Tourism and Climate Change: Blessing or Curse

1
Tourism and Climate ChangeBlessing or Curse?

• Presentation to TIAC Leadership Summit, 2008,
  Gatineau,
• November 3rd, 2008

Anna Pollock,Executive Consultant,
Environmental ServicesInterVISTAS Consulting Inc.
2
Background Resource
Paper available from www.theicarusfoundation.co
m
3
The Science
Tourism is both a victim of and a contributor to
climate change
Dr. Pachauri, Head of IPCC Co-winner of Nobel
Peace Prizehttp//ceochallenge.pata.org/site/inde
x.php?idpachauri08
So is tourism to be just part of the problem
or part of the solution?
4
Just how warm do we want to be?

• "If warming is not kept below two degrees
  centigrade, substantial global impacts will
  occur, such as species extinctions, and millions
  of people will be at risk from drought, hunger,
  flooding.
• International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

2C ( 0.6)
5
Its Getting Worse Not Better
6
Its Getting Worse Not Better
7

• Greenhouse gas emissions are rising at an
  accelerating rate

8
Sustained curiosity, preparedness needed!

• Wild cards and chain reactions
• Albedo effect
• Methane
• Deforestation
• Ocean currents
• Not necessarily gradual

9

• Climate Change Tourism
• The Curse?

10
Market Appeal
11
Market Appeal
12
Market Appeal
13
Market Appeal
14
Ecological Diversity
15
Cultural Diversity
16
Fragility

• These plus 22 other mammals and 540 other
  species are at significant risk of extinction in
  BC

17
Landscapes
18
Water Too Little or Too Much?
19
Transport, Tourism, Aviation in Danger Zone
Low
PREPAREDNESS
High
Low
RISK
High
Source KPMG
20
Pressure from Corporate Travel Procurement

• Big business is acting quickly
• Public companies required to disclose carbon
  footprint as part of its CSR report
• Companies with huge travel budgets like PWC,
  Siemens etc are targeting a 20 reduction in air
  travel for each staff member.
• Green meetings and Incentive travel are first to
  be seriously affected
• Reduce internally first, then delving into supply
  chain

21
Growing Public Concern
22
More Consumer Research Needed

• The anti-flying hysteria is maturing but
  significant shifts in values are occurring among
  educated and affluent consumers
• Relationship between attitudes and behaviour
  still emerging
• Who are the Greens?
• How do green values vary by market and explorer
  type?
• What are they really seeking?

23
Government Responses

• Reduction Targets all levels of government
• Need a clear price signal for carbon
• Taxation or
• Cap-and-Trade
• Personal Carbon Allowances?
• US Election
• Green New Deal

24
Impact on Business

• Loss of business
• Risk Management
• Cost control
• Increased insurance
• Adaptation expenses
• Differentiation opportunities
• Reputation

25
What Does Tourism Contribute?
Source UNWTO
26
The Global Travel Tourism Responsibility
2020 BAU CO2 2586 million
2.115 billion tons
1990 CO2 673 million
2020 Target CO2 471 million
27
Intl Air is the Elephant in the Room

• No mention of tourism
• International aviation excluded from Kyoto
  protocol
• Total emissions in 200X 71 million tons
• Emissions associated with international air
  arrivals could 6.5-7.0 million tons
• Equivalent to GHG produced by housing in BC

28
Hospitality Footprint
Hotels, motels, restaurants in Canada generate 5
million tonnes
29
Whistlers Carbon Footprint

• Aviation emissions account for 78 of all
  emissions
• Internal GHG reductions dwarfed by air travel
  emissions

Whistlers CO2 Emissions
Visitor Travel to/from Whistler
Source Energy Information Administration
30
Aviation Emissions Growing Faster than Total
Emissions
US CO2 Emissions Annualized Growth Rate 1980 -
2004
2.0
1.6
0.9
Sources US Bureau of Transportation Statistics
National Transportation Statistics 2007 and OECD
31
Some Good News Efficiency Gains
US Domestic Aviation CO2 Emissions per Passenger
Mile 1980 2004
CAGR -1.9
Source US Bureau of Transportation Statistics
National Transportation Statistics 2007.
32
Total Emissions Continue to Climb
US Domestic Aviation CO2 Emissions 1980 - 2004
CAGR 2.0
Source US Bureau of Transportation Statistics
National Transportation Statistics 2007.
33

• Climate Change Tourism The Blessing?

34
Whats Possibly Good About Climate Change?

• Environmental awareness and eco-literacy
• Greenhouse gas emissions can be measured and
  reduced

35
Whats Possibly Good About Climate Change?
Climate change is the synthesis of all other
environmental issues energy inefficiency,
pollution, species extinction, water use,
desertification, urban sprawlmany of the most
pressing environmental issues are related
intimately to the problem of climate change
Canadian Environmental Grantmakers Network
36
Whats Possibly Good About Climate Change?

• Environmental awareness and eco-literacy
• Greenhouse gases can be measured
• Reducing our Carbon Footprint is good for
  business

37
Positive Effects of Reducing Carbon

• Reduces operational costs
• Energy
• Waste processing
• Insurance
• Capital
• Engages employees improves recruitment
• Attracts investment
• Protects Brand, enhance reputation
• Increases resilience

38
Whats Possibly Good About Climate Change?

• Eco-awareness and eco-literacy
• Greenhouse gases can be measured
• Reducing carbon is good for business
• Its forcing us to tell the truth about
  sustainability
• Its forcing us to think about tourism in a low
  carbon economy.

39
What Needs Be Done?

• Raise awareness
• Commit to reducing its carbon footprint
• Measure nationally, provincially, by DMO,
  Association Business
• Disclose
• Reduce
• Offset (last resort)
• Communicate

40
You Need an ARROW to hit a target!

• Assess
• Reduce Waste
• Renewable Energy
• Offset the balance
• Win over governments, customers, employees and
  investors tell positive stories

41
What can and must tourism do?

• 3. Develop meaningful sustainable destination
  plans
• Focus on the net benefit
• Ensure existing businesses are profitable and
  resilient before opening/ developing/attracting
  new ones
• Change mix of domestic/international
• Zero waste on the ground
• Changing transportation modes
• Slower travel
• Achieve much higher yields per visitor end
  discount, cheap travel
• Invest in stewarding the resources on which
  tourism depends
• 4. Get ready for a low carbon economy lead!

42
Back to Icarus

• Icarus has achieved
• Some brand recognition
• A new Board
• Discussion paper
• Were here!
• Icarus needs
• Committed concerned people 5 in every province
  and territory
• Talent and finance to undertake a countrywide
  awareness and education program
• You cant address a problem you dont understand

43
Thank You!
www.desticorp.com
www.theicarusfoundation.com www.icarusfoundation.
typepad.com
Anna_Pollock_at_interVISTAS.com www.interVISTAS.com

44
The InterVISTAS Group

• InterVISTAS Consulting
• Vancouver, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Montréal
• InterVISTAS-ga2
• Washington DC, Chicago
• InterVISTAS-EU
• London
• Aviation, Tourism consulting
• 70 team members
• Broad range of marketing, security, facilitation,
  planning, economics and environmental services
• Sustainable Tourism Strategies for Destinations
  enterprises
• Carbon audits
• Contact
• Joe Kelly Anna PollockJoe_Kelly_at_interVISTAS.
  com Anna_Pollock_at_interVISTAS.com