Climate Change and Tourism - UNEP - Division of Technology ...

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Chapter 7 The Earth’s climate has demonstrably changed compared to the pre-industrial era and is anticipated to continue to change over the 21st century and beyond. On the basis of accumulating scientific evidence, including observed increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, rising global average sea levels, and a range of biological responses, the Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 109 declared that “[…] warming of the climate system is unequivocal.” The global mean temperature has increased approximately 0.76° C between 1850–1899 and 2001–2005 and the IPCC concluded that most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely (> 90% probability) the result of human activities that are increasing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. In addition, the IPCC 110 projected that the pace of climate change is very likely (> 90% probability) to accelerate with continued greenhouse gas emissions at or above current rates, with the best estimate that globally averaged surface temperatures will rise by 1.8° C (low emission scenario) to 4.0° C (high emission scenario) by the end of the 21st century. Even if atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) were stabilized at current levels, the Earth would continue to warm as a result of past GHG emissions and the thermal inertia of the oceans. The biological response to this continued warming and sea level rise would proceed for many centuries. 111, 112 The environmental and economic risks of the magnitude of climate change in the 21st century are considerable and featured prominently in international policy debates. 113, 114, 115 The international business community involved in the United Nations Global Compact 116 contend climate change will affect business and society in fundamental and transformative ways. The Stern Review 117 on the Economics of Climate Change concluded that unmitigated climate change could risk major economic and social disruption later in this century and that tackling climate change was a pro-economic growth strategy, with the benefits of strong, early action considerably outweighing the costs of inaction. The IPCC also recently concluded with very high confidence 118 that climate change will impede the ability of many nations to achieve sustainable development pathways, as articulated in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 119 , over the next half-century. Our lifestyles, economies, health and social well-being are all affected by climate change, and although the consequences of climate change will vary on a regional basis, all nations and economic sectors will have to contend with climate change in one way or another, addressing the challenges of both adaptation and mitigation. Tourism is no exception, as climate change is already affecting decisionmaking in the tourism sector and will be a pivotal issue affecting the medium and long-term future of tourism development and management. 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125 7.1 The New Realities of Tourism in an Era of Global Climate Change Because of its close connections to the environment and climate itself, tourism is considered to be a highly climate-sensitive economic sector like agriculture, insurance, energy, and transportation. 126 Indeed, climate change is not a remote future event for tourism, as the varied impacts of a changing climate are becoming evident at destinations around the world. Tourism is affected by a very wide range of environmental and socio-economic factors, and has been continuously adapting to challenges and crisis situations, such as natural disasters, epidemics, terrorism, civil strife or economic downturns, showing great resilience. Therefore, the capacity of the tourism sector to adapt to climate change is thought to be relatively high due to its dynamic nature. Tourism can provide important opportunities UNWTO, 9 July 2008 Introduction to the Technical Report
40 Climate Change and Tourism – Responding to Global Challenges for tourism to reduce the overall vulnerability of communities to climate change through sustainable development, particularly in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). For the effective adaptation in their tourism sector, LDCs and SIDSs will require nonetheless assistance to tackle the adverse effects of climate change, anticipated to be exacerbated due to poverty and environmental needs. At the same time, the tourism sector is a non-negligible contributor to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions derived especially from the transport of tourists. 127, 128 The tourism sector must therefore respond accordingly to significantly reduce its GHG emissions consistent with the actions of the international community. The climate change mitigation potential is thought to be relatively high in the tourism sector because efforts to lower energy consumption and GHG emissions in the sector are still largely in their infancy and thus far have been generally taken without any vision of a coordinated sector-wide strategic response. 129 Tourism can play a significant role in addressing climate change if the enormous innovativeness and resources of this vital global economic sector are fully mobilized. Consistent with the position of the United Nations 130 and the IPCC 131 , the tourism sector should not address the challenge climate change in isolation, but do so in the context of the broader international sustainable development agenda. The critical challenge before the global tourism sector is to develop a coherent policy strategy that decouples the projected massive growth in tourism in the decades ahead from increased energy use and GHG emissions, so as to allow tourism growth to simultaneously contribute to poverty alleviation and play a major role in achieving the United Nations MGDs. “Climate change as well as Poverty alleviation will remain central issues for the world community. Tourism is an important element in both. Governments and the private sector must place increased importance on these factors in tourism development strategies and in climate and poverty strategies. They are interdependent and must be dealt with in a holistic fashion.” UNWTO, 9 July 2008 Francesco Frangialli, UNWTO Secretary-General (2007) 7.2 Moving Forward on Understanding the New Realities The response of the tourism community to the challenge of climate change has visibly increased over the last five years. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), together with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Government of Tunisia hosted the First International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism in Djerba, Tunisia in 2003. The conference aimed at developing awareness among government administrations, the tourism industry and other tourism stakeholders about the salience of climate change impacts occurring or anticipated to affect tourism destinations and the need to carefully consider the consequences of climate change mitigation policies on tourism as well as the obligation of the tourism sector to be a part of the solution by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. The recognition within the Djerba Declaration of the complex inter-linkages between the tourism sector and climate change and the need to take adaptation and mitigation measures, established a comprehensive framework for future research and policy making. 132 The Davos Conference and Declaration built on the consensus reached in Djerba and took further the policy debate focusing on concrete responses that the different stakeholder groups can take. Subsequent workshops sponsored by the European Science Foundation (Milan 2003), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Warsaw 2003), the European Forum on Integrated Environmental Assessment (Genoa 2004), and the Experts on Climate Change and Tourism group (eCLAT) (Netherlands 2006, Paris 2007) and the Marrakech Task Force on Sustainable Tourism further contributed to the development of collaborative research and practical case studies by a network of international tourism stakeholders and scientists. For example, UNWTO initiated pilot adaptation projects in Fiji and Maldives through the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) in collaboration with UNEP and the United Nations Development
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