicynegotiationscontinuetoprovideclarityonsomefundamentally important

issuessuch

as

ambitious

emission

reduction

targets

for

developed

countries

and

an

effective

institutionalframeworkwithgovernancestructuresthataddresstheneedsofdevelopingcountriesxxix.

Itishopedthatthediscussionswillresultinanambitious,butfair,climatechangedeal. Governments

fromaroundtheworldwillbeseekingagreementona longtermgoalforgreenhousegasemissions

reduction;actionon themitigationofclimatechange;adaptation to theeffectsof climatechange;

technologydevelopmentand transfer to supportmitigationandadaptation;andproviding financial

resources and investment to supportmitigationand adaptation (especially in the LeastDeveloped

Countries).

TheUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme(UNEP)has launchedaGreenEconomyInitiativewhich

aims to revive the global economy and boost employment,whilst simultaneously accelerating the

fightagainst

climate

change,

environmental

degradation

and

poverty.

Within

the

Green

Economy

Initiativereport,UNWTOandUNEPwilljointlyproduceachapterandaseriesofbackgroundpapers


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8

devotedtohow investment insustainabletourismandtravelsolutionscancontributetosustainable

developmentandtoagreeneconomy.

2. Agreements on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reductions and theirimpact

on

tourism

Actiontoreducecurrent levelsofgreenhouseemissionswillnotonlyminimisethethreatofclimate

changebutwillalsoprovideanopportunitytodevelopasustainableglobaleconomy.Anymitigation

policies should be developed and implemented in a considered way so as not to negatively

disadvantage the least developed countries and the tourism industry contributing to poverty

reductionandeconomicdevelopment.Thetourismandtravelcommunitymustbe fullyengaged in,

and supportive of this process. There are also a number ofmechanisms that could be used for

addressinggreenhousegasemissionsincluding:

Reducing energy use. This should be the starting point and is themost essential aspect ofmitigation. It could be achieved through a shift in transport use or changing managementpractices.

Improvingenergyefficiency. Technologicaldevelopmentswillhelp reduceemissions from, forexample,aviationasitmayreducefueluseandimproveaircraftperformance.

Increasingtheuseofrenewableenergy. Thisisanareathat,withtherightinvestment,couldbeveryapplicabletotourismespeciallysolarpanels,waterrecyclingorpassiveheatingcooling.

Sequesteringcarbonthroughsinks(oftenforestryschemes)andtheuseofcarboncompensationoroffsetting (Box4). These schemesarecurrentlyvoluntaryandUNEPhas suggested thatare

unlikelytohaveamajorimpactonthereductionofaviationgreenhousegasemissionsxxx.

Box

4:

Carbon

Offsetting

There is a growing number of notfor profit organisations that offer travellers the

opportunitytocompensate,throughadditionalpayment,fortheemissionsproducedasa

resultofflightsundertaken. Flightcalculatorsareusedtomakeassessmentofemissions

generated by a flight between two airports. The money is then reinvested in a

renewableenergyprojectsalllocatedindevelopingcountriesxxxi.

Asmany of the schemes are voluntary, there is confusion among tourists about the

variousapproachesxxxii. TheUNFCCChas introducedaGoldStandardCertifiedEmission

Reductionstoensurethattheprojectscertifieddoatleasthavesustainabledevelopment

benefits.

Addressing GHG emissions from the transportation sector is a critical aspect of national and

internationalmitigationpolicynegotiationsxxxiii. Consequently, it isanticipated that climate change

mitigationpolicywillhavebothneartermand longtermimplicationsforthecostsoftransportation

that are fundamental to tourism (automobile, air travel, and cruise ships in particular)xxxiv.

Internationalaviationiscriticaltotourismwith52percentoftravellersreachingtheirdestinationby

airxxxv. Asindicated,itisalsothedominantcontributortoGHGemissionsfromtravelandtourism(40

percentoftheindustryscarbondioxideemissions)xxxvi. Currentlyinternationalaviationemissionsare

excluded from theKyototargets. Nonetheless,Article2,paragraph2of theProtocoldoessaythat

Annex

1

Parties

xxxvii

(industrialised

countries)

are

committed

to

pursue

limitation

or

reduction

of

GHG

emissions. Sowhilsttheremaynotbespecific,measurabletargets,thereisalreadyarequirementfor


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9

industrialised nations to implementmeasures to reduce emissions. Within Europe, the Emissions

Trading Scheme (ETS), which has been operational since 2005, will begin to include air carrier

operationsto,fromandwithinEuropein2012.

A number of studies have examined the potential impact of a range of aviation sectortargeted

climatepolicies

on

the

future

of

international

tourism.

