TOURISMANDCLIMATECHANGE

Tuesday22
nd
September2009
RoyalGeographicalSociety(withIBG)
MALDIVES
GoingCarbonNeutral
RoyalGeographicSociety
withIGB
Tuesday22September2009
TourismandClimateChange
TheMaldives
Population:385,000(2008
est.)
1,190islands 197inhabited
Area:298sq.km(>99%
sea)
Tourism&Fisherymain
industries
GDPpercapita approx.US$
3000
Area:2sq.km
Population:120,000
Majorityofislands
havelessthan2,000
Industrialand
financialhub
Protectedbyseawall
Mostpopulated
capitalintheworld
CapitalMale
Beganin1970
2resorts
280beds
1097visitors
Update2009
91resorts
19,860beds
680,000visitors
19%GDP
70%foreignexchange
MainmarketsEurope/
Asia
Tourism
CriticalIssues
Averageelevation1.5mabovesea
level
Floodingreportedinmanyislands
Coastal/beacherosion
Freshwatershortages
Maldivescontributeslessthan
0.001%toGHGemissions
IPCCprojectssealevelrise
ofupto0.88mby2100
WillsubmergetheMaldives
CriticalIssues&
InnovativeSolutions
Protectingtheshorelineandthe
beachescanbeexpensive
Wastemanagementakeyproblem
Lackofgreenenergyinitiatives
(Sonevafushi isgreen leadingby
example)
Newdesignconcepts standalone
bungalowsonstilts
Ecofriendlytourismondemand
Investorconfidencestillhighas
Maldivesremainsatthetop
(butforhowlong?)
TheElNioof1997causedseverecoralbleaching
Coralbleachingasaresultofrisingtemperatures
Frequentfloodingcausedevastation
FloodshavebecomefrequentintheMaldives
Severebeacherosioninislands
Adaptationiscostly/requiresconstantmaintenance
SeawallaroundcapitalMale wasagiftfromJapancosting
60millionUS$.Itprotectedthecapitalfromdevastation
inTsunami2004
Drivingforward
international
agreementsonclimate
change
MitigationActionsin
theMaldives
(e.g.carbonneutral)
AdaptationActionsin
theMaldives
(e.g.coastal
protection).
Capacity
development
Technology
transfer
Funding
MaldivesClimateChange Strategy
MaldivesClimate
Change Strategy
MaldivesaimstobeCarbonNeutral
within10years(Presidentannounced
inMarch09)
Ongoingfocusondrivingforward
internationalcommitments
NationalAdaptationProgrammeof
Action(NAPA)
Introducingrenewableenergytothe
Maldives(Wind&Solar)
Cooperatewithinternational
researchorganisations
(maketheMaldivesahubfor
researchinrelatedareas)
Summary
ClimateChangeisarealthreatto
theveryexistenceoftheMaldives
TheMaldivesneedsinternational
supportandcallsforglobalactions
tocombatClimateChange
Internationalagreementsandco
ordinatedactionsessentialinthe
builduptotheCopenhagen
SummitinDecember2009
TheMaldivesaimstoleadby
example(carbonneutralwithinthe
next10years)
Together wecansavethe
world.
ThankYou!
Presentedby
Mr.AhmedMoosa
EnvoyforScienceandTechnology
GovernmentoftheMaldives
TOURISMANDCLIMATECHANGE
Tuesday22
nd
September2009
RoyalGeographicalSociety(withIBG)
Ayubowan !!
Mayyoubeblessedwithlonglife!! Mayyoubeblessedwithlonglife!!
Tourism&ClimateChange
Sanjika Perera
Director UK&Ireland
SriLankaTourism
sanjika@srilanka.travel
SriLanka
65,000SQKMinsize(sizeofIreland)
PopulationofApprox20Million
PreviouslyknownasThambapanni,
Taprobane,Serendib,andmore
recentlyCeylon
NicknamedastheThePearl ofthe
IndianOcean
3000yearcivilizationintertwinedwith
theIndiansubcontinent,was
Agriculturebasedwithtradelinksto
bothOrient&thewest.
Hasbeenunderthecolonialinfluence
ofthePortuguese,DutchandtheBritish
forover500years
Amultiethnic,multireligioussociety
7UNESCOWorldHeritageSites
(Sinharaja RainForestbeingone)
TropicalClimatebroadlydividedinto2zonesWetzone
(14C 25C)&DryZone(27C 32C)withhighHumidity
andaspectrumofEcologicalZonessuchaslowcountry
dryzone,lowcountrywetzone,centralhillzone,Arid
Zones
DifferentpartoftheIslandexperience2different
Monsoons.(SW&NEmonsoons)
CentralHillswithcoolerclimateandsource/waterbasin
ofallthemainriversinthecountry.
Hasover45%greencoverand30%forestcover
DiverseEcosystems Shrubland,Grass&Savanna,
wetlands,riverine forests,Mangroves&tropicalrain
forests
Over3,300plants,80mammals,480birds,66amphibian,
180reptiles,240butterflies
SriLanka Climate&Biodiversity
ClimateChange ImpactonSriLanka
MacroImpact
RiseinSeaLevels
''AmajorpartofJaffna andothernorthernareas(ofSriLanka)willbe
submergedwhenthesealevelrises.Sopeoplearefightinganddying
overareasthatmaysoonnotbethere,''Prof.MohanMunasinghe,
vicechairmanoftheU.N.'sIntergovernmentalPanelonClimate
Change(IPCC)
Changeinweatherpatterns
Theunpredictablemonsoonperiod&rainfalllevels
affectingagriculture,tourismetc.
Variationintemperatureaffectinghabitats
ClimateChangeRisk
Maplecroft ClimateChangeRiskReport2009/2010
ClimateChange ImpactonSriLanka
MicroImpact
Deforestation
Urbanization&Congestion
EnvironmentalPollution(Air,water&landfill)
Accesstoresources
IncreaseinCosts
Astrongenvironmentmovement Astrongenvironmentmovement
Pollutionassociatedwithpoverty,butawillto Pollutionassociatedwithpoverty,butawillto
changeamongpolicymakers changeamongpolicymakers
OurTourismindustryisdependentonaNature, OurTourismindustryisdependentonaNature,
Culture,Adventureproductbase Culture,Adventureproductbase
Supportfromglobaltourismcommunity Supportfromglobaltourismcommunity
Allianceofscientificcommunityandtourism Allianceofscientificcommunityandtourism
NobelPeacePrize(ICCC)ViceChairand NobelPeacePrize(ICCC)ViceChairand
GlobalOzonePrize2007 GlobalOzonePrize2007
RecentDevelopments..
SriLankasresponse
Tourismindustryleadthewaybyreducingthe
carbonfootprintofallthehotels
SriLankanAirlinesintroducedlowcarbonemission
flights
HotelRanweli EcotourismProgramme
RTPTreesforLife programme withGalle
ConservationSociety
JohnKeells HotelsEnergyManagementSystem
Ruk Rakegannao (GuardiansofTrees)Plant
NurseriesProgramme
RainForestRescuesAnalogueForestryProgramme
VariousMiniHydro,Solar/WindPower&Biogas
generationprojects
SchoolsEnvironmentalBrigade/CleanSriLanka
Campaign
CeylonChamberofCommercessupportforenergy
savinginitiativesundertheGlobalCompact
Programme
Severalcoastalgreeningprojectsundertaken
byNGOs/INGOs andindividualsafterthe
tsunami
RotarySriLankasGreenCoverwithTen
MillionTrees initiative
HeritanceKandalama HotelsTripleBottom
Line Initiative
HotelSigiriya CarbonFootprint
MeasurementandConservation initiative
Jetwing HotelsJ.E.E.Pinitiative
ApparelIndustrysGreenGarments
Programme;MAS&Brandix /Marksand
SpencerGreenFactoryInitiative
Cargills (SuperMarketChain)GoingGreen
project
Awareness
Building
Reductionof
CarbonFootprint
Propagationof
SustainablePractices
Carbon
Offsetting/Trading
Examples of Action Examples of Action . .
RotaryGreenCover
10millionTreesProgramme
RainforestRescueInitiatives
Jetwing EternalEarthProgramme
SriLankasresponse
AwarenessBuilding

TowardsaCarbon
TowardsaCarbon
Clean
Clean
SriLanka;
SriLanka;
ATourismEarth
ATourismEarth
Lung
Lung

Todayaglobalcommunity
Evolution of the
Evolution of the
Process
Process
Diminishing margins Diminishing margins
Implementation of Implementation of
energy conservation energy conservation
measures measures
Financial benefits Financial benefits
Mitigation of carbon emissions Mitigation of carbon emissions
Rapidly rising energy Rapidly rising energy
costs costs
Loss of market share Loss of market share
Introduction of Introduction of
environment environment- - friendly friendly
initiatives initiatives
Need to re Need to re- -position position
New value proposition New value proposition
CaseStudy HotelSigiriya
Lessons Learned Lessons Learned
Bottom line Bottom line ( financial) impact ( financial) impact
Small incremental changes Small incremental changes
Does not have to be Does not have to be high tech high tech
Appropriate technology Appropriate technology
Commitment Commitment
Bottom up/training/awareness Bottom up/training/awareness
Analytical / methodical approach Analytical / methodical approach
Sometimes costly Sometimes costly
Before/after scenarios Before/after scenarios
Small victories Small victories
Spin off PR and goodwill Spin off PR and goodwill
A marketing tool A marketing tool

TreesForLife
TreesForLife

Hiyare,SriLanka
CaseStudyof
Community/StakeholderPartnership
WhatisTreesforLife?
Wildlifeconservationareaof600acrerainforest
borderingareservoir.
Located25minutesfromGalle.
OwnedbyGalle Municipality&managedbyRTP&the
WCSGalle.
Partiallyfundedsince2007bytheTravelFoundation.
2006&2007 Tsunamirelief.
2008onwards Reforestationprojectincl freeplant
distribution.
Treeplanting,educationandnaturetrails.
Animalrescue.
Carbonrecovery.
Reservoirboattrips.
Trees for Life
Hotelsinvolved
Jetwing Beach
Jetwing Tropical Villas
Blue Oceanic Beach Hotel
Neptune Hotel
Jetwing Seashells
Riverina Hotel
Jetwing Ayurveda Pavilion
Palm Garden Hotel
Browns Beach Hotel
Eden hotel
Cinnamon Grand Hotel
Jetwing St. Andrews
CinnamonLakeside
The Tea Factory Hotel
Jetwing Hunas Falls
Heritance Ahungalla
Earls Regency
Chaaya Citadel
Chaaya Village
Jetwing Vil Uyana
Heritance Kandalama
Ramada Resort
Bentota Beach Hotel
Mermaid Hotel & Club
Saman Villas
Bandarawela Hotel
Hotel Club Oceanic
Coral Gardens Hotel
Yala Village Hotel
Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel & Spa
Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort
Challenges
IstheemphasisonClimate
Changeafadorafashion
orwayoflife?
IsitNicheormassmarket?
Istheconsumerwillingto
payapremium?
Isitaprofitable?
IsitSustainable?
Ayubowan !!
Mayyoubeblessedwithlonglife!! Mayyoubeblessedwithlonglife!!
TOURISMANDCLIMATECHANGE
Tuesday22
nd
September2009
RoyalGeographicalSociety(withIBG)