Developing an approach for tourism climate change assessment: evidence from four contrasting Australian case studies

Turton, Stephen M.; Dickson, Tracey J.; Hadwen, Wade L.; Jorgensen, Bradley S.; Pham, Tien Duc; Simmons, David G.; Tremblay, Pascal; Wilson, Robyn

doi:10.1080/09669581003639814

Cited by 55 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…As noted by Turton et al (2010), this is one of the barriers inhibiting the adoption of adaptation strategies by tourism operators. A number of studies have specifically examined this issue from the perspective of the tourist or the tourism operator.…”

Section: Awareness Of and Attitudes Towards Climate Change And Tourismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been widely documented that tourism is susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change on destinations and businesses (e.g., Becken & Hay, 2007; Hall & Higham, 2005;Scott & Becken, 2010;Turton et al, 2010; WTO & UNEP, 2008). Tourism is highly dependent on the natural environment and 164 ZEPPEL AND BEAUMONT Industry organizations have also addressed the issue of climate change through a number of reports and articles.…”

Section: Climate Change and Tourismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These reports highlight the impacts of climate change on tourism destinations worldwide, potential implications for tourist demand, the tourism industry's contribution to global carbon emissions, and adaptation and mitigation policies and measures that can therefore be affected by climate change due to impacts on water levels and quality, snow and reef conditions, and wildlife and biodiversity, as well as increased climate risks from higher temperatures, infectious diseases, wildfires, and extreme weather events (WTO & UNEP, 2008). In Australia, research has focused on developing adaptation strategies for key tourism destinations (STCRC, 2009;Turton, Hadwen, & Wilson, 2009;Turton et al, 2010;Ruhanen & Shakeela, 2013), while Jopp, DeLacy, and Mair (2010) developed a framework for regional destination adaptation to climate change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, of the few studies undertaken to date, industry, along with adaptation strategies to manage the biophysical impacts of climate change on destinations (Becken & Hay, 2007, 2012Gössling, 2011; Hall & Higham, 2005; Schott, 2010; Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre [STCRC], 2009;Zeppel, 2012aZeppel, , 2012b. However, tourism operators have been reluctant to allocate expenditure on implementing adaptation strategies in the face of uncertainty and skepticism surrounding climate change issues (Turton et al, 2010). In contrast, a growing number of tourism operators are reducing their GHG emissions by adopting a range of carbon mitigation measures as both a cost saving and sustainability strategy (e.g., Vernon, Essex, Pinder, & Curry, 2003;Zeppel, 2012a).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this article, "Mitigation of climate change involves taking actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to enhance carbon sinks" (STCRC, 2009, p. 5 can therefore be affected by climate change due to impacts on water levels and quality, snow and reef conditions, and wildlife and biodiversity, as well as increased climate risks from higher temperatures, infectious diseases, wildfires, and extreme weather events (WTO & UNEP, 2008). In Australia, research has focused on developing adaptation strategies for key tourism destinations (STCRC, 2009; Turton, Hadwen, & Wilson, 2009;Turton et al, 2010;Ruhanen & Shakeela, 2013), while Jopp, DeLacy, and Mair (2010) developed a framework for regional destination adaptation to climate change.Tourism is also a major contributor to the causes of climate change via GHG emissions from transport and travel activities (Becken & Hay, 2007;Gössling, 2011;Scott et al, 2012). Although not as high as "heavy industry" (Dalton et al, 2007, p. 568), tourism's overall contribution to greenhouse gas emissions has been estimated at between 5.2% and 12.5% of the global total (Scott, Peeters, & Gössling, 2010).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism: Carbon Mitigation by Environmentally Certified Tourism Enterprises

