Mainstreaming Biodiversity Considerations into Sustainable Tourism Development & Land Use Planning Deirdre Shurland Coordinator Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism UNEP Division of Technology, Industry & Economics, Paris CBD COP12: Tourism & Biodiversity Business & Biodiversity Forum Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea 12 th October 2014
Aruba British Virgin Islands Antigua and Barbuda The Importance of Tourism in Caribbean SIDS Source: www.wttc.org Anguila Former Netherlands Antilles The Bahamas Saint Lucia Belize Barbados Dominica U.S. Virgin Islands Jamaica Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Vincent & the Grenadines Grenada Dominican Republic Cuba Trinidad & Tobago Guyana Puerto Rico Haiti Suriname 100 90 80 70 % 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Total contribution to GDP in% Total contribution to employment in % Share of total investment in %
Tourism Life Cycle Value Chain Planning & Design For a sustainable Sector: implementation is essential! Monitoring & Evaluation Products & Services Knowledge Monitoring Policy Focus on 6 areas whole of industry approach Projects Marketing & Promotion Stakeholders Supply Chains Investment Operations & Management Visitors Public Sector National/Local Government Ministries Statutory Agencies Semi-State Organisations Authorities Natural Assets Cultural Assets Staff Investors Planners Architects Tour Operators Hotels Restaurant s Transport Recreation Suppliers Workers Private Sector Civil Society
Main Regional Biodiversity Threats Caribbean SIDS: Biodiversity hotspot and one of the world s greatest centers of biodiversity and endemism Specific threats to biodiversity: Invasive alien species Residential, commercial development Severe weather, climate change Habitat loss & fragmentation Agriculture Over-exploitation of living resources Pollution of coastal areas Southern Africa: Centre of Biodiversity richness & endemism Specific threats to biodiversity: Invasive alien species Rapid development Climate change Habitat loss Mining Illegal harvesting Trade of wildlife, forest resources Over-harvesting of select species Can tourism provide solutions for better planning & collaboration?
Snapshot of Biodiversity Projects in Caribbean SIDS Opportunities for biodiversity conservation via tourism? GEF-Funded Biodiversity Projects (Public Sector) Data Source: www.thegef.org 40 Biodiversity Projects $173M Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot Investment, 2010-2015 (Civil Society Grants) 53 Projects $6.6M Conservation Action Networking Planning/Poli cy/reporting 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Capacity Building CBD Clearinghous e Mechanism Conservation Action Networking Planning/Polic y/reporting 50 40 30 20 10 0 Capacity Building CBD Clearinghouse Mechanism Protected Areas/ Habitats BioSafety Protected Areas/Habitats BioSafety
Caribbean Proposal Ideas UNEP & the Global Partnership Build upon regional cooperation platforms e.g. in tourism sector & energy efficiency gains Sustainable energy standards sector modernization, technology markets, consumer awareness & demand Mainstreaming resource efficiency: water, waste, land, food supply/sources Preserving capacity Biodiversity conservation Sustainable consumption & production Natural & cultural sites and attractions
Snapshot of Biodiversity Projects in Southern Africa Opportunities for biodiversity conservation via tourism? 88 GEF-funded Biodiversity (Public Sector) Projects $1.3B Data Source: www.thegef.org Planning/Polic y/ Reporting 35 Broad coalition of tourism stakeholders: collaboration & cooperating Conservation Action Networking 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Capacity Building CBD Clearinghouse Mechanism Resource efficiency assessment & planning tools e.g. tourism assets vs. biodiversity hotpots mapping; project screening Small-grant project support by theme &/or actors Preserving capacity Protected Areas/ Habitats BioSafety Poverty alleviation Jobs Poaching
End result: Establishing A Virtuous Cycle of sustainability Consumer Awareness & Demand Capacity Demonstrated by monitoring indicators & measures Technology use Business models
Contact Us! The United Nations led international initiative dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism practices around the world w w w. g p s t o u r i s m. o r g Contact the Coordinating Office at: office@gpstourism.org gpstourism@unep.org Follow us on: