With its close connections to the environment and climate itself, tourism is considered to be a vulnerable and highly climate-sensitive economic sector. Climate affects a wide range of environmental resources that are essential attraction factors for tourism. Climate change will make destinations less attractive and jeopardize major sources of income. There are direct impacts like altered seasonal patterns or coastal erosion, loss of beach area and higher costs to protect and maintain waterfronts. Also there are indirect impacts of climate change like water shortages. Higher costs for risk management for touristic infrastructure might change the demand side of tourism markets or the visitor numbers. Furthermore, the awareness of tourists towards climate change and other environmental issues is likely to be a major driver of their future holiday choices. Operators that do not adapt to this emerging ‘climate aware’ market risk losing market share to more responsive competitors. This clinic will discuss the important relation between climate change and tourism, and will try to show some alternatives and help to promote a responsible and sustainable tourism, which bring not only benefits for the tourism industry but also to the people whose livelihood depends on tourism.

1. Climate Change and Responsible Travel
Chan Beng Seng
Global Alternative Tourism Network
Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs

2. What is Climate Change?
• 'Climate change refers to a change of climate which is
attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that
alters the composition of the global atmosphere and
which is in addition to natural climate variability
observed over comparable time periods.‘
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change -

3. Some faces of Climate Change
Just a few degrees increase in the earth's temperature…
• melting of polar ice caps
and for this reason rising water levels in costal
zones (e.g. Bangladesh, Maldives Islands)
• long drought periods
and for this reason hunger, suffering and
desertification
• storms, hurricanes and typhoons causing
catastrophes and disaster

4. Global Warming
Global warming is the increased heat trapped in the earth's
atmosphere resulting from excess greenhouse gases such as Carbon
Dioxide (CO2). These naturally occurring gases including Methane
(CH4) & Nitrous Oxide (N20) form a layer in the atmosphere reflecting
the sun's rays back down to the earth. These gases are exacerbated in
the atmosphere by fossil fuel use for energy (ie. coal and oil) and the
alteration to our natural landscape. This has an unnatural warming
effect on our fragile environment.

6. Impact of Climate Change on Tourism
• The tourism sector depends heavily on a natural and cultural
heritage.
• The tourism sector is highly climate sensitive as climate defines
the length and quality of tourism seasons, affects tourism
operations, and influences environmental conditions that both
attract and deter visitors.
• Tourists will quickly switch their choice of destination when
the results of climate change impact on their enjoyment.
• Generating more than USD 6 trillion in revenue each year and
providing livelihoods to more than 255 million people, the tourism
sector is particularly important for some of the world’s poorest
countries.

7. Impact of Climate Change on Tourism
Sub­sectors
at risk include:
•Mountain and Snow tourism
•Forest and Lake tourism
•Biodiversity and Agricultural tourism
•Cities and Urban Centre tourism
•Beach and Coastal tourism
•Ocean and Sea Life tourism

8. Impact of Climate Change on Tourism
Operational level impacts will include:
•Reduced water availability could lead to disputes with local industry
and communities
•Extreme weather events will increase operational uncertainty,
particularly in poorer countries
•Expensive or unavailable insurance in areas exposed to extreme
weather or sea-level rise
•Efforts to cut emissions may add costs to the industry, particularly
from transport emissions

9. Some impacts of climate change in
Asia
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/bangkok-underwater/100178/#img10
http://daily.bangkokbiznews.com/gallery/20111011
http://61.19.55.253/mcrd/?p=83
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10. Destroyed infrastructure and beaches in Thailand
• Destroyed infrastructure and beaches in Thailand
Source: Bread for the World
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11. Coral reef in Philippines destroyed by typhoon

12. Impact of Tourism on Climate Change
• emissions responsible for 4.9-14% of global warming (Lee et al,
2009), until 2050 responsible for 25% of global warming
• Only 2% of the world population actively takes part in aviation,
80% of all flights for holiday reasons
• massive expansion of airports and low-cost carriers
• (Boing 747 beim Start in Frankfurt/Main © Daniel Roland/AFP/GettyImages) www.google.de/images)