There

is

no

evidence

to

suggest

that

climate

policies or international aviation industry initiatives, as currently proposed, would have any

substantialimpactonthegrowthoftouristarrivalsthrough2020xxxviii. Evenwith,forexample,ticket

price increases,manypeoplewill stillwantorneed to travelandas tourism is suchan important

economic sector,especially fordeveloping countries,operatorswill try toencourage tourismeven

withindustryclimatepolicies.

Therehasbeenconsiderabledialogueonfuturepolicyframeworkstomanageemissionreductionsin

the transportation sector.xxxix The role the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has in

providingleadershiponreducinggreenhousegasemissionswithintheaviationsectorresultedinthe

formationof theGroupon InternationalAviationandClimateChange (GIACC)xl. The treatmentof

greenhousegas

emissions

from

international

aviation

is

one

of

the

most

contentious

issues

within

the

UNFCCC process. TheGIACC have adopted the aspirational goal of annual improvements in fuel

efficiencyof2percentuptotheyear2050andalsodevelopedaProgrammeofActionthatincludes

strategiestoachievereductionsinemissions.

InFebruary2009, the ICAOorganisedan internationalWorkshoponAviationandAlternativeFuels.

Therewasgeneralagreementthatalternativefuelscanbeawinwinsolutionforreducingaviations

dependenceon fossilfuelsandakeyelementtohelpreducethe impactonclimatechange. Itwas

alsosuggestedthattheadoptionofalternativefuelsbytheaviation industrymaybesimplerthanin

othersectorsdue totherelativelysmallnumberof fuelling locations. Variousblendsofalternative

fuelshavebeentestedandprogressisbeingmadeindevelopment.

The International Road TransportUnion (IRU) represents the passenger and goods road transport

industry. InNovember2009,theIRUadoptedthe30by30resolution,which includesavoluntary

commitmentbytheroadtransportindustrytoreduceitsCO2emissionsby30percentby2030(witha

baseyearof2007)xli. The IRU isalsopromotingthechangefromdependenceonfossilfuelstoalso

usingalternativeenergyandfuelsources.

Whilstnotabigcontributortotourismdirectly,theinternationalshipping industry isresponsiblefor

transportingabout90percentofworld tradexlii. Forover50years, theUN InternationalMaritime

Organisation(IMO)hasprovidedtheglobalregulatoryframeworkwithinwhichtheshippingindustry

operates. Whilst it isalreadythemostcarbonefficientmodeofcommercialtransport,thesector is

committedto

reduce

their

GHG

emissions.

However,

shipping

companies

can

choose

the

flag

state

in which to register their vessels and emissions cannot be attributed to any particular national

economyxliii. Asaresult,multilateralcooperationisrequired.


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10

Box5:Fundingforadaptation

A number of proposals also focus on funding for adaptation. Many less developed

countries which rely on international tourism as a significant contributor to their

economyhave

voiced

concern

over

the

potential

of

future

aviation

emission

policy

to

negatively affect their tourism industry. The Group of Least Developed Countries

proposedthe InternationalAirPassengerAdaptationLevy(IAPAL)withintheBaliAction

Plan in 2008, which would generate an estimated US$ 8 billion per year for the

AdaptationFundwithin theUNFCCC. TheAviationGlobalDealGroupxlivhavea similar

proposal that the aviation sector would meet the requirement of common but

differentiated responsibilities in theUNFCCCbyusing the revenuesgenerated through

theauctioningofemissionallowancesintheglobalaviationsector(estimatedtobeinthe

order of US$ 1.5 to 5.0 billion per year) for climate change initiatives in developing

countries. Ifeitherproposalwere implemented,thenthetourismsectorwouldbecome

theworldslargestfunderofclimatechangeadaptationindevelopingcountries.

Clearly,anyglobalemissionpolicyforaviationandothertransportsectorswouldhaveconsiderable

consequences fordestinationsdependingon tourismand travel, including, for instance,manysmall

islanddevelopingstates.Tourismandtravel relatedmitigationinitiativesmustmediatebetweenthe

conflicting objectives of the need to reduce contribution to global warming whilst not adversely

impactingtourismsroleinsustainabledevelopmentandpovertyalleviationxlv. UNWTOhascalledfor

preferentialtreatmentforairservicesthatsupportthedevelopmentoftourismintheleastdeveloped

countriesxlvi.

All countriesand thosewithin the tourism industry shouldbeencouraged, regardlessofeconomic

status,to

work

with

the

COP

15

process

to

ensure

that

poverty

and

promoting

the

development

of

tourismdependent poorer nations are also considered. In 2007, UNWTO suggested itwould be

possibletoreducegreenhousegasemissionsfromairtransportwithoutaffectingthesocioeconomic

benefitstourismprovidesxlvii. Thisisalsodependenttosomeextentonbehaviourchangewithtourists

beingencouragedtoreducethenumberofshortertripstheytake. However,constraintson leisure

timewithin Europe are actually leading people to go onmore, but shorter visitsxlviii. Developing

alternative modes of short haul transport is one approach that could be implemented without

reducingthenumberofvisitors.

