How International Tourism Contributes to Environmental Change, Particularly Climate Change - Coursework Example

How International Tourism Contributes to environmental change, particularly climate change Name Professor Institution Course Date How International Tourism Contributes to environmental change, particularly climate change Despite the growing poor performance of global economy, outbreak of H1N1 influenza virus and threats of terrorist attacks, tourism still continues to be one of the rapidly growing sectors and the largest industry representing more than one-third of the international services trade (Kim, Chenb & Jang 2006, p.925). In fact, a number of international tourism has continued to grow for the 60 years. According to Scott, Gössling and Hall (2012, p.96), international tourism grew incredibly from 25 million in terms of arrivals from 1950 to over 826 million in 2005, accounting for a growth rate 6.5 percent on average. The Travel and Tourism industry contribution to GDP is projected to increase from 9.5 percent to 10.5 percent by 2018. This situation will also ensure an increase in the number of employment from 8.4 percent to 9.2 percent by 2018 (Padachi, Seetanah & Rojid 2011, p.1). According to Scott, Gössling and Hall, (2012, p.96) this however, will come with its negative effects since tourism industry is a major contributor to the climate change by means of GHG emissions resulting from transport and accommodation of the tourists. Based on that information this essay discusses how international tourism contributes to environmental change, especially climate change. World Tourism Organization describes international tourism as the process where people "travels to and stay in places outside their country for less than one consecutive year for business, leisure, and other reasons” (Nicholls 2006, p.53). On the other hand, UNEP defines environmental change as a disturbance of change of the environment resulted by natural ecological process or human influences leading to climate change and environment (biophysical) (Nicholls 2006, p.54). It could be a change in weather conditions on average, or in weather distributions about the average state. Convincing evidence show that international climate has gone up tremendously compared to early years of growth of tourism sector and is even projected to grow as the 21st century unfolds. Recent commentaries by Scott, Gössling and Hall (2012) claim that there is a relationship between tourism and climate change. They claim that GHG emissions resulting from transport and accommodation of the tourists have contributed greatly to climate change over time. The most recognized greenhouse house gas emitted is carbon (II) oxide and is responsible for the radioactive forcing (RF) resulted by humans and is responsible for increasing temperature. Gössling & Hall (2005) argue that carbon (II) oxide is emitted during accommodation of tourists in the process of heating, cooling of water, washing, cooking and transporting them between homes and their destination areas by vehicles, train, aircraft or ferry. The airline industry is considered one of the major causes for climate change and a contributor of the GHC emissions (Horvath & Chester 2008). Each year has witnessed increasingly small time airline corporations being launched to offer a low cost transport. This has enabled increase in the number of people traveling to visit other countries for business and leisure purposes. Even though this has contributed to growth of the economy, it has affected social life due increase of threat of carbon emissions than ever. Low-Cost Airlines have become skeptical of the condemnation given to the report on indicating that the aviation industry has a major effect on climate change (Becken 2007). Some of these companies have denied the report. For instance, in 2006, Easyjet described the observation that international airlines are negatively impacting on the environment as “uproarious persecution” (Becken 2007). The Chief Executive Officer of Easyjet, Andy Harrison, also maintained that European Commission’s information on impact of air transport that demonstrate “a lot of discussion has been founded on incorrect and biased information” (Becken 2007). In the recent past, Easyjet have claimed on their official website that in spite of operations causing just 1.6 percent of GHG emissions. The company “still take their responsibility seriously” with several initiates of how the airline company is assisting in protecting the environment comprising newer, much more environmental friendly airplanes and providing offsetting carbon (Becken 2007). Even with claims, within European Union countries, GHG emissions from airline industry went up by 87 percent between 1991 and 2006 (Horvath & Chester 2008). According to Scott, Hall & Gössling (2012, p.103), assessment done on Australia, Norway, New Zealand, Maldives, Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden held that tourism contributes to 4-68% of GHC emissions to the air resulting to global warming. Like every human activities entailing combustion, most aviation forms release carbon (II) oxide and other gases into the atmosphere, contributing to the increase of global warming and ocean acidification. The carbon (II) oxide released by majority of airlines through the combustion of fuels like Jet-A or Avgas, the airline industry also contributes global greenhouse gas emissions from airport taxi vehicles used by tourists to various destinations, such as parks and hotels (Miller et al. 2007). However, some tourist normally book hotels or parks before they visit the country, as such, these hotels or national parks send vehicles to pick these tourists at the airport. Such vehicles emit greenhouse vehicles leading to change of climate. Horvath & Chester (2008) claim that vehicle emissions lead to the creation of smog. Volatile organic compounds and Nitrogen oxides in vehicle emissions might react to create ground level ozone and any other secondary pollutants in the period of summer and spring (Horvath & Chester 2008). In the periods of winter, vehicle emissions are normally trapped close to the ground by the temperature inversions. This can result in higher levels of the primary pollutants consisting of nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter and carbon monoxide. Reay (2004, p.794) posits that extensive researches associate smog with numerous cardiovascular and respiratory symptoms and other diseases such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, heart disease and pneumonia. As concentration of