Latest News

Back to Latest News back

 

WTTC and UN Climate Change in new partnership to tackle global warming

WTTC and UN Climate Change in new partnership to tackle global warming
April 26, 2018

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN Climate Change) have agreed a common agenda for climate action in tourism.

Agreed at the WTTC Global Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina last week, the partnership backs goals  set by the Paris Agreement to maintain temperature levels at 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels, and the economic importance of tourism to the world’s economy (10% of GDP and one in 10 jobs), the Common Agenda sets out a framework for the two organisations to recognise and address the linkages between tourism and climate change.

Announcing the agreement, Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change advised “this is the first time the tourism sector has actively engaged on a global level with the UN Climate agenda.

“We recognise that tourism has a huge role to play in addressing climate change. While climate change itself poses significant risks to some tourism destinations, in many of the most high-risk areas, tourism can provide opportunities for communities to build resilience to its impacts. At the same time, as a fast-growing sector, tourism has a responsibility to ensure this growth is sustainable and sits within the parameters set by the Paris Agreement.

“I call on players across the sector to join us in the move towards a climate neutral world. I am delighted that WTTC is committed to working with us in this ambition.”

WTTC President and Chief Executive Gloria Guevara added “sustainable growth is one of WTTC’s strategic priorities and climate action is a pillar within that. This is a huge opportunity for our sector to really engage in a meaningful way with the global climate agenda. We are already seeing how climate change is impacting our sector with extreme weather events, rising sea levels and destruction of biodiversity.

“There are many different initiatives from across the WTTC Membership and beyond to reduce the impact of tourism on climate change and through this new Common Agenda with UN Climate Change we will have a platform to communicate actions and integrate them into the broader initiatives which UN Climate Change is leading, with a particular focus on the upcoming COP24 in Poland.”

Given the importance of tourismto the world economy and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the growing imperative to address climate change in a meaningful way, WTTC and UN Climate Change will work together towards a carbon neutral world with the aim of:

1. Communicating the nature and importance of the interlinkages between tourism and climate change
2. Raising awareness of the positive contribution tourism can make to building climate resilience
3. Reducing the contribution of tourism to climate change and supporting quantitative targets and reductions

WTTC has been actively engaged in climate change conversations since 2009 when the Council set out a comprehensive framework for the sector and set an aspirational target of reducing total carbon emissions by no less than 50% by 2035 with an interim target of 30% by 2020 with a follow up report issued in 2015.

Image: Misool eco resort, Indonesia - winner of the Environment Award at the WTTC's 2017 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.

22nd April 2018 - VICTORIA UNIVERSITY SUMMIT WILL BUILD MOMENTUM ON UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

21st April 2018 - WTTC RECOGNISES SUSTAINABLE TOURISM EXCELLENCE WITH 2018 AWARDS 

23rd March 2018 - WTTC SAYS ONE IN FIVE OF ALL NEW JOBS CREATED GLOBALLY IN 2017 ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO TOURISM

19th January 2018 - 2018 TOURISM FOR TOMORROW AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED BY WTTC

21st October 2017 - WTTC CALLS ON TOURISM TO EMBRACE SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING

27th September 2017 - WORLD TRAVEL & TOURISM COUNCIL EXPLAINS HOW ‘TOURISM TRANSFORMS OUR WORLD’ ON WORLD TOURISM DAY

2nd August 2017 - WORLD TRAVEL AND TOURISM COUNCIL ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE

8th May 2017 - 2017 TOURISM FOR TOMORROW AWARDS WINNERS NAMED BY WORLD TRAVEL & TOURISM COUNCIL 

18th April 2017 - WORLD HERITAGE DAY CELEBRATES GLOBAL CULTURAL HERITAGE 

21st March 2017 - TOURISM SUPPORTS ONE IN 10 JOBS, OUTPACING GLOBAL ECONOMY FOR SIXTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR  

12th February 2017 - GLOBAL TOURISM BODIES WELCOME INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM FOR DEVELOPMENT 2017 

27th October 2016 - RESEARCH PROJECT TO INVESTIGATE HOW GREEN SPACES IMPACT HEALTH

17th October 2016 - RISING TEMPERATURES SET TO DEVASTATE PLANT LIFE 

8th October 2016 - VISITS TO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF AN EXAMPLE OF ‘LAST CHANCE TOURISM’ 


Asking a small favour
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

The news we publish at www.ausleisure.com.au is independent, credible (we hope) and free for you to access, with no pay walls and no annoying pop-up ads.

However, as an independent publisher, can we ask for you to support us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine - if you don't already do so.

Published bi-monthly since 1997, the printed Australasian Leisure Management differs from this website in that it publishes longer, in-depth and analytical features covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues management.

Subscriptions cost just $90 a year.

Click here to subscribe.


Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

 

supplier directory

The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.

See the directory see all

PathMinder

PathMinder Pty Ltd have partnered with AllUser Industries srl to bring Europe’s most advanced high security portals to the Australian and New Zealand markets. AllUser Industries started to…

read more

Access / Fitness / Recreation / Security

 
 

@leisure Planners

@leisure is a team of experienced leisure, aquatic and sports facility managers and planners, with market modelling, sports management, recreation planning, business and GIS qualifications. We have…

read more

Consultants

 
 

Goplay Commercial Playground Equipment

Goplay designs and manufactures specialised playground equipment for indoor play centres, hotels, food chains, clubs and resorts. If our years of experience and dedication have taught us one thing,…

read more

Play

 
 

Humanforce

Humanforce is a global provider of workforce management solutions for companies who need flexibility to manage complex workforces. Companies use Humanforce to manage everything from time and…

read more

Hospitality / Retail / Technology / Venues

 
 

XBODY Australia Pty Ltd

PROVEN BUSINESS CONCEPTS WITH XBODY XBody’s goal is to see you and your EMS business succeed. That is why we don’t just sell equipment, we provide know-how, expert knowledge, business support…

read more

Fitness / Technology / Wellness

 
 

Otium Planning Group

Otium Planning Group is a contemporary sport and leisure consultancy providing services in planning, facility development, management and funding for the sport, recreation and leisure industries…

read more

Aquatics / Consultants / Recreation / Sport / Venues

 
 

Links Modular Solutions

Links Modular Solutions was a leading provider of high-quality, innovative software solutions for aquatic and recreation facilities. Links Modular Solutions is now part of Xplor Technologies.

read more

Access / Billing / Finance / Fitness / Technology

 
 

ICP

ICP is an Australian-based company focused on indoor climbing. ICP will manage your project from initial design to completion and beyond, whether you're building an international-level climbing…

read more

Attractions / Fitness / Recreation

 
 
 
 

get listed with our suppliers directory

Get your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!

list your business