3. UNWTOresponsestoclimatechangeTheSecretaryGeneraloftheUnitedNationshasbeentaskedwithdevelopingaglobalresponsetothe

challenge of climate change, coherentwith theMillennium Development Goals. As a result, the

UnitedNationshas,formanyyears,beendevelopingaframeworkdesignedtoestablishalongterm

postKyoto roadmap,which includes targetedmilestones. The tourism and travel sector, given its

hugely importanteconomicandsocialvalue, itsrole insustainabledevelopmentand itsrelationship

withclimate,hasasignificantroletoplayintheUNsoverallframework. UNWTOhasbeenstudying

the issue formanyyearsaspartof itscontributiontosustainabledevelopmentandtheMillennium

DevelopmentGoals. UNWTO isactivelyworkingtoraiseawarenessonclimatechange issues inthe

tourism sector and on integrating tourism into theUnitedNations and other international policy

processesonclimatechange.


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UNWTOrecognisesthatthetourismandtravelsectorneedstoadapttothechangingclimateandto

changesthatwillcontinuefortheforeseeablefuturetoensureindividuals,communitiesandnations

continuetoreceivethebenefitsoftourismincludingsustainabledevelopmentintheleastdeveloped

countries(Box6). However,UNWTOisalsofullyawarethattourismneedstoreachsomeconsensus

on measures to be adopted with regards to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and other

environmentalimpacts.

Box6:FirstInternationalConferenceonClimateChangeandTourism,2003

InApril2003,UNWTO, togetherwith severalotherUnitedNationsagencies, convened

the first International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism in Tunisia. The

resultingDjerbaDeclarationonClimateChangeandTourismxlix

signifiedthe importance

of climate change for the sustainability of the global tourism industry, urged the

formulation of appropriate adaptation plans, recognized the twoway relationship

between tourism and climate change, and highlighted the obligation of the tourism

industry (including transport companies, hoteliers, tour operators, travel agents and

touristguides,

and

consumers)

to

reduce

their

GHG

emissions

and

subscribe

to

all

relevantintergovernmentalandmultilateralagreementstomitigateclimatechange. The

conferencewaspivotalinhighlightingtheissueofclimatechangewithinthetourismand

travelsectorandsoughttoraiseawarenessandstrengthencollaborationbetweenpublic

andprivatesectorplayers.

Since that first conference, the complex relationship between the tourism and travel sector and

climatechangehasincreasinglybeenstudied. Asaresult,in2007,UNWTO,togetherwiththeUnited

NationsEnvironmentProgramme(UNEP)andtheWorldMeteorologicalOrganisation(WMO)withthe

supportof theWorldEconomic Forum,organised theSecond InternationalConferenceonClimate

Changeand

Tourism

in

Davos,

Switzerland.

The

multi

stakeholder

event

attracted

more

than

400

participants fromover80 countries, representing thepublicandprivate sector,academiaand civil

society. Stakeholdersandinterestedpartieswerereunitedtoreviewdevelopmentsandincorporate

increasingglobalawarenessandmarketplacerealityintorevisedguidance.

The outcome of the conference was the Davos Declaration (Annex I). The Declaration not only

acknowledgedtherealityofclimatechangeandtheinterrelationshipwithtourismandtravelbutalso

thatalongtermstrategyisrequiredtoreducegreenhousegasemissionsfromwithinthesector. The

Declarationoutlines firm recommendationsandaclearcommitment foraction,by thekey interest

groups involved in tourism, to respond to the climate change challenge. It called for the urgent

adoptionofa rangeof sustainable tourismpoliciesandalsoprovidesglobalguidanceon the issue.

Thegoals

included

within

the

Declaration

are

not

only

achievable

but

provide

alink

to

the

interrelated

povertyagenda. Fourkeyareasthatwillrequireactionwereagreedupon:

Mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from the tourism sector (especially from transport andaccommodationactivities)

Adapttourismbusinessesanddestinationstochangingclimateconditions Applyexistingandnewtechnologiestoimproveenergyefficiency Securefinancialresourcestoassistpoorerregionsandcountries.


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Box7:UNWTOeventsfollowingDavos

FollowingDavos,UNWTO, inpartnershipwith theWorldTravelMarket (WTM),helda

one dayMinisters Summit in LondonwhereMinisterswere given the opportunity to

discuss and endorse theDavosDeclaration. Theparticipants at the summit urged all

tourismand

travel

stakeholders

to

follow

the

recommendations

of

the

Davos

Declaration

which was also discussed and endorsed at the UNWTO General Assembly held in

CartagenadeIndias,ColombiainNovember2007.

