Climate-change threat to top holiday spots

Published on Sunday 6 April 2008 21:58

SOME of the top holiday spots favoured by UK travellers will feel the effects of climate change within the next few decades, a United Nations report has warned.

Destinations in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Australia and New Zealand are among the most vulnerable to changes in the weather.

The report claims countries, such as the Maldives, which are likely to be hardest hit, have "poor" information about the implications of climate change and are especially vulnerable given their high dependency on tourism.

The report warns the tourism sector will face increased operating costs given the likely higher frequency of extreme weather events and the cost of clearing up after them.

Dr Murray Simpson from Oxford University's Centre for the Environment, lead author of the report, said: "Tourism is both a victim and a contributor to climate change. One of the greatest concerns is that some of the most acute impacts, environmental and socio-economic, are being experienced in developing countries and small island developing states, affecting the livelihoods of already impoverished communities.

"We have a responsibility to assist in building capacity in these destinations to meet the threats and opportunities presented by climate change."

The study outlines the environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change in some of the world's most popular holiday destinations. It also gives advice on ways that destinations can adapt.

For example, it recommends ski resorts can provide "four season" attractions that do not rely on snow and that new hotel developments should be set back from the coast if there is the potential of coastal erosion. It also recommends a greater reliance on water recycling systems.

The report was jointly developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Oxford University, the UN World Tourism Organisation and the World Meteorological Organisation.

Stefanos Fotiou, head of UNEP's tourism and environment programme, said: "The tourism sector, through its major contribution to global development, can influence other sectors by sending important signals to governments, industries and the public that climate mitigation and adaptation measures are not only vital for our future, but also make economic sense today."