Davos Declaration on Climate Change free essay sample

FREDERICK PAPPOE| CTH STUDENT NUMBER: 21565| | SUBJECT: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AND DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENT| INTRODUCTION Climate change has being a major concern and challenge for many countries across the globe, especially for the developing countries. The tourism industry is a major contributor to the emission of GHG, and all nations and economic sectors will have to contend with the challenges of climate change, through adaptation and mitigation. Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, derived especially from the transportation and accommodations of the tourist. The aircraft which burns fossil fuel, the coaches, cars, machineries all emits carbon dioxide (co2) and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. All these transportation means contribute intensively to climate. Some studies have shown that air transport emits 2-3% of the GHG. Transport by air, road and rail is continuously increasing in response to the rising number of international tourist. Carbon dioxide and monoxides from tourist transports has contributed to severe local air pollution, some of these impacts are quite specific to tourist activities, for example, some tour buses carrying tourist in some destinations often leave their motors running for hours while the tourists go out for an excursion, because they want to return to a comfortably air-conditioned bus, all these contributes to the climate change. We will write a custom essay sample on Davos Declaration on Climate Change or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Also the accommodation sector such as the hotels, inns, and so many more has also contributed squarely to the GHG emissions, through the use energy from heating to cooling etc. Even though most hotels are helping to conserve power and energy, some hotel guest will rather prefer to ignore all these sustainable energy practises such as opening the windows whiles the air-conditioning is working. Even though most hotels have standby generators, it is still not suitable for the environment because it is powered by fossil fuel, which emits harmful gases. This essay is going to look at how France cuts down energy use and adopts the actions of the Davos declaration. CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE DAVOS DECLARATION Climate is the average weather condition of a place over a particular or long period of time. The tourism industry and destinations are clearly sensitive to climate variability and change. Climate defines the length and quality of tourism seasons and plays a major role in destination choice and tourist spending. The tourism industry relies extensively on the climate of a destination to promote tourism in that destination, for example in some cold countries like Switzerland and Ukraine; tourist depends on the snow for their ski holiday. But several tourism activities affect the climate from tourist transportations to accommodation, making tourism a major contributor to climate change through its GHG emissions. Even though tourism is a major contribution to climate change, it can also play a significant role in addressing climate change, if all innovations and resources are fully mobilize and oriented towards this goal, thus the coming together of The United Nation World Tourism Organization(UNWTO), jointly with the United Nation Environmental Program (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) with the help of the World Economic Forum(WEF) and the Swiss government organized the second international conference on climate change and tourism in Davos, Switzerland from 1st to 3rd October 2007, the conference agreed on several reasons to help respond to climate change and reduce the GHG emissions if the tourism is to develop in a sustainable way BACKGROUND OF COUNTRY The essays looks at France and how it is adopting the actions of Davos declaration, located in Western Europe, and it is also the largest country in Western Europe. France has over 60 million tourist visits each year, making the country one of the largest tourist destination in the world if not number one. Many people or tourist visits France for its exceptional cuisines and famous chefs, also for its high sense of fashion and designer garments, cobblestoned streets, cuisines, beautiful sceneries, cycling sports, history and culture, above all the breath-taking architecture, it is a perfect holiday paradise for most tourists who are found of good food, wine and music. Paris the capital of France offers attractions such the Louvre museum and also beautiful art works along the seine river, this makes France the most popular country in terms of tourist arrival, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) HOW FRANCE IS MITIGATING THE GHG EMISSION FROM THE TOURISM SECTOR, ESPECIALLY FROM TRANSPORTATION AND ACCOMODATION ACTIVITIES The UN defines mitigation concerning climate change as a human intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of GHG, France as a nation and tourist destination, is largely concern and taking actions to reduce its GHG emissions from transportation and accommodations, France being a member of the Kyoto protocol, Transportation In February 2009, the French government launched the fourth PREDIT programme. This program with a budget of