climateseminar

media type="custom" key="4147185"Climate Change Seminar
related: climate, copenhagen, sustainability flickrgroup: [|World Climate] flickr gallery: [|Climate] hashtag: [|#COP15] (more info about tags and tagging) editing: [|Tourism and Climate Change]

[|Klima 2009 / Climate 2009]
UN Conference on Climate Change: [|http://unfccc.int]

Background
In recent years, the political debate about climate change and tourism is increasingly focusing on the question of how climate response measures can be implemented in compliance with the [|Millennium Development Goals].

Some stakeholders argue that an international regulative framework for limiting growth of passenger transport – such as taxation of bunker fuels like kerosene and shipping diesel – could have a negative impact on tourism revenues that contribute to poverty alleviation in destinations of the global south (so-called 'spill over effects'). However, as the majority of tourism transport takes place within or between industrialized countries, there is general consensus that respective regulations are necessary.

In this context, the possibility of a differentiated regulative framework for cutting emissions from passenger transport is being discussed, where tourism-dependent developing countries could become exempted from respective obligations, or could become eligible to receive compensation payments for loss in tourism revenues.

While it is acknowledged by stakeholders from civil society that climate response policies must not cannibalize efforts for poverty alleviation, concern is being raised with regard to the distribution of tourism revenues in developing countries. It is questioned if it is legitimate to exempt carbon intensive tourism activities like fly-cruises to small island states, while the majority of generated revenue does not arrive at the poorest segments of local populations (but leaks out through airlines, cruise companies or hotel chains to foreign investors).

On the other hand, there are several positive examples, where tourism can constitute an integrative element of a balanced local economy (e.g. community-based tourism) and can contribute to the preservation of carbon sinks, such as rainforests.

In this background, the purpose of this conference is to raise awareness about the links between climate policy, tourism and poverty alleviation by encouraging discussion about underlying principal questions, such as:
 * How can international climate policy be designed to effectively reduce spill-over effects for the local populations in tourism destinations of the global south?
 * How can measures for tackling unavoidable spill-over effects for the local populations be integrated in adaptation strategies at destinations?
 * How can local populations be given the opportunity to take part in such global decision making processes?
 * Which share of revenue generated through tourism needs to arrive at the local populations in order to constitute a legitimate instrument for poverty alleviation?
 * How can be measured which share of tourism revenue arrives at the local populations?
 * Until which point can climate costs be justified with economic value creation for local populations?

An elaborated overview about tourism and climate change is available on: [|http://www.tourism-climate.de]

A side event on tourism and climate change will be held **in Copenhagen** on 10th of December 2009 in the afternoon for three hours

Organizing Partners will be[| Tourism Watch (EED)], [|Naturefriends International] , [|respect - Institute for Integrative Tourism and Development] , [|Austrian Climate Alliance]

To facilitate broad global stakeholder participation, it is planned to organize an **e-conference** that will both provide input to the Copenhagen side event and be a platform for further discussion of the outcomes of COP 15.

The e-conference outline discussed is:


 * September** - Web Training
 * October** - Online discussion, information sharing
 * November** - Online discussion, information sharing
 * December** - Parallel event with meeting in Copenhagen
 * January** - Online discussion of current action plans
 * February** - Final summary of lessons learned

The training includes two critical elements: - Advising/training the NGOs about web and web 2.0 tools - Holding online discussion and preparing summary for presentation during the panel and carrying on after the meeting in Copenhagen.

Options - we can set up a specialized discussion or invite participants to the ongoing Tourism and Climate Change E-Conference.

We might want to provide or link to live streaming from the actual event.

Seeking financial support for a six month technical assistance, e-conference sponsorship, NGO training and e-conference summary Sponsorship of e-conference Summary Train related NGOs Technically supervision

Planeta.com
An independent, international platform such as Planeta.com is read across the world. That said, we have always collaborated with institutions and individuals. By conducting a coordinated, in-depth dialogue this fall, the discussion sets the stage for what takes place at the Copenhagen meeting.

Benefits
Information sharing Better informed constituencies

Outcomes
Tailored instruction/advice for NGOs Inventory of climate change research and policy around the world Substantive discussion about climate change research and activism Wide distribution of news from the Copenhagen event Summary report detailing what participants said and did

slideshare
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