Eachyear,UNWTOorganiseaWorldTourismDayon27September. Thethemefor2008

wasTourismrespondingtothechallengeofclimatechange. Theaimwastopromote

theDavosDeclarationandengage tourism stakeholders to adapt, tomitigateanduse

newtechnologyandtosecurefinancingforthepoorestcountriesl.

DuringtheconferenceinDavos,andinthesubsequentdiscussions,oneofthemainpointsreiterated

wasthat

special

consideration

should

be

given

to

the

least

developed

countries

and

small

island

developingstatesintheprovisionoffinancial,technicalandtrainingsupporttotourismdestinations

andoperators. However,UNWTOcannottackleclimatechangeandtourismissuesinisolation. Aside

event at theUNFCCC COP 13 in Bali (2007),where theDavosDeclaration Processwaspresented,

aimedtointegrateUNWTOeffortsintotheoverallUnitedNationssystemresponsetoclimatechange

andtoenhancecollaborationandpartnershipswithrelatedsectors.UNWTOwillalsocontinuetolead

initiativesthatcontributetotheoverallUNefforttodevelopacommonframeworkintacklingclimate

change. Box8includesatimetableofselectedclimatechangeandtourisminitiatives.

InthebuilduptoCopenhagen,UNWTOandpartnerorganizationsmarkedlyincreasedtheirefforton

the climate change and tourism issue. UNWTO Secretary General attended the UN Leadership

Summiton

Climate

Change

on

22

September

2009

in

New

York,

delivering

aUNWTO

Climate

Commitmentmessage. Sustainabletourismandtravelisimportantforallcountriesandpivotalfor

theworldspooreststates. Itprovidesjobs,tradeanddevelopment. ItmustbeapillaroftheGreen

Economywiththeactiveengagementofalltourismstakeholders.TheWorldTourismOrganizationis

committed toworking across the industry, both in the public and private domains, to advance a

coherent response toClimateandDevelopment imperatives,placingbusinessesat theheartof the

transformationtoalowcarboneconomy. UNWTOmadeastrongcommitmenttosupporttheSealtheDeal!campaignandlobbyforafair,balancedandeffectiveagreementinCopenhagenwhichwillpowergreengrowthandhelpprotectourplanet,by involving tourismandtravelsectors leaders in

thecallforaneffectiveagreementonreducingemissions.


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Box8:TimelineofSelectedClimateChangeandTourismInitiatives

UNWTOisalsoawareoftheimportanceofleadingbyexampleandwillpursueitseffortsinreducing

itsownemissionsbyraisingawarenessamongitsstaff,encouragingmoreefficienttravel,investingin

energyefficientmaterial,etc. Inaddition, inthe frameworkof thegreening theUN initiative,the

Organization has calculated the GHG emissions generated by its own operations since 2008 and

intendstocompensatetheminordertoachieveclimateneutrality.

4. Capacitybuildingandawareness raisingeventsorganisedand supportedbyUNWTO

Whilst reducingcarbondioxideandotherGHGemissionswillhelp in the long term, there isalsoa

pressing need for the tourism and travel sector to adapt to the expected impacts from climate

changeli. However,meteorologicalandclimateprojectiondatadonotalwaysadequatelyrepresent

the conditions experienced in the variety of tourism destinations and locations. This could limit

adaptationespeciallyindevelopingnationslii. Governmentsplayasignificantroleintheprovisionof

climate information, as it is often perceived as an economic public good, but thismayjust be

essentialobservationdata. Thereisanincreasingdemandforaccurate,detailedclimateinformation

toallowtourismbusinessestominimisetherisksandcapitaliseonanynewopportunitiesliii

(Box9).


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14

Box9:ExpertTeamonClimateandTourism

In2006,theWMOincollaborationwithUNWTOestablishedanExpertTeamonClimate

and Tourism with the purpose to improve the application of weather and climate

information inthetourismsector. InpreparationforWorldClimateConference3(Sept

2009),the

WMO

and

UNWTO

commissioned

areport

to

investigate

the

provision

and

use

of climate informationwithin the tourism sector. The report discovered that private

sector climate providers have been particularly proactive in developing and using

emerging communication technology to deliver specialised, targeted information. In

comparison,many tourism operators provide limited climatic information to potential

travellersother thanmaybeaveragemonthly temperaturesorprecipitation. The final

report on Weather and Climate Information for Tourism included a series of

recommendationsaimedatimprovingtheprovisionanduseofclimateinformationthat

will require collaboration between research communities, government tourism

authoritiesandthetourismindustryliv.

