Green Economy in a Blue World-Full Report

to US$203 billion. It is also the primary source of foreign exchange earnings in 46 of the 49 Least Developed Countries (UNWTO, 2006). Additionally, tourism is growing much faster in developing countries than in mature developed economies. Predicted growth rates of between 5 per cent and 6 per cent per year for Africa and South Asia are considerably greater than for the world as a whole. As a labour intensive industry, tourism offers an opportunity to support traditional activities such as fishery, agriculture, and handicrafts as well as natural and cultural heritage conservation (UNWTO, 2006). Nevertheless, there has also long been substantial criticism of what has been perceived as the negative impacts of tourism as a development strategy (Telfer & Sharpley, 2008). For example, the supposed comparative advantages of LDCs with respect to tourism are not evenly distributed. There are many developing countries, and regions within them, which have only a limited opportunity to benefit from tourism. Tourism has also been associated Healthy and intact Blue Carbon ecosystems provide many other valuable ecosystem services important for nature- based tourism, including roles in: • ·Supporting biodiversity – coral reefs (a primary target for the tourism industry) can be connected through nutrient cycles, physical processes and plant and animal migration; • Sustainable food supply – through functioning as fish nurseries and food sources; • Improved water quality – through natural sediment control; • Shoreline protection – through the buffering of shorelines from severe weather; • Natural Beauty – maintain the aesthetics of intact landscapes and seascapes. Source: Blue Carbon Project, UNEP/GRID-Arendal, 2011a

to contribute to poverty alleviation and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

2.3 Social challenges and opportunities

Tourism provides a major contribution to the global economy, composing a significant share of national GDPs. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, world travel and tourism generated close to US$8 000 billion in 2008, expecting to rise to approximately US$15 000 billion by 2018. Furthermore, the world travel and tourism industry generates 9 per cent of global GDP and employs as many as 220 million people worldwide. Overall, it is forecasted that the industry will grow by 4 per cent per annum (international arrivals) over the next 10 years (UNEP, 2011). In recent years, tourism has been increasingly recognized as a potential tool to reduce poverty worldwide. In 2001, international tourism receipts to developing countries amounted to US$142 billion while in 2005 they amounted Intact coastal landscapes are the preferred target destination for much nature-based tourism. These areas, encompassing mangrove forests, sea-grass meadows, and saltwater marshlands, are recognized as important carbon sinks (IUCN, 2009) (UNEP, 2009). This means that Blue Carbon ecosystemshelptoremovecarbondioxide from the atmosphere, through storage in canopy biomass and subsurface roots and sediments. When these ecosystems are disturbed or degraded, much carbon is lost, resulting in increased greenhouse gas emissions. A combined Blue Carbon and sustainable tourism strategy can link tourism to bio-cultural conservation and help mitigate climate change. In addition there is a potential for financial mechanisms that result in payment for carbon sequestration from Blue Carbon areas. BlueCarbonecosystems are important for much coastal and marine-based tourism, such as boating, kayaking, snorkelling, fishing, guided wildlife viewing, and bird watching.

in a Blue World

Blue Carbon and Sustainable Tourism

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