The decarbonisation impasse: global tourism leaders’ views on climate change mitigation

Abstract

The Paris Climate Agreement is based on pledges from 195 countries to substantially reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) to prevent dangerous climate change. The tourism sector has likewise pledged to reduce its GHG emissions (À70% by 2050); however, current emission trends would result in a tripling in the same timeframe. In order to understand how the sector understands the decarbonisation challenge, 17 senior tourism leaders were interviewed with regard to their perspectives on the risks and opportunities associated with climate change impacts and action. Respondents affirmed that the climate is already changing, fuelled by human activities, including tourism, and that its impacts on society and tourism will be largely negative and devastating in some regions. Opinion was divided regarding mitigation timelines, the compatibility of continued tourism growth with Paris Climate Agreement decarbonisation goals, and the role of technology and governance in reducing emissions. The paper examines leaders' perspectives in terms of "belief systems" that interpret information in decisionmaking, as well as forms of agnogenesis; this is, the fabrication of uncertainty to justify non-action. Belief systems and agnogenesis are thought to represent important barriers to progress on the decarbonisation of tourism, as they are for the global low-carbon transition. ARTICLE HISTORY

The future of European communication and transportation research: a research agenda

“…The tourism sector has pledged to reduce its greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, specifically 70% by 2050. However, current emission trends in the tourism sector will result in a tripling in the same timeframe (Gössling, Scott 2018). The reduction of GHGs from aviation are a crucial element to develop a credible mitigation strategy.…”

Interactive effects of message framing and information content on carbon offsetting behaviors

“…( Sonnenschein & Smedby, 2018 ). Even though the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 has drastically decreased the global carbon emissions ( Le Quere et al, 2020 ), efforts to decrease tourism industry's carbon emissions are still a priority for the vitality and sustainability of the tourism industry ( UNWTO, 2020 ) considering the fact that governments and researchers have been increasingly considering taxing or regulating travel ( Dwyer et al, 2013 ; Gössling & Scott, 2018 ).…”

An Inter-Comparison of the Holiday Climate Index (HCI:Beach) and the Tourism Climate Index (TCI) to Explain Canadian Tourism Arrivals to the Caribbean

“…The regional climate is projected to change, with the Caribbean anticipated to be among the first and worst to be impacted by climate change [6,7], threatening the "very product" of Caribbean tourism [8]. Despite increasing sectoral awareness of the vulnerability of tourism to climate change [9,10], the impacts faced by the tourism sector at the regional and destination country scale remain uncertain [11], with the Caribbean islands among the least understood [12]. Tourism stakeholders, including the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), are prioritizing new ways to utilize increasingly available climate information to inform decision-making that minimizes climatic risk and maximizes opportunities and operational efficiencies [13].…”