the greenhouse gases increases, the earth’s average temperature rises over time. The Earth's increasing temperature creates weather pattern and sea levels changes. With changes experienced in climate, extreme weather occurrences such as heat waves, heavy rain, snow, storms, floods and droughts are turning out to be more intense and frequent (Fairweather, Maslin & Simmons 2005, p.83). Central and southern Europe have witnessed frequent forest fires, droughts and heat waves. This again affects tourist schedules, more so international tourists are looking forward to leisure. It should be noted that Forest is one of the tourist attraction sites. Similarly, when there is drought, animals move to other places in search of water; animals also attract tourists. Climate change is taking place rapidly that several animal and plant species struggle to survive. Warming up to 1.5º C-2.5º C past current levels, would make 20-30 percent of animal and plant species at risk of death (Fairweather, Maslin & Simmons 2005, p.84). These changes create a serious danger to human wellbeing, to natural world and to the economic growth on which human prosperity relies. Sectors which depend greatly on particular precipitation and temperature levels, like forestry, agriculture, tourism and energy will be mainly affected by the climate change (Fairweather, Maslin & Simmons 2005, p.91). Intense weather actions caused by green house gases also create a direct risk to the health of people, with young, the disabled, the elderly and low-income families mostly vulnerable. Heavy rains that have resulted due to changes in weather cause damage to infrastructure and property. This in turn enforces heavy costs on the society and the general economy. Flooding in the European Union countries killed over 2 500 individuals and affected over 5.5 million in the past between 1980-2011 resulting to direct losses in economy close to €90 billion (Scott, Hall & Gössling 2012). Padachi, Seetanah & Rojid (2011, p.11) assert that the rise of international tourism activities points out that there will be a growth in the number of the tourists, particularly to developing nations, will undoubtedly raise their incomes, but it bears a deadly and silent side effect. Several poor developing nations are amongst the most susceptible to climate changes but also have inadequate resources to manage it. When international tourists come to any country, they buy products in polythene bags and any other non-biogredable and contribute considerably in the garbage of the given country (Padachi, Seetanah & Rojid 2011, p.14). Majority of the garbage is non-recyclable and a big part of this is plastic and electronic products. Just a few nations control the disposal of this garbage while majority do not. This result to dumping of very hazardous materials in our water resources such as oceans or outsourcing the garbage to developing countries since they are in hopeless need of foreign exchange to grow their economy (Fairweather, Maslin & Simmons 2005, p.89). One of the effective methods countries which depend on tourism can reduce their carbon footprint whilst travelling is encouraging recycle of most of their waste products (Gössling & Hall 2005). Rather than purchasing a dozen bottles filed with water on a daily basis, tourists can be told to buy just one big bottle which can last for sometimes. Currently, most countries of the world are struggling to cut their global greenhouse gas emissions into the air so as to mitigate climate. However, the pretense manifests itself since cutting greenhouse gases emission in the international aviation was not agreed upon in the Kyoto Protocol on climate change (Miller et al. 2007). The step to mitigate climate over the next ten years also faces a lot of changes with many developing and developed countries depending on tourism sector to grow their economy. According to Scott, Gössling & Hall (2012, p.98), the growth of international tourist is projected to go up to 1.6billion by 2020. This is a result of positive growth in emerging economies and several industries coming up. Even though the fight against climate change looks bleak due to increase of international tourism in many countries, there is still hope. On the interest of conserving the environment, fuel manufacturers must develop aviation bio-fuels which are efficient and reduces the effects of airline on the greenhouse gas emissions (Horvath & Chester 2008). In conclusion, it is obvious that just a small segment of all tourism activities form the major share of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. However, the consequences may not be severe now, but is slow and steady and may strongly affect the next generation. As such, it is not too late for tourism stakeholders to collectively develop a strategy to tackle what is now regarded as the biggest challenge in sustainability of tourism sector in the 21st century. References Becken, S 2007, Tourists’ Perception of International Air Travel’s Impact on the Global Climate and Potential Climate Change Policies, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol.15, pp. 351-368 Fairweather, J.R, Maslin, C & Simmons, D.G 2005, Environmental Values and Response to Ecolabels among International Visitors to New Zealand, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol.13, pp. 82-98 Gössling, S & Hall, C.M 2005, Tourism and Global Environmental Change, Ecological, social, economic and political interrelationships, London, Routledge Horvath, A & Chester, M 2008, Environmental Life-cycle Assessment of Passenger Transportation An Energy, Greenhouse Gas and Criteria Pollutant Inventory of Rail and Air Transportation, University of California Transportation Center, UC Berkeley. Kim, H.J, Chenb, M, & Jang, S 2006, Tourism expansion and economic development: The case of Taiwan, Tourism Management vol.27, pp. 925–933. Miller et al. 2007, Public Understanding of Sustainable Leisure and Tourism: A Report to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, DEFRA, London. Nicholls, S 2006, Climate Change, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation in Europe, Managing Leisure, vol. 11, pp. 151-163. Padachi, K, Seetanah, B & Rojid, S 2011,Tourism and Economic Growth: African Evidence from Panel VAR framework. University of Technology, Mauritius, vol. 1-22. Reay, D.S 2004, New Directions: Flying in the face of the climate change convention, Atmospheric Environment, vol. 38, pp.793-794. Scott, D, Hall, C.M & Gössling, S 2012, Tourism and Climate Change: Impacts, Mitigation and Adaptation, London, Routledge. Read More