TOURISM GOING CLIMATE NEUTRAL
- How the tourism sector will be affected by climate change
- How the tourism sector contributes to climate change
- How to mitigate and adapt to climate change by making tourism more sustainable
- Mitigate its Greenhouse Gas GHG emissions, derived especially from transport and accommodation activities;
- Adapt tourism businesses and destinations to changing climate conditions;
- Apply existing and new technology to improve energy efficiency; and
- Secure financial resources to help poor regions and countries.
Q "Geoffrey, the European Travel Commission and UNWTO Symposium on Tourism & Travel in the Green Economy, to take place in Gothenburg and sponsored by VisitSweden on September 14-15th, what is it about?"
A "This event is an important element of the Davos Declaration Process and the Copenhagen Seal the Deal Imperative – it’s even more
important as a small step in the strategic global transformation to a Green Economy"
Q "Please expand on that."
A "From the UN system to the OECD to the G20 – including pivotally China, India, Brazil and South Africa there is recognition of the imperative of – long term shift from fossil fuel to low cabon renewable energy – resource and biodiversity conservation – green consumption, production and accounting – inclusion of all countries on a fair and equitable basis, with technology, capacity building and financing support for the poorest – wide range of market and regulatory mechanisms to encourage efficiency and innovation – linkage of environment technology and information communication technology to enable and manage the shift."
Q "What is OECD?"
A "That’s the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. OECD is an international organisation helping governments tackle the economic, social and governance challenges of a globalised economy…"
Q "While you used the word ‘imperative’, practically speaking, how long of a process will these ‘imperative’ issues take to address?"
A "We know this is a long term measured shift from now to 2050: we know it has to start fast with tough targets to stabilize the earths
temperature at reasonable levels: we know it will have different levels of intensity for different countries for social and developmental reasons and for trade and poverty coherence: we know if we start now the cost and the pain will be tough but bearable – and that cost and consequence will increase exponentially with every procrastination: and we know we have no
alternatives."
Q "Are there any regions or countries for which these ‘imperatives’ apply to more or less?"
A "All countries and regions are important in this evolution and some are pivotal – Europe and the US because they have such massive impacts today in carbon output and leadership potential: China, India and Brazil because of their dynamic economic emergence and their population impacts: Africa, much of South America and Island States because of their vulnerabilty and at the same time their green potential."
- Moderator: Geoffrey Lipman
- Luigi Cabrini, Director Sustainable Development, UNWTO
- The Hon. Predrag Nenezic, Minister of Tourism, Montenegro
- Fulai Sheng, Division of Technology, Industry & Economics, UNEP
- Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President WTTC
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