During the COP29 in Baku, more than 50 countries have signed a landmark proposal for Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism.
For the first time in the history of the COP29 or United Nations Climate Change Conference, a Tourism Day was part of the agenda. A logical move, since the industry accounts for 3% of the global GDP and 8.8% of greenhouse emissions, according to UN Executive Director for Tourism Zoritsa Urosevic. Moreover, the tourism industry itself is prone to be exposed to all kinds of climate disasters and thus benefits from a sustainable approach.
“At COP29 we have achieved today an historic milestone by being included in the UN Climate Change Conference Action Agenda for the first time”, Urosevic said during a news conference.
During High-Level Roundtables, experts from academia, policymakers and the private sector talked about the climate ambitions of the tourism industry. Aside from Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev, UN Tourism Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, and UNEP Executive Director, Inger Andersen, attended the Tourism Day.Â
Ministers of Tourism, Ministers of Environment, Deputy Ministers, Secretaries of State, the Caribbean Tourism Organization, the Pacific Tourism Organization, the World Travel and Tourism Council and the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance also attended the summit. By the end of the discussions, 52 governments signed the COP29 Declaration for Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism.
Launched in partnership with UN Tourism (@UNWTO), today marked the announcement of the COP29 Declaration on Enhanced Action in Tourism, aiming to drive climate action within the global tourism sector. Endorsed by over 50 countries, the declaration commits endorsers to promote… pic.twitter.com/SWWr6hv2PD
— COP29 Azerbaijan (@COP29_AZ) November 20, 2024
“For the first time, the Action Agenda of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties has included tourism. The First Ministerial Meeting on Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism marks a turning point, when ambition meets action, and vision transforms into commitment. At COP29, the global tourism sector made clear its commitment to positive transformation for a better future for our planet”, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said.
For the first time, tourism is included in the Action Agenda of the UN Climate Change Conference #COP29 – a key turning point for our sector. Thank you to our host, Azerbaijan 🇦🇿, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, Fuad Naghiyev, and our amazing teams for making this happen! pic.twitter.com/KYTCXAyB03
— Zurab Pololikashvili (@pololikashvili) November 20, 2024
The declaration means the countries will address the tourism sector when drafting climate plans, including the Nationally Determined Contributions. Through processes of decarbonisation, innovation and the simple measurement of tourism’s climate impact, progress should be achieved in making the industry more sustainable.