Zeppel¹,

Beaumont²

2014

Tourism Review International

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travel-related activities that contribute to climate change. In response, government departments and tourism agencies have supported carbon mitigation strategies based on ecoefficiency actions to reduce GHG emissions and operational costs for the travel CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: CARBON MITIGATION BY ENVIRONMENTALLY CERTIFIED TOURISM ENTERPRISESHEATHER ZEPPEL AND NARELLE BEAUMONT Australian Centre for Sustainable Business and Development, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield, AustraliaTourism is susceptible to the impacts of climate change on destinations and businesses, but also contributes to the causes of climate change via greenhouse gas emissions from travel. This article reports on carbon mitigation actions by environmentally certified tourism enterprises in Queensland, Australia. The survey results profile attitudes to climate change, emissions auditing, carbon mitigation actions, and motives for emissions reduction. The study revealed that most operators believed climate change was an important issue for tourism and had implemented a range of carbon mitigation actions in energy, water, and waste reduction. The most popular actions were energy efficiency and reducing energy use, while less popular measures were adopting renewable energy and carbon offsetting. Tourism operators preferred lower cost actions that were easy to implement and would provide cost savings. The key motives for tourism operators implementing these carbon actions related to ecological responsibility and business competitiveness via cost savings and differentiating their business as "climate friendly." These motivations align with general business principles driving the implementation of socially and environmentally responsible practices by companies. The findings suggest that environmentally certified tourism enterprises now consider emissions reduction measures to be an integral part of sustainable tourism development.Key words: Climate change; Carbon mitigation; Environmental certification; Ecoefficiency actions; Sustainable tourism IntroductionThe tourism industry is susceptible to the physical and socioeconomic impacts of climate change on destinations and businesses. Tourism also generates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport and 162 ZEPPEL AND BEAUMONT could be adopted (WTO & UNEP, 2008 (WTTC, 2009). However, as noted by Scott (2011), these are "aspirational" targets that, without specific plans for achieving them, may be interpreted largely as rhetoric.In Australia, the national government responded to this issue by establishing a National Tourism and Climate Change Taskforce, producing a national action plan for tourism and climate change, a climate change guide for tourism operators supplemented by industry workshops, and a tourism strategy that included climate change issues (Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism [DRET], 2008[DRET], , 2009[DRET], , 2011. National, state, and territory government tourism agencies in Australia have also responded by providing information on climate ch...

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Section: Awareness Of and Attitudes Towards Climate Change And Tourismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Climate Change and Tourismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism: Carbon Mitigation by Environmentally Certified Tourism Enterprises

Zeppel¹,

Beaumont²

2014

Tourism Review International

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International tourism and climate change

Scott

Gößling

Hall

2012

WIREs Climate Change

288

198

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Tourism is a major global economic sector that is undergoing tremendous growth in emerging economies and is often touted as salient for development and poverty alleviation in developing countries. Tourism is recognized as a highly climate‐sensitive sector, one that is also strongly influenced by environmental and socioeconomic change influenced by climate change, and is also a growing contributor to anthropogenic climate change. This article outlines the complex interrelationships between climate change and the multiple components of the international tourism system. Five focal themes that have developed within the literature on the consequences of climate change for tourism are then critically reviewed: climatic change and temporal and geographic shifts in tourism demand, climate‐induced environmental change and destination competitiveness within three major market segments (winter sports tourism, coastal tourism, and nature‐based tourism), and mitigation policy developments and future tourist mobility. The review highlights the differential vulnerability of tourism destinations and that the resultant changes in competitiveness and sustainability will transform some international tourism markets. Feedbacks throughout the tourism system mean that all destinations will need to adapt to the risks and opportunities posed by climate change and climate policy. While notable progress has been made in the last decade, a number of important knowledge gaps in each of the major impact areas, key regional knowledge gaps, and both tourist and tourism operator perceptions of climate change risks and adaptive capacity indicate that the tourism sector is not currently well prepared for the challenges of climate change. WIREs Clim Change 2012. doi: 10.1002/wcc.165 This article is categorized under: Climate and Development > Decoupling Emissions from Development

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Socio-economic Impacts—Recreation

Kreilkamp

Bergner

Mauser³

2016

North Sea Region Climate Change Assessment

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Tourism is one of the most highly climate-sensitive economic sectors. Most of its main sub-sectors, including sun-and-beach tourism and nature-based tourism, play a major role in the North Sea region and are especially weather-und climate-dependent. On top of that, most tourist activities in the North Sea region occur in the coastal zones which are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Climate acts as both a 'push' and 'pull' factor in tourism. Climate-driven changes in tourism demand are hard to determine because the tourist decision-making process is also influenced by factors other than climate. Nevertheless, summer tourism in the North Sea region is expected to benefit from rising temperatures (air and water), decreasing precipitation and longer seasons. Destinations can reduce the negative impacts of climate change on tourism by adapting to the changes. The tourist industry also contributes to climate change. Not only is the tourist industry affected by climate change, it also contributes to climate change itself. Therefore, mitigating the climate effects of tourism is largely the responsibility of politicians, the tourism industry and tourism supply. Despite some negative impacts, the overall consequences of climate change for tourism in the North Sea region are expected to be positive.

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Developing an approach for tourism climate change assessment: evidence from four contrasting Australian case studies

Cited by 55 publications

References 11 publications

Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism: Carbon Mitigation by Environmentally Certified Tourism Enterprises

Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism: Carbon Mitigation by Environmentally Certified Tourism Enterprises

International tourism and climate change

Socio-economic Impacts—Recreation

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