India Speaks Up For Developing Countries in Tourism Climate Change Debate

Making a statement in the plenary session of the 17th General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization in Colombia, India’s Tourism Minister said, “the policy responses to climate change must be balanced and comprehensive or else developing countries like India will be adversely impacted by decisions that seek to limit the industry potential. Important issues such as carbon footprints, taxes on aviation fuel, energy efficiency methods, water conservation that are being widely discussed and debated in the context of climate change should not end up being another form of non-tariff barriers for tourism against the developing countries. We need to discuss new technologies which will be good for tourism. Global action on tourism should be well informed, educated, comprehensive and balanced. I am confident that we can arrive at sound conclusions through a process of interaction that will take into consideration the concerns of the developing countries.”

The Minister said the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has one of the largest numbers of State Parties of any multilateral instrument. It is, therefore, appropriate that matters relating to climate change that are discussed, are taken up by the Secretary General of the UNWTO in close consultation with the UNFCCC.

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