PRE-SESSIONAL CONSULTATIONS ON TAR-IPCC

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• PRE-SESSIONAL CONSULTATIONS ON TAR-IPCC
• 2728 November 2003, Milan, Italy

Climate Change and Tourism
Gabor Vereczi Programme Officer Sustainable
Development of Tourism World Tourism Organization

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World Tourism Organization

• Leading international organization in the field
  of tourism
• UN Specialized Agency
• Headquarters in Madrid, Spain
• Intergovernmental organization with 150 Member
  States and Territories
• 350 Affiliate Members private sector (tourism
  trade associations, major airlines, hotels, tour
  operators), local authorities, education and
  research institutions, NGOs

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World Tourism Organization

• Program Activity Departments
• Tourism Statistics
• Market Intelligence and Promotion
• Human Resources Development
• Sustainable Development of Tourism
• Quality of Tourism Development
• Press and Communication, Documentation,
  Publications

• Regional Representation Sections
• Africa
• Europe
• Americas
• Middle East
• Asia-Pacific

Affiliate Members Business Council Education
Council Destination Management Programme
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WTO-Sustainable Development of TourismMain
fields of activity

• United Nations Commission on Sustainable
  Development, 7th Session (CSD-7), 1999
• Tourism at the World Summit on Sustainable
  Development (Johannesburg, 2002)
• Poverty Reduction through Sustainable Tourism
• Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
• Policy and planning for the sustainable
  development of tourism
• Indicators of sustainability for tourism
• Voluntary initiatives and certification systems
  for sustainable tourism
• Compilations of good practices in sustainable
  development of tourism
• Sustainable development of tourism in coastal
  areas and islands
• (International Network for Coastal
  Destinations)
• Ecotourism, tourism in protected areas,
  International Year of Ecotourism 2002
• Urban tourism and tourism at cultural heritage
  sites
• Congestion management at cultural and natural
  sites
• The Tour Operators Initiative
• Climate Change and Tourism

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WTO activities related toClimate Change and
Tourism

• Handbook on Natural Disaster Reduction in Tourist
  Areas (WMO-WTO, 1998)
• First International Conference on Climate Change
  and Tourism, April 2003, Djerba, Tunisia
• 140 delegates from 45 countries
• - scientific community
• national tourism and environment administrations
• local governments.
• tourism industry
• NGOs
• UN Agencies

IPCC
UNCCD
IOC
WMO
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• Main outcomes of the Djerba conference
• First international encounter of climate change
  experts and tourism professionals
• WTO Background Paper on Climate Change and
  TourismPapers by relevant international agencies
• 25 technical presentations and case studies on
• Tourism and water resources
• Tourism in small islands and coastal zones
• Tourism in mountainous regions
• Policy issues and mitigation of the effects of
  climate change
• Djerba Declaration on Climate Change and Tourism
  a basic reference, call upon the major
  stakeholder groups
• Recommendations for future actions

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Tourism and climate changea two-ways
relationship

• 1. Tourism is impacted by climate change in many
  ways
• Changing and more erratic weather patterns
  difficult tourism planning and operations
• Natural disasters harms in
  infrastructure, natural and cultural heritage and
  host communities.
• Climate-induced changes in general health
  conditions visitor safety and insurance
  practices.
• Raising sea levels and temperatures threat to
  coastal and island destinations and marine sites.
• Diminishing snow conditions mountain
  and winter-sport tourism.
• Altered hydrological cycle destinations in arid
  and drought-prone areas (water availability),
  flood-prone areas, (shallow) lakes

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Effects of climate change impacts

• Environmental impacts (beach erosion, harm in
  infrastructure, lack of snow, changing weather
  patterns, bad health conditions, etc.)
• Changes in demand patterns (tourism flow global
  warming-northern territories become more
  attractive, changing seasons, alternative
  destinations)
• Socioeconomic impacts at destinations (e.g.
  employment and labour demand in tourism, social
  infrastructure)
• Knock off effects on other sectors (e.g.
  agriculture, handicrafts)
• Need for adaptation measures

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TAR-IPCC  Impacts and mitigation Submissions from
Parties ANNEX IV Review of existing knowledge.
Lessons from on-going practice.
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Climate Change 2001Working Group II Impacts,
Adaptation and Vulnerability 6.5. Socioeconomic
Impacts of Climate Change 6.5.1. Socioeconomic
Impacts as Part of Vulnerability Assessment There
will be negative impacts on several sectors,
including tourism, freshwater quality and supply,
fisheries and aquaculture, agriculture, human
settlements, financial services, and human
health. 17. Small Island States 17.2.7
Tourism Tourism is a major economic sector in
many small island states Effects of climate
change on tourism will be both direct and
indirect.
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Tourism and climate changea two-ways
relationship

• 2. Tourism is a contributor to the causes of
  climate change
• The polluter pays more effort to
  environmentally sustainable tourism
• Polluting effects all aspects of tourism
  activity, primary from transportation services
  (road and air) GHG emissions
• Other sustainability issues intensive use of
  energy and water, effects on flora and fauna
• Need for policies and mitigation measures

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Follow up to Djerba WTOs plan for programme of
action

• Clearing house on climate change and tourism
• Regional conferences and seminars
• Research on the tourism sectors (both public and
  private) and the tourists perception of climate
  change impacts
• Case studies, comparative studies.
• Studies on extreme climate events and their
  implications to tourism.
• Based on the above actions development and
  dissemination of policy, planning and management
  tools for adaptation and mitigation
• Possible joint actions with partner UN agencies
• IOC coastal zones and island
• UNCCD destinations in arid and desert areas
• UNEP consumption patterns, mitigation
• UNDP Adaptation Policy Framework

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Central recommendations for UNFCCC-SBSTA and IPCC

• Include a resolution on tourism among the
  decisions of COP
• Encourage countries to investigate impacts on
  tourism in the framework of the next National
  Communications
• Treat tourism specifically in the 4th Assessment
  Report
• Count on WTO as a partner to coordinate the above
  and related activities.

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Thank you!

• www.world-tourism.org/sustainable