Tourism & Climate Change
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Climate Change and Responsible Travel Chan Beng Seng Global Alternative Tourism Network Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs
description
With its close connections to the environment and climate itself, tourism is considered to be a vulnerable and highly climate-sensitive economic sector. Climate affects a wide range of environmental resources that are essential attraction factors for tourism. Climate change will make destinations less attractive and jeopardize major sources of income. There are direct impacts like altered seasonal patterns or coastal erosion, loss of beach area and higher costs to protect and maintain waterfronts. Also there are indirect impacts of climate change like water shortages. Higher costs for risk management for touristic infrastructure might change the demand side of tourism markets or the visitor numbers. Furthermore, the awareness of tourists towards climate change and other environmental issues is likely to be a major driver of their future holiday choices. Operators that do not adapt to this emerging ‘climate aware’ market risk losing market share to more responsive competitors. This clinic will discuss the important relation between climate change and tourism, and will try to show some alternatives and help to promote a responsible and sustainable tourism, which bring not only benefits for the tourism industry but also to the people whose livelihood depends on tourism.
Transcript of Tourism & Climate Change
Climate Change and Responsible TravelChan Beng SengGlobal Alternative Tourism Network
Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs
What is Climate Change?
• 'Climate change refers to a change of climate
which is attributed directly or indirectly to
human activity that alters the composition of the
global atmosphere and which is in addition to
natural climate variability observed over
comparable time periods.‘
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change -
Some faces of Climate Change
Just a few degrees increase in the earth's temperature…
• melting of polar ice caps
and for this reason rising water levels in
costal zones (e.g. Bangladesh, Maldives
Islands)
• long drought periods
and for this reason hunger, suffering and
desertification
• storms, hurricanes and typhoons causing
catastrophes and disaster
Global Warming
Global warming is the increased heat trapped in the earth's
atmosphere resulting from excess greenhouse gases such
as Carbon Dioxide (CO2). These naturally occurring gases
including Methane (CH4) & Nitrous Oxide (N20) form a layer
in the atmosphere reflecting the sun's rays back down to the
earth. These gases are exacerbated in the atmosphere by
fossil fuel use for energy (ie. coal and oil) and the alteration
to our natural landscape. This has an unnatural warming
effect on our fragile environment.
Impact of Climate Change on Tourism
• The tourism sector depends heavily on a natural and cultural heritage.
• The tourism sector is highly climate sensitive as climate defines the length and quality of tourism seasons, affects tourism operations, and influences environmental conditions that both attract and deter visitors.
• Tourists will quickly switch their choice of destination when the results of climate change impact on their enjoyment.
• Generating more than USD 6 trillion in revenue each year and providing livelihoods to more than 255 million people, the tourism sector is particularly important for some of the world’s poorest countries.
Impact of Climate Change on Tourism
Sub sectors at risk include:
•Mountain and Snow tourism
•Forest and Lake tourism
•Biodiversity and Agricultural tourism
•Cities and Urban Centre tourism
•Beach and Coastal tourism
•Ocean and Sea Life tourism
Impact of Climate Change on Tourism
Operational level impacts will include:
•Reduced water availability could lead to disputes with local
industry and communities
•Extreme weather events will increase operational uncertainty,
particularly in poorer countries
•Expensive or unavailable insurance in areas exposed to
extreme weather or sea-level rise
•Efforts to cut emissions may add costs to the industry,
particularly from transport emissions
Some impacts of climate change in Asia
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/bangkok-underwater/100178/#img10
http://daily.bangkokbiznews.com/gallery/20111011
http://61.19.55.253/mcrd/?p=83
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• Destroyed infrastructure and beaches in Thailand
Destroyed infrastructure and beaches in Thailand
Source: Bread for the World
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Coral reef in Philippines destroyed by typhoon
Impact of Tourism on Climate Change
• emissions responsible for 4.9-14% of global warming (Lee et al, 2009), until 2050 responsible for 25% of global warming
• Only 2% of the world population actively takes part in aviation, 80% of all flights for holiday reasons
• massive expansion of airports and low-cost carriers
• (Boing 747 beim Start in Frankfurt/Main © Daniel Roland/AFP/GettyImages) www.google.de/images)
Impact of Tourism on Climate Change• According to a new UN report, emission from shipping are
responsible for 4.5% of global warming , IPCC assumes that in 2020 it‘ll be 30% more
• Cruise tourism- prove critical (!) because of its huge impact to the environment, the often bad social conditions for staff and the less benefits for the visited destinations
• Massive expansion of cruising tourism
•
• http://www.ftd.de/unternehmen/handel-dienstleister/:co2-emissionen-dicke-poette-werden-oeko/50165706.html
CO2 emissions from tourism
Increasing emission from Tourism Sector• Increasing travel frequency
• More trips done by aircraft
• Decreasing duration in the destination
• Increasing distances to the destination
• Increasing numbers of travelers(UNWTO-UNEP-WMO, 2008)
• 2010: 940 million international arrivals
• 2020: Expected 1.6 billion international tourist arrivals
• 2030: Expected 1.8 billion international tourist arrivals(UNWTO , 2013)
Under a business-as-usual scenario, the sector’s emissions are
forecast to grow by 130% between 2005 and 2035; the
emissions from air travel and accommodation are projected to
triple.