In2007,UNWTOlaunchedaClimateandTourismInformationExchangeService. Itwascreatedasa

repositoryforinformationandasadisplayfordata,studies,policypapers,videosandothermaterial

relatedtotourismandclimatechange,thatwouldfacilitatetourismstakeholdersworkingtogetherto

develop coordinated approaches to tackling mitigation and adaptation. The organization has

developedanddisseminatedtechnicalpublicationsaddressingclimatechangeimpactsandadaptation

responses.Themost relevant is ClimateChangeandTourism Responding toGlobalChallenges.

This report, commissioned by UNWTO, UNEP and WMO, was initially developed as background

information for the Tourism and Climate Change Conference inDavos, Switzerland. It provides a

detailedandcomprehensivesynthesisofthestateofknowledgeaboutcurrentandfuturepredicted

impacts of climate change on global tourism. The report acknowledges that climate changewill

becomean

increasingly

pivotal

issue

affecting

tourism

development

and

management.

An

overview

ofpolicyandmanagement responses fordealingwith thepredicted impacts isalsoprovided. The

report,aimedatthosewiththeresponsibilitytodevelopmitigationandadaptationstrategiesforthe

tourism sector, is available, together with other reports on climate change and tourism, in the

UNWTOwebpage.

UNWTO has assisted countries through theirNational Tourism Administrations to access the GEF

SpecialClimateChangeFundbyapproachingothermulti andbilateral fundingsourcesandprivate

sector organizations in order to secure cofinancing. For example, a pilot project on tourism

adaptation in the Maldives has been initiated, through collaboration with UNEP and UNDP and

discussionsinitiatedwithSIDSinotherregions.

Responding to the need to provide practical guidance and capacity building for climate change

adaptation and mitigation practices in the tourism sector, in 2008 a publication was produced:

ClimateChangeAdaptationandMitigationintheTourismSector:Frameworks,ToolsandPracticeslv

combinedwithacomprehensiveseriesof internationalandregionalseminarsdesignedtoprovidea

pragmaticplatformtostrengthenthecapacityofprofessionalstounderstandandrespondeffectively

totheglobalchallengesofclimatechangeintourismdestinations.


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Box10:HotelEnergySolutionsProjectlvi

In2008,UNWTOlaunchedtheHotelEnergySolutionsproject.TheProjectiscofundedby

the European Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation: UNWTO is the project

coordinator, partners include UNEP, International Hotel and Restaurant Association,

ADEMEthe

French

Agency

for

Energy

Management

and

EREC

the

European

Council

for

RenewableEnergies. Theinternationalhotelsectorisoneofthelargestdriversofglobal

employment. However, in 2005, it was estimated that the accommodation sector

accountedfor21percentofthecarbondioxideemissionsfromtourismlvii.Theaimofthis

project is toprovideenergyefficiency solutionsand increaseduseofenergyefficiency

and renewable energy technologies for the tourism accommodation sector across 27

EuropeanUnioncountrieslviii. Thisisseenasasignificantwaytoreducetheimpactofthe

sectoronclimatechangebymitigatingemissions. TheHotelEnergySolutionsprojectwill

dothreethings:

Developarangeoftoolsandmaterialstoassistsmallandmediumenterpriseshotelstoplanforandinvestinenergyefficiencyandrenewableenergytechnologies.

Testthetoolsinhotelsandusethelessonslearnedtoimprovethem. Tellpeopleaboutthesetoolsdisseminateandpromotethemostsuitablepractical

solutionstoSMEhotelsacrosstheEuropeanUnionandfarbeyondlix.

In September 2009, UNWTO, in partnership with the European Travel Commission (ETC) and

VisitSweden,andsupportedbyUNEPandtheSwedishGovernment,organisedtheTravelandTourism

intheGreenEconomySymposium. Thesymposiumfocusedonsustainabletourismandtravelandthe

CopenhagenAgreementtobediscussedattheUNFCCCCOP15inDecember2009.

5. The response of Governments and the private sector to the challengesthatclimatechangeposestotourism

Theprivatesectorhasasignificantroletoplayinaddressingthechallengesclimatechangeposesfor

tourismandtravel. However,theycannotimplementthesealone. Governmentsneedtobeengaged

and encouraged to develop and implement regulatory policies and offer economic incentives.

Together theyhaveacrucial role toplay in tacklingclimate changeand its impacton tourismand

travel. In synergy with the UNWTO many tourism and travel organizations have embraced this

challengeandopportunity.

Box11:

Challenge

to

develop

cross

sector

response

to

climate

change

In 2008 the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) challenged influential travel and

tourismleaderstohelpdevelop,agreeandsignontoacrosssectorresponsetoclimate

change.Travelandtourismleadersresponded,indicatingthattheywerereadytobepart

ofthefirstCEOChallenge.ThefirstPATAChallengeeventwasheldinBangkok,Thailand

and hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The agenda focused on actionable

issuesandchallengeddecisionmakersfromallsectorsofthetravelandtourismindustry

toagreeandcommittoactionsthatwillconfrontclimatechange.

