The Organization for Economic Co-operation Development (OECD) along with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) regularly assess and release their report on the situation of tourism policy-making to mitigate climate change.
They explain the importance in regulating and taxing on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and creating incentives for carbon emissions reduction, among other topics.
The report contains extremely interesting research and statements, which in my opinion should be followed and read on a regular basis. Beyond, is not only needed to understand current situation but to really take action, being aware of the challenge, identify mitigation and adaptation priority areas where tourism industries by region / country would help to compensate.
The report aims to work closely with governments to help them identify and implement least-cost policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to limit climate change.
According to the report, tourism contributes to climate change and is also affected by it. The sector accounts for an estimated 5% of CO2 emissions. Aviation accounts for 40% of tourism’s emissions, car transport for 32% and accommodation for 21%, the remaining 7% arises from other tourist’s activities.
Other remarkable statement is that global emissions have to be reduced by at least 50% from their 1990 level by 2050 if temperature stabilization is to be achieved at less than 2°C average warming above pre-industrial levels. For industrialized countries this translates economy-wide overall emission reductions of more than 3% per year.
One of the key conclusions is the one that states that the transformation towards a low carbon tourism sector will require major investments in technology, a strong focus on carbon management by businesses and behavioral changes by tourists. However the main responsibility for promoting emission reductions lies with governments.
Destinations can also seek to de-carbonize their tourism systems by focusing on high-yield markets whose emissions are also lower. To this end, a considerable range of tools is now available to increase revenues and profits while reducing emissions. And this is where in my perspective tourism authorities along with their respective governments should cope the challenge by integrating efficient and consistent climate change policies within their tourism development strategies by at least beginning to measure through some sustainability related KPI´s besides visitors or travelers volume and revenue generated by tourism.
Knowledge and awareness campaigns could also be implemented to facilitate these changes. Therefore, two main elements, which are a strong part of our global economy, must be integrated as KPIs to measure success and achievements on tourism, which are : Sustainable Development and Knowledge Management.
Sustainable Development as relates to climate change, CO2 emissions reduction, group and individual ecological footprint.
Knowledge Management, as relates to information organization, technologies and assignment of intellectual capital values and overall taking into account the complex intangible but valuable capital systems.
The right campaigns would provide information about the challenges involved in meeting climate stabilization objectives and their costs as well as outlining alternatives and providing strategic tools to address energy consumption.
Governments should work in co-operation with the relevant ministries to discuss the current energy intensities of tourism sector and their expected growth or decline, in the light of national tourism development plans.
Source : OECD.
http://www.oecd.org/environment/
http://www.oecd.org/greengrowth/
Jorge Zárate 