approximately 400 million euro will run from 2009-12. This program is helping to finance projects that reduce Co2 emissions, improve data on pollution and in long term coordinate research into energy efficient, low or zero carbon dioxide emitting vehicles particularly trucks. France transportation system is mostly made up of all the major modes of transport, air, road, rail and water transports, but mostly, air and road transport contributes very much to climate change. France as a major tourist destination in the world has increase the use of comfortable public transportation system, linking the capital to other part of the country. This method helps to reduce vehicle ownership per individual, and this helps to decrease GHG emissions per vehicle. The use of renewable energy, increase use of bio-fuels such as diesel and the newly invented ethanol fuel in major cities in France helps to reduce transport CO2 emissions Also the use of electric transportation, such as the re-introduction of the tram which operates in Marseille, Lille, Saint Etienne and other cities in France uses electricity, an example of this type of transport is the Eurotram in Strasbourg. Effective urban planning in Paris, Nice, and other cities in France helps to reduce sprawl, which decreases Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) lowering emissions from transports. Also the introduction of the carbon task for the 2010 national budget, under which France will bill â‚ ¬17 for every metric ton of CO2, emitted, Speed limiting is another method used by almost all European countries including France to reduce CO2 emissions. Accommodation The introduction of the financial law in 2009 by the French government ontains various provisions to increase financing for energy ef ficiency investments. Example of such is the creation of the eco-loan for energy efficient renovations which provides a zero interest loan programme for major renovation activities and building activities, the aim is for energy savings to allow repayment of the loans capital, activities that can be covered under the loan includes; thermal insulation for roofs, exterior walls, also the installation of heating or hot water systems using renewable energy. The loan is limited to about 30. 000 euro. Most major hotels in France employed solar energy and wind power to assist in power generation. During winter when the sunshine is less, for powering the solar panels, heat pump powered by electricity is used to provide heating. Hotel les Orangeries, Auberge les liards and other hotels in France use the solar panel to power the kitchen and rooms; also the original building of the hotel has been renovated with hemp insulation, lime and natural paint, to help cool the rooms. Also the efficient use of energy efficient light bulbs in the hotels helps to reduce the use of energy in the hotels. Also most hotels in France, provide thick draw curtains to keep the heat in the rooms during colder months and on hot days, draw curtains to keep the heat out, this helps to reduce the use of the air-condition, to reduce energy. Most hotels also switch off appliances in unused or unoccupied rooms to conserve energy. Also effective urban planning with attractive side walks, make walking and cycling more attractive, an the concentration of hotels within walking distance of town centres, shopping malls, attractions, makes walking very exciting thereby reducing the use of vehicles which emits gases. ADAPTATION OF TOURISM BUSINESSES AND DESTINATIONS TO CHANGING CLIMATE CONDITIONS The tourism industry is highly sensitive to climate variability and change; climate is the fundamental of tourist travel, because it affects several major environmental resources that are critical attractions for tourism, e. g. now conditions, water levels and quality etc, climate can also deter a tourist from visiting a particular destination. Regardless of all these greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts, there is also the need for every tourism business and destinations society to adapt to the changes in climates that can not avoid ed, this will help to reduce any unnecessary risk, and also to take advantages of new opportunities in all manner of sustainability. The French mountains are leader in term of winter sports; people from all countries come to the French Alps to ski, ski operators in France as a necessity, employ technological adaptations to climate change by artificial snow making to maintain good snow efficiency and also the creation of indoor skiing domes. In order to increase revenue, many winter resorts propose new activities that are not necessarily linked to snow; examples include spas, indoor sports because not everyone who visits a ski resort ski or occasionally, Most tour operators or companies in France adapts to changing climate by employing the product and market diversification strategy and advertising new and exciting places in order to create a balance in the travel pattern, they also prefer using public transports to take tourist on tour around the country than the company’s vehicles. The tourism industry also provides public education campaigns to educate the public on climate change, and also green house emission offset programs. Most tourism businesses such as hotels, travel and tour agencies, airlines etc in France have insurance covers, emergency plans and so many more