TheWorld

Travel

and

Tourism

Council

(WTTC)

produced

areport

in

2009,

which

sets

out

avision

for

tacklingGHGemissions. Itincludesacommitment,endorsedbymorethan40oftheworldslargest


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16

TravelandTourismcompanies,tocutbyhalfcarbonemissionlevelsof2005by2035lx. Thereisalso

an interim target of achieving a 30 per reduction by 2020 in the presence of an international

agreementor25percentreduction intheabsenceofsuchanagreementlxi. TheWTTCsreportalso

acknowledgedthatthegoalsofindustryleaders,customersandpolicymakersneedtobealignedand

thatpartnershipscanplayan important role. It ishoped the reportwillalsobeutilisedbypolicy

leadersin

Copenhagen

to

ensure

consideration

of

the

potential

of

tourism

to

create

economic

and

socialprosperity. TheWTTChasalsoidentifiedaseriesofcommitments,whichtheCouncilitselfwill

useto trackandmeasure itsowneffortsandsuccess. These includeworkingwithgovernments to

align frameworks; share information and best practice examples; support aviations progressive

carbondioxideemissionreductionstrategiesandencourageairlinestohalvecarbonemissionslevels

by2050;andassistlocalcommunitiesinadoptingpracticalmitigationandadaptationstrategieslxii.

In June2008,CEOs fromacross theworld, representingevery industrial sector, submitteda setof

recommendationstotheG8 leadersfor inclusionwithinapostKyotoclimateframework. InMarch

2009,inresponsetotherecommendationsandtoelaborateonhowtheyshouldbeimplemented,a

WorldEconomicForum(WEF)TaskForceonLowCarbonProsperitywaslaunched. InMay2009,the

WEF,in

collaboration

with

UNWTO,

ICAO,

UNEP

and

travel

and

tourism

business

leaders,

produced

theTowardsaLowCarbonTravelandTourismSectorreport. Withinthedocument,anumberofways

tomitigatetransportandaccommodationgreenhousegasemissionsareproposed. Bothshort and

longterm solutions are identified includingmarketmechanisms such as global emissions trading

schemes. The study also highlights how governments, industry and consumers can collectively

improvethesustainabilityoftravelwhichwillensurethecontinuedgrowthofthesector.

Box 12: Council of Australian Governments National Climate Change Adaptation

Framework

The Council of Australian Governments' (COAG) National Climate Change Adaptation

Framework,which

was

endorsed

in

April

2007,

identified

tourism

as

one

of

many

sectors

andareasvulnerabletoclimatechange.TheCOAGFrameworkidentifiedthat"theimpact

of climate change on infrastructure and the natural environmenthas the potential to

affect the tourism industry. In some cases this could result in social and economic

impacts in regions with a high dependency on tourism as a source of income and

employment." The COAG Framework gave the Tourism Ministers' Council (TMC)

responsibility for developing an Action Plan over two years. In August 2007, Tourism

Ministers established the Tourism and Climate Change Taskforce (the Taskforce) to

developtheActionPlan.

Anumberofgovernmentshaveannounced their intention for theirnations, including their tourism

andtravelsector,tobecomecarbonneutral.SriLankaannounced its initiativeEarthLungCarbon

FreeSri Lankaduring theDavosConference in2007.Threeother countrieshaveannounced their

intention to have a carbon free or carbon neutral nation, including their tourism and travel

sectorlxiii(Norway,CostaRicaandtheMaldives).

UNWTO is providing inkind support and support aimed at raising funds for governments and

regionalinitiativesforclimatechangeadaptationandmitigationprojectsinthetourismsectorforkey

regionalinitiativesinvolvinggovernmentsofnumerouscountries.TheCARIBSAVEPartnership,formed

in2008,between theCaribbeanCommunityClimateChangeCentre (CCCCC)and theUniversityof

Oxford,

and

supported

by

a

range

of

international

partners

including

UNWTO,

UNEP,

UNDP,

the

World

Bank,WWF,andother internationalandregionalpartners isaddressingthe impactsandchallenges


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17

surroundingclimatechange, tourism,economicdevelopmentandcommunity livelihoodsacross the

CaribbeanBasin. TheCaribbean isahighly tourismreliant regionandalsohighlyvulnerable to the

impactsofclimatechange. TheCARIBSAVEPartnership,whichincludesrepresentativesfromboththe

publicandprivatesector,isprovidingpracticalstrategies,assistingincapacitybuildingandfacilitating

skillstransferacrosstheregion.

