The Interreg Euro-MED Sustainable Tourism Mission 2nd Joint Annual Forum (JAF), titled “Climate Adaptation in Tourism: Building Capacity and Policy Integration”, took place on November 21st, as a side event during the Sun&Blue Blue Tourism Innovation Congress in Almería, Spain. More than 50 participants, primarily regional authorities and DMOs, took part in this 2nd edition of the JAF. This forum, organized by C4T and D4T Projects under the umbrella of several events related to “Sustainable Tourism in the Mediterranean,” was notably held alongside the launch meeting of the WestMED Technical Group on Sustainable Tourism.
The session began with a little introduction of the UN Climate Change Conference and the commitment to create a Climate Action Plan, exposing how all the mechanisms would be aligned to reduce greenhouse emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality be achieved as soon as possible, before 2050.
It is very important for the EuroMED region to protect the tourist destinations, also because of the importance of tourism in the Mediterranean area.
Alicia Fajardo, from the Travel Foundation, introduced the blueprint project, highlighting the need to work together according to the new reality of Climate Change, and focus on the next points:
• Reducing gas emissions through actions that lower the amount of greenhouse gases produced.
• Remove emissions through actions that increase the absorption of existing emissions
• Boost resilience through actions that strengthen the ability to withstand climate impacts
• Support and enable through actions that facilitate or enhance the first three, such as measurement, training or fundraising.
The main points to go ahead were the following:
1. Are we ready to go?
2. Where are we now?
3. Where do we want to get to?
4. How will we get there?
5. How will we know we’ve got there?
According to these 5 points, participants analysed the most important issues.
Several groups were made, in order to asses potential objectives and actions in relation to 5 different issues (increasing heatwaves and rising temperatures, water scarety and drought, increases energy demand and carbon footprint, health and safety risks during extreme weather events, severe storm and flooding).
Finally, a debate about the adaptation and mitigation of climate change was held.
The second event was the launch of the WestMED blue economy initiative to create a technical group supported by the EU under EMFAF on behalf of DG MARE, whose main objective is to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the tourism sector towards a smart and resilient blue economy.