13. Impact of Tourism on Climate Change
• According to a new UN report, emission from shipping are
responsible for 4.5% of global warming , IPCC assumes that in 2020
it‘ll be 30% more
• Cruise tourism- prove critical (!) because of its huge impact to the
environment, the often bad social conditions for staff and the less
benefits for the visited destinations
• Massive expansion of cruising tourism
•
• http://www.ftd.de/unternehmen/handel-dienstleister/:co2-emissionen-dicke-poette-werden-oeko/50165706.html

14. CO2 emissions from tourism

15. Increasing emission from Tourism Sector
• Increasing travel frequency
• More trips done by aircraft
• Decreasing duration in the destination
• Increasing distances to the destination
• Increasing numbers of travelers
(UNWTO-UNEP-WMO, 2008)
• 2010: 940 million international arrivals
• 2020: Expected 1.6 billion international tourist arrivals
• 2030: Expected 1.8 billion international tourist arrivals
(UNWTO , 2013)
Under a business-as-usual scenario, the sector’s emissions are forecast to
grow by 130% between 2005 and 2035; the emissions from air travel
and accommodation are projected to triple.

16. Tourism Overview
• Mass Tourism is developing at an alarming rate with the
advancement in air travel and globalization
* World Tourism Organisaiton

17. Impacts of Mass Tourism
• Resources
o Water consumption in hotels
o Electricity consumption for air-cons
o High consumption of imported foods
• Pollution
o Greenhouse emissions
o Disposable bottles, food containers, etc

19. Climate friendly tourism means…
The basic principles for climate friendly tourism development relating
to any GHG emitting activities should be
• Avoidance
• Substitution
• Offsetting
•Develop alternative travel- and transport facilities
•Balance between consumers based responses and political framework
response

20. Responsible Travel
• Modes of transportation
o Consider walking or cycling during your trip, using public transportation,
• Economy
o Buy local products. Ensure benefit to local people, employ local people.
• Respect for local culture
o Immerse yourself in and accept the differences of other cultures...
• Environmental conservation.
o Choose a trip that strengthens the conservation efforts
• Natural resource use
o consider the efficient use of water, energy, and building materials as well as
the method of waste disposal

21. Climate friend supply chain
Using public
transport
Monitoring
energy
consumed
Moderate
consumption
Gained
knowledge,
friendship
Memory as
your eco-footprint
Sustainable
and
responsible
Using
alternative
transport
Meet local
people
Non
motorised
sports
Using local
furniture
Enjoy local
food
Compensate
carbon
footprint
Enjoy local
culture and
festivals
Local
economy,
products

22. Tourism supply chain

23. YMCAs on the way to a climate friendly tourism
Some of our measures …
•monitoringg energy consumption or climate and environmental issues
•providing sensitization & training-programs for staff and guests
•learning from best practices, exchange ideas, worldwide networking
•being aware about climate policy issues
•analyzing issues and create studies
•appointing an environmental specialized staff (CSR/environment
Manager)
•developing a special environmental and climate friendly strategy for
YMCAs
•establishing standards and certification criteria

24. The special roll of APAY/GATN
• APAY is a well established network at world level
• Has human resources working in the field of tourism
• Has a multiplier effect because of education and communicating
with young people
• Has a perfect structure in different Asian countries
• Its own strategy is in harmony with climate friendly tourism
strategies
• The approach of APAY - Global Alternative Tourism Network:
o Community centered
o Holistic approach
o Advocate global citizenship and global networking
o Nature conservation
o Gender sensitive
o Economically viable

25. Call for Action
• Support the “two-degrees-target” - limiting the rise in globally
averaged temperature to no more than 2 C above ⁰ pre industrial level
• Tourism must play a role in climate change negotiations/UNFCCC.
Aviation and shipping must be addressed in the UNFCCC process.
IMO and ICAO must consider binding reductions.
• Initiate small scale activities like environmental education, using
green technology or natural costal zone protection (Mangroves,
corals)

26. Call for Action
• Develop credible carbon offsetting activities
• Develop clear and practical ways of reducing their carbon footprint
– reducing carbon emissions through design, equipment selection
and changes in operational practices
• Include product management that takes into account the
consequences of climate change

27. Thank you
very much!
CHAN Beng Seng
GATN Coordinator
Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs
Hong Kong
Tel.: +852 2780 8347
Fax: +852 2385 4692
bengseng@asiapacificymca.org
www.asiapacificymca.org
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