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Beyond Greening: Reflections on Tourism in the Rio-Process | PositioningpaperTourism Concern (2012): Water Equity in Tourism: A Human Right, A Global Responsibility.London. Available at www.tourismconcern.org.ukUN, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UN, Available at:www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml#a2UN (01/10/2011): Right to water and sanitation is legally binding, affirms key UN body, UN NewsCentre. Available at: www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=36308UNGA (28/07/2010): General Assembly Adopts Resolution Recognizing Access to Clean Water,Sanitation as Human Right, by Recorded Vote of 122 in Favour, None against, 41 Abstentions’, SixtyfourthGeneral Assembly Plenary 108th Meeting (AM), UN General Assembly, 28th July 2010.Available at: www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/ga10967.doc.htmUNHRC (2011): Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the issue of humanrights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, John Ruggie - Guiding Principleson Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy”Framework. 17th Session, Agenda Item 3. Available at: www.businesshumanrights.org/media/documents/ruggie/ruggie-guiding-principles-21-mar-2011.pdfUNWTO (11/10/2011): International tourists to hit 1.8 billion by 2030. Available at:http://media.unwto.org/en/press-release/2011-10-11/international-tourists-hit-18-billion-2030WHO (2012): Water supply, sanitation and hygiene development, Available at:www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/hygiene/en/Rachel Noble is Head of Policy and Research at Tourism Concern. Tourism Concern is a UK-based NGOcampaigning for ethical tourism that always benefits local communities. www.tourismconcern.org.ukThis article is based on extracts from Tourism Concern’s latest report, Water Equity in Tourism: A humanright; a global responsibility.Tourism and Climate Change: How the Myth of Poverty Alleviationthrough Tourism Prevents ProgressBy Sabine MinningerEmissions from tourism contribute to global warming, but have not been addressed by anyinternational regime so far. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) hasattempted to reduce emissions caused by tourism by giving recommendations, but when itcomes to binding agreements, the UNWTO has been protecting business interests. A largepart of the emissions caused by tourism – those from aviation and shipping – are negotiatedunder the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). However,there is no global agreement on these emissions yet. The European Union is the only regionwhich has included aviation into their emission trading scheme, with effect from 2012.The UNFCCC is an international environmental treaty produced at the United NationsConference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It isaimed at stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that wouldprevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. The Conference of theParties (COP) is the convention's highest decision-making authority, involving all thecountries that are parties to the convention. The COP meets every year, unless the partiesdecide otherwise. In 2011 in Durban the COP held its 17th meeting and agreed to continue46
Beyond Greening: Reflections on Tourism in the Rio-Process | Positioningpaperthe Kyoto Protocol until a new global regime is agreed. The first commitment period of theKyoto Protocol is going to end in 2012.The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997 in Japan, is a protocol to the UNFCCC, aimed atfighting global warming. Under the Protocol, the rich countries commit themselves to areduction of four types of greenhouse gases and two groups of gases produced by them.Developing countries also made general commitments. The rich countries collectively agreedto reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2 percent on average for the period 2008-2012relative to their annual emissions in the base year 1990. Unfortunately, these emission limitsdo not apply to emissions from international aviation and shipping – the majority ofemissions caused by tourism.UNWTO's approach to climate changeThe UNWTO would be the appropriate UN body to tackle any issues related to tourism,including climate change. However, UNWTO does not have a mandate to develop aframework under which to negotiate binding regulations for the mitigation of tourismemissions. Rather, UNWTO may develop guidelines and recommendations for theirmembers.Tourism is a victim of global warming, but also contributes to it. This led the UNWTO tohold the 1st International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism in Djerba, Tunisia, in2003. The conference brought together tourism authorities, organizations, businesses andscientists to exchange views on the consequences, opportunities and risks for the tourismsector as a result of climate change.The UNWTO, together with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and theWorld Meteorological Organization (WMO), held the Second International Conference onClimate Change and Tourism in Davos, Switzerland, in 2007. The conference outcome wasdocumented in the Davos Declaration which gives detailed advice, guidance andrecommendations to all stakeholders in tourism. As it is only a recommendation and not abinding agreement, the Davos Declaration lacks ambition to motivate the relevantstakeholders. It does not require concrete implementation or transparent information.UNFCCC: Slow progress on bunkersEven though emissions from tourism are notdirectly subject to the negotiations, tourismdoes play a role in the UNFCCC process, intwo ways: Emissions from tourism areindirectly negotiated as part of the emissionsfrom aviation and shipping. However, thealleged economic benefits generated bytourism are used to sabotage bindingregulations for emissions in the aviationsector. The tourism industry lobby argues thata regulative framework capping emissionsfrom international air traffic – for instance aglobal fuel tax, levy or emission trading scheme – could affect tourism revenues that areassumed to contribute to poverty alleviation in developing countries. It might result inincreased costs for passenger transportation, which would reduce demand, which in turnwould impact negatively on the economies of developing countries. It is claimed that people indeveloping countries that are heavily dependent on tourism revenues would be doublyaffected – on the one hand through direct impacts from climate change, and on the other47
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