Presented by Hilton Trollip at the launch of the Cape Town Responsible Tourism Reporting Pilot Project Launch, 29 September 2011

1. The Climate is Changing
From Cape Town to Durban and Beyond
Advancing Tourism’s Response to Climate Change
Hilton Trollip Responsible Tourism Launch
Energy and Climate Change 29 September 2011
City of Cape Town

3. The Inter‐Governmental Panel on Climate Change
Warming of the global
climate system is
“unequivocal”.
Climate change now
firmly entrenched in
the global agenda.
Critical negotiations for
a greenhouse gas
emissions framework
continue in Durban in
November 2011 during
COP 17.

4. South Africa ranks in the top 20 for
greenhouse gas emissions,
contributing 8% to global emissions,
and is responsible for 42% of
emissions on the African continent

5. In Cape Town we face a triple challenge:
A high carbon footprint – per capita carbon emissions on par with
London, New York and Beijing.
Poor energy security – highly dependent on electricity from coal
power stations nearly 2000 km away.
Vulnerability to the impacts of climate change – a sprawling city
dependent on private vehicles where the poor generally live far from
opportunities.

6. Cape Town Carbon Emissions in a Global Context
(per capita)
8
7.1
6.9
7
6.4
6.18 São Paulo (2003)
6 Delhi (2000)
Rio de Janeiro (1998)
5 4.8
Barcelona (1996)
4 Mexico City (2000)
4 3.6 Stokholm (2005)
3.4
Tokyo (1998)
3
London (2006)
Cape Town (metro,
2 2004)
Beijing (1998)
New York City (2005)
1
0
1
Cape Town Source: Urban Areas Carbon and Climate
Governance Patricia Romero Lankao

7. Carbon Emissions per sector in Cape Town, 2007
Transport
27% Residential
29%
Local Government
1%
Industrial
15%
Commercial
28%

8. Why should we be concerned about
climate change in Cape Town?
Within the next 25 years there is a
85% probability of 60,9 km2
(2% of metro area) being covered by
sea for a short period.
Sea-level rise could induce tourism
losses of R20 billion over 25 years.
“The sovereign risk of sea-level rise for the City of
Cape Town is significant and will increase in the
next 25 years regardless of reductions in
greenhouse gas”.
City sea-level rise risk study 2008

9. City’s 2008 adaptation study - potential storm event damage
and infrastructure at risk for 2.5, 4.5 and 6 meter rise in sea levels

10. City’s 2008 adaptation study– inundation at 10m level

12. Why be concerned about Tourism and
Climate Change
• Tourism is a vector of climate change
accounts for approx 5% of global carbon
dioxide emissions.
• Tourists will quickly switch their choice
of destination when the results of climate
change impact on their enjoyment.
• The tourism sector depends heavily on a
natural and cultural heritage.
• Careful management of climate related
impacts would be essential in order to
safeguard positive destination image in
the long term.

13. The tourism sector is highly
climate sensitive as climate defines
the length and quality of tourism
seasons, affects tourism operations,
and influences environmental
conditions that both attract and deter
visitors.
Africa is one of the tourism regions
thought to be most at risk.
Climate change adaptation will
ensure that individuals, communities
and nations continue to receive the
benefits of tourism.
A CHANGING CLIMATE WILL HAVE
CONSIDERABLE IMPACTS ON TOURISM

14. The Davos Declaration on Climate Change and Tourism
An International Conference on Climate Change
and Tourism was held in Davos, Switzerland in 2007.
The Davos Declaration included firm recommendations
a clear commitment for action.
Four key areas were agreed upon:
Mitigate transport and accommodation emissions
Adapt tourism businesses and destinations
Apply existing and new efficient technologies
Secure financial resources to assist poorer
regions and countries.

15. Tourism & climate change: a 2-way relationship
 Determinant of tourist decision‐making
Weather is an intrinsic component of the travel experience and influences tourist
spending and holiday satisfaction.
Changing and more extreme weather patterns
 Difficulty in tourism planning and operations
Natural disasters
 Harms infrastructure, natural/cultural heritage & host communities
Climate-induced changes in general health conditions
 Visitor safety and insurance practices
Gradual sea level rise and more regular ‘sea storm/surge’ events
 Threat to coastal destinations/marine sites, biodiversity, wildlife
Altered hydrological cycle
 Destinations in arid and drought prone areas (water availability)
and flood prone areas
Food security problems
 Difficulty in tourism planning and operations

16. Tourism identified in Climate Change Response White Paper
South Africa has developed a White Paper on
Climate Change Response.
The Paper identifies tourism as a sector that
contributes to and will be affected by
Climate Change.
Recommends that tourism develop an
Action Plan to address the adaptation and
mitigation issues raised in the Paper.
A Tourism & Climate Change Task Team
comprising of government, business,
NGOs and academia was established in
December 2010 to assist with the
development of a National Tourism and
Climate Change Action Plan.

17. National Tourism and Climate Change Action Plan
A Draft Tourism and Climate Change Action Plan has been developed.
The aim of the Action Plan is to ensure that the tourism sector responds
effectively to the challenge of climate change.
The Action Plan seeks to achieve the following outcomes:
Adaptation: Improved understanding of the vulnerabilities of tourism to the
physical impacts of climate change in order to build resilience and adaptive
capacity of the industry.
Mitigation: Reduced tourism related greenhouse gas emissions.
Awareness: A fully informed tourism industry through consistent and effective
industry outreach and communications.
Coordination: A nationally consistent, inclusive and cooperative approach to
implementation.
The actions in the plan will be delivered over
the next three years (2012 – 2014).

18. COP 17 in Durban
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to
tackle climate change.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the "supreme body”
The 17th COP in Durban from 28 November to 9 December 2011.
192 countries. A primary focus is to secure a global climate agreement
because the Kyoto Protocol’s commitment period will end in 2012.
SA Exhibition Pavilion to showcase responsible tourism practices and
products.
Climate Smart Cape Town will also have a Pavilion and will be good for
tourism to be included.

19. “Those who react astutely and nimbly to the
imperatives of the low-carbon transition will
prosper, while those who seek to hold back the
tides, or pretend that the tides aren’t even there,
will look back in sorrow.
Countries and cities that sink their treasure now
into a dirty coal infrastructure, high-carbon
production methods and development which is
not energy efficient are not only jeopardizing the
health of the planet, they are jeopardizing their
own economic future.”
Adapted from Tod Stern, US Climate Action Symposium, March 2009.