6. ConclusionTheclimateischangingandwillcontinuetodosofortheforeseeablefuture. Thiswillresultinsocial,

economicandenvironmental impacts. Thedegreeof these impactswilldependon towhatextent

nations, industry and individualsmitigate emissions and adapt to changes. The issue of climate

change isnow firmlyentrenched intheglobalagendaandcriticalnegotiations foraGHGemissions

framework continue. Ata timeof globaleconomicdownturn,a climatedeal could fundamentally

transform the global economy through the need for innovative technologies and sustainable

development.

ThetourismandtravelsectormustaddresstheclimatechangeissueandUNWTOhasembracedthe

challenge of responding establishing collaborative partnerships, raising awareness, developing

guidanceandprovidingsupport.UNWTOisfullycommittedtopromotingareductionintheimpactof

greenhousegasemissionsfromtourismactivities. However,theroletourismplaysinlessdeveloped

countriesneeds tobe taken intoconsideration inanydiscussionsonemission reductions. Tourism

contributestosustainabledevelopment,povertyreductionand theMillenniumDevelopmentGoals.

Any framework agreement should not disproportionately disadvantage thosemost dependent on

tourism.

Manyofthepotentialsolutionstoreducinggreenhousegasemissionsandtacklingclimatechangeare

complex.It

is

important

that

partnerships

are

developed,

maintained

and

enhanced

and

research

into

innovative approaches is continued. The Davos Declarations specific recommendations to

governments,internationalorganizations,tourismindustryanddestinations,consumers,researchand

communicationnetworks,settheguidelinesofacomprehensiveplanofaction.

The time is right: The time is right to further the discussion and debate on climate change and

tourism. Thetime isrighttosealthedealandestablishaglobalemissionsregulated framework.

The time is right forgovernmentsand thepublicsector to invest ingreenhousegasmitigationand

climatechangeadaptationapproaches. Thetimeisrightforpublicandprivatesectorstoforgeahead

with innovative low carbon initiatives that would not only create employment but would also

contribute to the economy. The time is right because any further delay in action will result in

consequencesfor

the

tourism

industry

and

the

people

who

depend

upon

the

sector.

UNWTO

will

continue to play its role to ensure that impacts areminimised, that all benefits to tourism and

communities are realised and that tourism and travel continues to be a significant contributor to

povertyreductionandtheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals.


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Annex IDAVOSDECLARATION


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CLIMATE CHANGE AND TOURISMRESPONDING TO GLOBAL CHALLENGES

Davos, Switzerland, 3 October 2007

D A VOS D EC LA R A TI ON

The international community is taking concerted action against climate change around acommonly agreed framework led by the United Nations. This UN framework will seek toestablish a long term post-Kyoto roadmap with rapid deployment and targeted milestones.The tourism sector has an important place in that framework, given its global economic andsocial value, its role in sustainable development and its strong relationships with climate.

To support this action the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), jointly with the UnitedNations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO),with the support of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Swiss Government, convenedthe Second International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism, in Davos, Switzerland,from 1 to 3 October 2007. This event, building on the results of the First InternationalConference organised on this topic in Djerba, Tunisia in 2003, gathered 450 participants fromover 80 countries and 22 international organizations, private sector organizations andcompanies, research institutions, NGOs and the media, with the aim of responding in a timelyand balanced way to climate change imperatives in the tourism sector. In preparation of thisConference the organizers commissioned a report to provide an extensive review of currentimpacts and analyse options for possible actions.

The Conference agreed that: climate is a key resource for tourism and the sector is highly sensitive to the impacts of

climate change and global warming, many elements of which are already being felt. Itis estimated to contribute some 5% of global CO2 emissions.

tourism - business and leisure - will continue to be a vital component of the globaleconomy, an important contributor to the Millennium Development Goals and anintegral, positive element in our society.

given tourisms importance in the global challenges of climate change and povertyreduction, there is a need to urgently adopt a range of policies which encourages trulysustainable tourism that reflects a quadruple bottom line of environmental, social,economic and climate responsiveness.

the tourism sector must rapidly respond to climate change, within the evolving UNframework and progressively reduce its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) contribution if it is togrow in a sustainable manner; this will require action to:

o mitigate its GHG emissions, derived especially from transport andaccommodation activities;

o adapt tourism businesses and destinations to changing climate conditions;o apply existing and new technology to improve energy efficiency;o secure financial resources to help poor regions and countries.

The Conference calls for the following actions.

1) Governments and International Organizations:

Incorporate tourism in the implementation of existing commitments under the UnitedNations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto

Second International Conference on

Climate Change and Tourism


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Protocol, and respond to the call by the United Nations Secretary-General forlaunching, at the 13th session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties in Bali,December 2007, an effective and comprehensive climate change framework for thepost-2012 period.

Implement concrete, simultaneous actions for mitigation, adaptation, technology andfinancing, consistent with the Millennium Development Goals.

