Tourism and climate change

The Climate is Changing From Cape Town to Durban and Beyond

Advancing Tourism’s Response to Climate Change

Hilton Trollip Energy and Climate Change City of Cape Town

Responsible Tourism Launch 29 September 2011

Warming of the global climate system is “unequivocal”.

Climate change now firmly entrenched in the global agenda.

Critical negotiations for a greenhouse gas emissions framework continue in Durban in November 2011 during COP 17.

The Inter‐Governmental Panel on Climate Change

South Africa ranks in the top 20 for greenhouse gas emissions,

contributing 8% to global emissions, and is responsible for 42% of

emissions on the African continent

In Cape Town we face a triple challenge:

A high carbon footprint – per capita carbon emissions on par with London, New York and Beijing. Poor energy security – highly dependent on electricity from coal power stations nearly 2000 km away. Vulnerability to the impacts of climate change – a sprawling city dependent on private vehicles where the poor generally live far from opportunities.

3.4 3.64

4.8

6.18 6.46.9 7.1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1

São Paulo (2003)

Delhi (2000)

Rio de Janeiro (1998)

Barcelona (1996)

Mexico City (2000)

Stokholm (2005)

Tokyo (1998)

London (2006)

Cape Town (metro,2004) Beijing (1998)

New York City (2005)

Cape Town Carbon Emissions in a Global Context

(per capita)

Cape Town

Source: Urban Areas Carbon and Climate Governance Patricia Romero Lankao

Residential 29%

Commercial 28%

Industrial 15%

Local Government 1%

Transport 27%

Carbon Emissions per sector in Cape Town, 2007

Why should we be concerned about climate change in Cape Town?

Within the next 25 years there is a 85% probability of 60,9 km2 (2% of metro area) being covered by sea for a short period. Sea-level rise could induce tourism losses of R20 billion over 25 years. “The sovereign risk of sea-level rise for the City of Cape Town is significant and will increase in the next 25 years regardless of reductions in greenhouse gas”.

City sea-level rise risk study 2008

City’s 2008 adaptation study - potential storm event damage and infrastructure at risk for 2.5, 4.5 and 6 meter rise in sea levels

City’s 2008 adaptation study– inundation at 10m level

Why be concerned about Tourism and Climate Change

• Tourism is a vector of climate change

accounts for approx 5% of global carbon dioxide emissions.

• Tourists will quickly switch their choice

of destination when the results of climate change impact on their enjoyment.

• The tourism sector depends heavily on a natural and cultural heritage.

• Careful management of climate related

impacts would be essential in order to safeguard positive destination image in the long term.

A CHANGING CLIMATE WILL HAVE CONSIDERABLE IMPACTS ON TOURISM

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. Africa is one of the tourism regions thought to be most at risk. Climate change adaptation will ensure that individuals, communities and nations continue to receive the benefits of tourism.

The Davos Declaration on Climate Change and Tourism

An International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism was held in Davos, Switzerland in 2007. The Davos Declaration included firm recommendations a clear commitment for action. Four key areas were agreed upon:

Mitigate transport and accommodation emissions Adapt tourism businesses and destinations Apply existing and new efficient technologies Secure financial resources to assist poorer

regions and countries.

Tourism & climate change: a 2-way relationship Weather is an intrinsic component of the travel experience and influences tourist spending and holiday satisfaction.

Determinant of tourist decision‐making Changing and more extreme weather patterns Difficulty in tourism planning and operations Natural disasters Harms infrastructure, natural/cultural heritage & host communities

Climate-induced changes in general health conditions Visitor safety and insurance practices

Gradual sea level rise and more regular ‘sea storm/surge’ events Threat to coastal destinations/marine sites, biodiversity, wildlife

Altered hydrological cycle Destinations in arid and drought prone areas (water availability) and flood prone areas

Food security problems Difficulty in tourism planning and operations

South Africa has developed a White Paper on Climate Change Response.

The Paper identifies tourism as a sector that contributes to and will be affected by

Climate Change.

Recommends that tourism develop an Action Plan to address the adaptation and mitigation issues raised in the Paper.

A Tourism & Climate Change Task Team comprising of government, business, NGOs and academia was established in December 2010 to assist with the development of a National Tourism and Climate Change Action Plan.

Tourism identified in Climate Change Response White Paper

National Tourism and Climate Change Action Plan

A Draft Tourism and Climate Change Action Plan has been developed. The aim of the Action Plan is to ensure that the tourism sector responds effectively to the challenge of climate change. The Action Plan seeks to achieve the following outcomes:

Adaptation: Improved understanding of the vulnerabilities of tourism to the physical impacts of climate change in order to build resilience and adaptive capacity of the industry. Mitigation: Reduced tourism related greenhouse gas emissions. Awareness: A fully informed tourism industry through consistent and effective industry outreach and communications. Coordination: A nationally consistent, inclusive and cooperative approach to implementation.

The actions in the plan will be delivered over the next three years (2012 – 2014).

COP 17 in Durban The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle climate change. The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the "supreme body” The 17th COP in Durban from 28 November to 9 December 2011. 192 countries. A primary focus is to secure a global climate agreement because the Kyoto Protocol’s commitment period will end in 2012. SA Exhibition Pavilion to showcase responsible tourism practices and products. Climate Smart Cape Town will also have a Pavilion and will be good for tourism to be included.

“Those who react astutely and nimbly to the imperatives of the low-carbon transition will prosper, while those who seek to hold back the tides, or pretend that the tides aren’t even there, will look back in sorrow.

Countries and cities that sink their treasure now into a dirty coal infrastructure, high-carbon production methods and development which is not energy efficient are not only jeopardizing the health of the planet, they are jeopardizing their own economic future.”

Adapted from Tod Stern, US Climate Action Symposium, March 2009.