Groups call on Durban to rethink tourism’s role in climate change

In the run-up to the climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa, an international alliance of civil society organisations challenged the global tourism industry’s argument to exempt aviation emissions from any globally binding climate agreement on the premise that tourism redounds to poverty alleviation.

Excluding aviation on the grounds that tourism is an "engine of development" is irresponsible, the alliance argues; on the contrary, globally binding agreements on aviation emissions if managed properly will enhance rather than undermine poverty reduction.

In a joint position paper, civil society organisations from the global North and South criticised the position taken by tourism lobby groups in the climate talks that the achievement of economic development goals will be threatened because developing countries will lose a considerable portion of their tourism income due to climate-related regulation of the aviation sector.

The position paper, “Last call to Durban”, was a collaborative effort by various organisations led by Tourism Watch/Church Development Service (EED) from Germany, the Thailand-based Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism (ECOT), arbeitskreis tourismus & entwicklung (akte – Working Group on Tourism and Development) from Switzerland, Naturefriends International (NFI), and Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA).

Equating tourism with poverty alleviation

For Christian Baumgartner, NFI general secretary, the claim that tourism automatically contributes to poverty alleviation in developing countries and that binding emission reduction targets for the sector would compromise poverty alleviation is unjustifiable.

"Only a fair and more sustainable tourism development can mitigate the negative impact of tourism on the climate and can actually contribute to poverty alleviation," Mr. Baumgartner emphasizes.

The organisations supporting the Call to Durban demand a serious and differentiated debate on tourism's contribution to poverty alleviation.

"The travel and tourism industry have successfully protected their business interests in the name of poverty alleviation. However, it is urgent and imperative to address the complex social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts of tourism in destinations, especially the situation of employees and local communities," says Christine Plüss of akte.

Real impacts of tourism

Evidence from various case studies has shown that a large part of the income from tourism does not remain in developing countries but leaks back to international investors. More often than not, the remaining income profits only the local elite and fails to benefit the poor.

"The poor in the so-called developing countries are the ones who suffer most from climate change—which they have not caused. And they hardly participate in or benefit from international tourism, even though this has often been claimed," says Caesar D'Mello, director of ECOT.

"The tourism industry must change, it must become fairer. In South Africa, we have a range of policies and policy instruments and public-private partnerships that can help to inspire more equitable tourism development on a global scale,” adds Jennifer Seif, executive director of FTTSA.

"The debate on the role of tourism must go beyond repeating the same phrases over and over again, exclusively emphasizing the positive economic effects of tourism growth and failing to address the various negative impacts especially on the poor. It is high time to discuss the impacts of rapid tourism growth on the climate, biodiversity, natural resources and human development in a critical manner. Economic growth is not an end in itself. What we need is a human rights based approach," demands Heinz Fuchs of the German Church Development Service (EED).

Download “Last call to Durban” (PDF) for more information and in-depth analysis of this issue.

Also see:

“Concerned groups call for just and sustainable global tourism that respect human rights.” Asia Pacific Ecumenical News, n.d.