Sunday, August 25, 2024 Climate Justice: A Crucial Concern for the Tourism Industry As global temperatures continue to rise, breaking records year after year, the impact of climate change is becoming increasingly evident, particularly in the tourism sector. On July 22, 2024, the world recorded its hottest day ever, surpassing previous heat records set in 2023. This alarming trend, coupled with extreme weather events like the recent wildfires in Jasper, flooding at Dubai airport in April 2024, and the 2023 wildfires in Maui, is significantly affecting popular tourist destinations.
Despite these challenges, tourism is still on the rise, with travel levels expected to exceed pre-pandemic figures soon. The relationship between tourism and climate change is complex. On one hand, the industry is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, especially through transportation and aviation, which alone accounts for an estimated 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
On the other hand, tourism is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Rising sea levels threaten beach resorts, ski destinations are seeing unreliable snowfall, and some tourism businesses are facing the risk of becoming uninsurable. Historically, the industry’s response to the climate crisis has focused on climate action, including mitigation efforts to reduce carbon emissions and adaptation strategies to adjust to climate impacts.
However, a new report from The Travel Foundation argues that the tourism .