in case of any unforeseen event. Hotels also educate their staffs on best sustainable practises The French government also provide an accurate and effective weather forecasting and early warning systems, to help predict and address any unforeseen event. Also the government creates of management plans, to address climate change. France is implementing pro active measures than reactive measures, by integrating the tourism sector into other government polices, for example disaster management, or land use planning, environmental impact assessments. APPLYING EXISTING AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY Improving energy efficiency through technology is another mechanism to reduce energy demand and also reduce the emissions of aviation as well. Investing in green technology today can provide economic and environmental benefit in the future. The use of renewable energy, including wind, solar thermal, geothermal, biomass and so many more can help to improve energy. In term of architecture, most buildings and hotels in France are constructed using passive solar design or uses solar panel, example is the Orri de Planes hotel, also Les Cygnes Holiday Home in France introduce the carbon neutralisation mechanism to generate energy. Insulation is also another form of improving energy efficiency in building. In France fibreglass or laine de verre, hemp or chanvre panel and also some other materials are sandwiched between the building walls which keeps the house or room cool during the summer and as well as warm during winter, due to their ability to transfer and retain heat. The introduction of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric rail transports in Paris-Lyon and other cities in France has improve energy efficiency and also proven to reduce GHG emissions. Also the increase use of bio-fuel e. g. ethanol fuel and bio diesel will improve energy efficiency if produced environmentally friendly manner. In France the city of Lille turns biomass into enough methane gas to power about a third of its buses. Plans are also underway to introduce new technologies such as hydrogen fuel for cars to reduce consumptions of petroleum and emission of CO2. HOW FRANCE SECURES FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO ASSIST REGIONS AND COUNTRIES IN NEED. France, like many other developed countries is helping in assisting regions and destinations to fight climate change, many of these destinations are developing countries in need. A typical example of many of such destination is Nigeria, and France is assisting Nigeria in mitigating the effects of climate change on the environment. The introduction of the Robin Hood Tax also known as Financial Transaction Tax which is a tiny tax (0. 05%) that would be levied on all financial market transactions in order to raise funds for fighting poverty and climate change at home and abroad. It could levy transactions involving stocks, bonds, foreign exchange and derivatives including trade of futures options related to stock, interest rate securities, currencies and commodities. The tax is limited to transactions between financial markets actors, ordinary consumer transactions such as payment for goods, pay checks and cross border remittances are not included. According to a school of thoughts, this global transaction tax of 0. 5% could yield around $650 billion a year, even after a drastic reduction of market activities as a result of the tax. These revenues will help fill the shortfall for achieving the millennium development goals and also supporting developing countries in their quest to adapt to climate change and build ing a green economy. CONCLUSION The tourism industry must also play a significant role in addressing this climate changes as part of the major commitment to sustainable tourism process and the attainment of United Nations Millennium Development Goals, by reducing GHG emissions. This essay has shown that there will be many cost associated with climate adaptation, regardless of the success to mitigate GHG emissions by the international community. The essay has shown where France has reached in terms of battling climate change and how it is adopting the actions of the declaration, by adapting, mitigating and employing new technology to assist in reducing the effect of the climate change, and also securing financial resources to fund other regions and countries in need. REFERENCES Change: understanding, anticipation, adapting, participating in the common effort. (Online) http:// www. un. org Energy efficiency policies (online) viewed 28 May 2011 www. iea. org/textbase/pm/? mode=pmid=4298action=detail Gonzales, R, (February 18, 2011) Mitigation and Adaptation of climate change, viewed 23 May 2011, http://www. llvoices. com/contrubuted-news/8228847-mitigation-and-adaptation-of-climate-change. Gossling. S. Hall, C. M. (2006) an introduction to tourism and global environmental change, London, Routledge Predit (May 20, 2011) Experimentation and innovation in land transportation, viewed 28 may 2011, http://www. predit. prd. fr/predi t4/english. html Robin Hood Tax http://www. robinhoodtax. ca/howitworks viewed 27 May 2011 Scott, D. (2006). Climate change and sustainable tourism in the 21st century. In:J. Cukier (Ed), tourism Research: Policy, planning, and prospects United Nations World Tourism Organisation (2007). Tourism Development and Climate