Tourism Overview
• Mass Tourism is developing at an alarming rate with the
advancement in air travel and globalization
* World Tourism Organisaiton
Impacts of Mass Tourism
• Resources
o Water consumption in hotels
o Electricity consumption for air-cons
o High consumption of imported foods
• Pollution
o Greenhouse emissions
o Disposable bottles, food containers, etc
Climate friendly tourism means…
The basic principles for climate friendly tourism development relating to any GHG emitting activities should be
• Avoidance• Substitution• Offsetting
•Develop alternative travel- and transport facilities
•Balance between consumers based responses and political framework response
Responsible Travel
• Modes of transportation o Consider walking or cycling during your trip, using public
transportation,
• Economyo Buy local products. Ensure benefit to local people, employ local people.
• Respect for local cultureo Immerse yourself in and accept the differences of other cultures...
• Environmental conservation. o Choose a trip that strengthens the conservation efforts
• Natural resource use o consider the efficient use of water, energy, and building materials as
well as the method of waste disposal
Climate friend supply chain
Using public transport
Monitoring energy
consumed
Moderate consumption
Sustainable and
responsible
Memory as your eco- footprint
Using alternative transport
Meet local people
Non motorised
sports
Using local furniture
Enjoy local food
Compensate carbon
footprint
Enjoy local culture and
festivals
Local economy, products
Gained knowledge,friendship
Tourism supply chain
YMCAs on the way to a climate friendly tourism Some of our measures …
•monitoringg energy consumption or climate and environmental
issues
•providing sensitization & training-programs for staff and guests
•learning from best practices, exchange ideas, worldwide networking
•being aware about climate policy issues
•analyzing issues and create studies
•appointing an environmental specialized staff (CSR/environment
Manager)
•developing a special environmental and climate friendly strategy for
YMCAs
•establishing standards and certification criteria
The special roll of APAY/GATN
• APAY is a well established network at world level• Has human resources working in the field of tourism• Has a multiplier effect because of education and
communicating with young people• Has a perfect structure in different Asian countries• Its own strategy is in harmony with climate friendly
tourism strategies
• The approach of APAY - Global Alternative Tourism Network:o Community centeredo Holistic approacho Advocate global citizenship and global networkingo Nature conservationo Gender sensitiveo Economically viable
Call for Action
• Support the “two-degrees-target” - limiting the rise in globally averaged temperature to no more than 2⁰C above pre industrial level
• Tourism must play a role in climate change negotiations/UNFCCC. Aviation and shipping must be addressed in the UNFCCC process. IMO and ICAO must consider binding reductions.
• Initiate small scale activities like environmental education, using green technology or natural costal zone protection (Mangroves, corals)
Call for Action
• Develop credible carbon offsetting activities
• Develop clear and practical ways of reducing their carbon footprint – reducing carbon emissions through design, equipment selection and changes in operational practices
• Include product management that takes into account the consequences of climate change
Thank you very much!
CHAN Beng Seng
GATN Coordinator
Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs
Hong Kong
Tel.: +852 2780 8347
Fax: +852 2385 4692
www.asiapacificymca.org 25
