Sustainable Travel

By Hazel Heyer l Source: eTurboNews.com

With the issue of global warming being as ubiquitous as ever, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) wants to send this message--Less travel is bad for economies and jobs of destinations countries. The UNWTO has launched seriously into analyzing the relationship between tourism and climate change. In 2003, it convened the first International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism.

In the last years, scores of scientists have echoed in unison their concern for the declining state of the environment. With average temperatures predicted to rise by up to as much as four degrees during this century- Professor Robert Kaufmann, PhD, Boston University Department of Geography and Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, pointed out the biggest temperature spike has been observed in the last 100 years - tourism will need to look beyond the long-term.

Few destinations will gain from the change but the negative considerations far outweigh such benefits. If anything, benefits one should get should equal the damages one cause as a responsible member of society emitting the level of optimal greenhouse gases and sulfur.

Leading several initiatives in pollution, energy efficiency and bio-fuels from Latin America to Europe, Christian Gishler, infrastructure specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC, said the reason for global warming and climate change lies in not having enough complete consensus in the scientific world. “From year 2000, there has been an abnormal increase in temperature recorded. Most worrisome of all, temperatures rise with the carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) at almost the same pace,” he said, adding that gases like CO2, methane (33 percent times more polluting than CO2) found in landfills, other gases found in electric-generators and liquid transformers in heavy industries and the transport business continue to pollute and worsen climate change.

Though the planet is not at that level yet, emitters do not pay for any damage associated with global climate change, according to Kaufmann. They should, in fact, for upsetting nature-based tourism. According to Gishler, the culprits are the US at 30.7 percent of world pollution, followed by the EU at 27.7 percent and the Russian Federation at 13.7 percent.

By far, climatologists have already noticed and recorded earlier springs, later falls and greener summers which show off-timing in biological events, melting of ice shelves and polar ice caps at staggering speeds as reported by top glaciologist David Vaughan, thermal expansion of sea water and rise in sea levels up to five meters. Further, the Vostok Record reveals an abnormally sliced-up glacier in Alaska melting away rapidly due to temperatures rising at rates unseen before.

Sea levels will rise by five meters in just a few years, engulfing many small island states which will be left with shrinking coastlines to no dry land areas at worst. Further, scientists agree that damage to marine life will escalate, weather patterns will change drastically, intense hurricanes will have grave consequences to agriculture sector, let alone many tourist destinations.

Sending a serious reminder, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli stressed climate change is not an abstract concept for tourism. “It is a phenomenon which already affects the sector and certain destinations in particular. We contribute to the greenhouse gas effect, largely through the transport of tourists,” he said.

Over 80 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide come from energy-conversion processes including not only electricity generator, but also the transport sector. “Electricity-generation contributes 50 percent emission in the Caribbean for instance; however, the transport sector is guilty for contributing 30 to 40 percent to pollution. The remaining 20 percent is given off by rentals, or the residential, commercial and industrial sectors,” said Thomas Sheutzlich, Caribbean Renewable Energy Development principal advisor. The UNWTO, however, does not discourage the public from traveling. In fact, it recommends people to resist over simplistic solutions.

The idea of simply reducing air travel to limit emissions is not the easy way out. Solutions like emissions trading and next generation aircraft are more realistic in the mind of the UNWTO. Staying at home, heating an apartment or using a car also pollute.” Less travel is bad for economies and jobs of destinations countries,” is the prevailing message from the organization.

In light of the growing climatic catastrophe, the UNWTO has launched seriously into analyzing the relationship between tourism and climate change. In 2003, it convened the first International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism in Djerba, Tunisia, setting out a framework for action for stakeholders in the public and private sectors. Following the 2003 summit, the UNWTO will hold October 1st-3rd the second world forum on environment in tandem with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) at the Alpine ski resort of Davos.

UNWTO Assistant Secretary-General Geoffrey Lipman said there’s a global, macro issue related to global warming compounded by hot summers and then extremely hot summer issues. “There’s a perception of the science that’s beginning to come together,” said Lipman about the main concerns over the threat of rising sea levels to low lying coastal areas (that bring with is bleaching of coral reefs and that attract dive visitors); advancing desertification especially in sub-Saharan Africa where the threat to wildlife is seen with habitats shrinking; and recession of snow- and ice-covered areas minimizing the viewing pleasure of sports and sightseeing vacationers.

A decision to have the United Nations address this issue has been a strategic move by the G-8 countries after passing the baton to the organization this summer. On his first visit to the UNWTO on June 5, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon underscored the UNWTO’s work on developing and implementing strategies to face the changing climate conditions and to take prevention action for future effect, as well as to mitigate tourism’s environmental impacts. He certainly looks forward to the presentation of conclusion at the UN conference on climate change in Bali this December.

The tourism agency is currently preparing an input post-Davos on November 13, 2007 at Tourism Ministerial Conference in London, supported by the UK government, hosted at the World Travel Market. Final review of the issue will be central to a UNWTO General Assembly to be held in Cartagena de Indias in Colombia later in November.

Lipman said the countries of the world are discussing putting to place in the 2050s a system which will half the carbon impact levels of the 1990s. The key component is to start the plan as soon as possible. “In Davos, we will review destination’s meeting the set of guidelines Djerba Declaration of Tourism and Climate set in 2003. We will set in motion objective recommendations to move in the direction of carbon neutrality. The major study will be central to the meeting this October,” he said.

Advancing the movement for sustainability, certain regional markets today are moving to tax and regulate carbon emissions from airlines and hotels. Daily, consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of the industry, on everything from long-haul air travel to waste disposal, and those who sell the industry’s products are placing increasing pressure on hoteliers to show their green credentials as part of their market offering.