Provide financial, technical and training support to tourism destinations and operatorsin developing countries (especially in the least developed countries and Small IslandDeveloping States) to ensure that they can participate in the global climate responseframework, through established initiatives, such as the Clean DevelopmentMechanism.

Promote, at all levels, interdisciplinary partnerships, networks and informationexchange systems essential to sustainable development of the sector.

Collaborate in international strategies, policies and action plans to reduce GHGemissions in the transport (in cooperation with ICAO and other aviation organizations),accommodation and related tourism activities.

Introduce education and awareness programs for all tourism stakeholders public andprivate sector as well as consumers.

Develop regional and local climate information services tailored to the tourism sectorand promote their use among tourism stakeholders. Build capacities for interpretationand application of this information, strengthening collaboration with WMOs NationalMeteorological Services.

Implement policy, regulatory, financial, managerial, educational, behavioural,diversification, research and monitoring measures, for effective adaptation andmitigation.

2) Tourism Industry and Destinations

Take leadership in implementing concrete measures (such as incentives) in order tomitigate climate change throughout the tourism value chain and to reduce risk totravellers, operators and infrastructure due to dynamic climate variability and shift.Establish targets and indicators to monitor progress.

Promote and undertake investments in energy-efficiency tourism programmes and useof renewable energy resources, with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint of theentire tourism sector.

Integrate tourism in the formulation and implementation of regional, national and locallevel adaptation and mitigation strategies and implementation plans. The Nairobi WorkProgramme on Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change, coordinated

by UNFCCC, represents an important opportunity for the tourism sector to enhanceknowledge, increase capacities and stimulate action.

Strive to conserve biodiversity, natural ecosystems and landscapes in ways whichstrengthen resilience to climate change and ensure a long-term sustainable use of theenvironmental resource base of tourism - in particular those that serve as earth lungs(carbon sinks), sequestering GHGs through forest management and other biologicalprogrammes, or that protect coastlines (e.g. mangroves and coral reefs).

Seek to achieve increasingly carbon free environments by diminishing pollutionthrough design, operations and market responsive mechanisms.

Implement climate-focused product diversification, to reposition destinations andsupport systems, as well as to foster all-season supply and demand.

Raise awareness among customers and staff on climate change impacts and engagethem in response processes.


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3) Consumers:

In their choices for travel and destination, tourists should be encouraged to considerthe climate, economic, societal and environmental impacts of their options beforemaking a decision and, where possible to reduce their carbon footprint, or offsetemissions that cannot be reduced directly.

In their choices of activities at the destination, tourists should also be encouraged toopt for environmentally-friendly activities that reduce their carbon footprint as well ascontribute to the preservation of the natural environment and cultural heritage.

4) Research and Communications Networks:

Encourage targeted, multi-disciplinary research on impacts of climate change in orderto address regional gaps in current knowledge, develop tools for risk assessment andcost-benefit analyses with which to gauge the feasibility of various responses.

Include environmental and climate specific subjects in the study curricula of tourismtraining programmes and extend these to broader educational systems.

Promote responsible travel that supports quadruple bottom line sustainable tourism,

incorporating climate, environmental, social and economic considerations.

Raise awareness on tourisms economic role as a tool for development, and presentinformation on causes and effects of climate change based on sound science, in a fair,balanced and user-friendly manner.

The Conference

sets out a range of specific actions to be taken by all stakeholders in the sector toimmediately begin to establish and implement a long range carbon-neutral roadmap;

invites governments and international organizations, the tourism industry, consumers,research and communications networks to implement these recommendations, with

concrete commitments and action plans, and to use the UNWTO on-line ClimateChange and Tourism Information Exchange Service as a platform, for committedstakeholders to register their pledges and activities toward adaptation and mitigationon an on-going basis;

stresses the need that UNWTO, in collaboration with UNEP and WMO, continue tolead this process, and to consider convening a Third Conference on Climate Changeand Tourism, at an appropriate time in the future, to review progress, to maintainresponse levels and to identify further needs and actions;

urges action by the entire tourism sector to face climate change as one of the greatestchallenges to sustainable development, and to the Millennium Development Goals inthe 21st Century.

***The Davos Declaration and results of this conference will provide the basis for theUNWTO Ministers Summit on Tourism and Climate Change, scheduled at the WorldTravel Market, London, UK, 13 November 2007. It will be submitted for adoption at theUNWTO General Assembly in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, 23-29 November 2007,and also will be presented at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali,Indonesia, in December 2007.


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The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the only intergovernmental

organization that serves as a global orum or tourism policy and issues. Its

Members include 161 countries and territories as well as over 400 Afliate

Members rom the public and private sectors. UNWTOs mission is to promote

and develop tourism as a signifcant means o ostering international peace and

understanding, economic development and international trade.

www.UNWTO.org

from davos to copenhagen and beyond: advancing tourism’s response to climate change

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