ID :
187364
Thu, 06/09/2011 - 06:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/187364
The shortlink copeid
TOURISM SECTOR MUST ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE - SCIENTIST
KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) - Stakeholders in the tourism industry need
to adjust and adapt to the climatic change impacts that inevitably changed the
industry, said an environmental scientist.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Institute for Environment and Development
(Lestari) fellow Prof Dr Joy Jacqueline Pereira said at the same time more
efforts and concrete strategies must be implemented to mitigate the phenomenon
and protect tourism resources from deteriorating.
"It is about time we look at potential negative impacts of climate change in
addition to looking at opportunities for mitigation through new projects in the
future to adapt to the changing climate," she said.
She was speaking at a news conference after presenting a paper on "Climate
Change and Tourism" at the Asia Pacific Parliamentarians' Conference on
Environment and Development's (APPCED) 15th General Assembly held here,
Wednesday.
She said ideally, regional cooperation among the governments and
non-governmental industry players should also be enhanced.
Earlier in her presentation, Pereira said a 2008 evaluation of regional
knowledge gaps on the impact of climate change and geographical areas
most severely impacted by the phenomenon, found most countries in the world,
including Southeast Asia, ranked 'extremely poor'.
She said even Japan was ranked 'poor' while other developed nations
including Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America were only
ranked 'moderate' in the study.
She pointed out that in the tourism industry, hotel and resorts operators
and communities had the lowest adaptation to climate change while tourists had
the highest.
Meanwhile, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) said green
investment in the tourism was critical for the industry’s future sustainability.
Director of Sustainable Development of Tourism Luigi Cabrini said green
investment in tourism will lead to significant resource conservation and reduced
impacts on climate change through efficiency improvement and reduction losses.
He said hotels should invest and use renewable energies such as solar and
bio-fuel and energy-efficient technologies in their premises in order to help
reduce carbon emissions.
to adjust and adapt to the climatic change impacts that inevitably changed the
industry, said an environmental scientist.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Institute for Environment and Development
(Lestari) fellow Prof Dr Joy Jacqueline Pereira said at the same time more
efforts and concrete strategies must be implemented to mitigate the phenomenon
and protect tourism resources from deteriorating.
"It is about time we look at potential negative impacts of climate change in
addition to looking at opportunities for mitigation through new projects in the
future to adapt to the changing climate," she said.
She was speaking at a news conference after presenting a paper on "Climate
Change and Tourism" at the Asia Pacific Parliamentarians' Conference on
Environment and Development's (APPCED) 15th General Assembly held here,
Wednesday.
She said ideally, regional cooperation among the governments and
non-governmental industry players should also be enhanced.
Earlier in her presentation, Pereira said a 2008 evaluation of regional
knowledge gaps on the impact of climate change and geographical areas
most severely impacted by the phenomenon, found most countries in the world,
including Southeast Asia, ranked 'extremely poor'.
She said even Japan was ranked 'poor' while other developed nations
including Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America were only
ranked 'moderate' in the study.
She pointed out that in the tourism industry, hotel and resorts operators
and communities had the lowest adaptation to climate change while tourists had
the highest.
Meanwhile, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) said green
investment in the tourism was critical for the industry’s future sustainability.
Director of Sustainable Development of Tourism Luigi Cabrini said green
investment in tourism will lead to significant resource conservation and reduced
impacts on climate change through efficiency improvement and reduction losses.
He said hotels should invest and use renewable energies such as solar and
bio-fuel and energy-efficient technologies in their premises in order to help
reduce carbon emissions.
