Having the use of tourism within the national park areas and having no control will damage the environment, looking at the objectives set by the UNEP; within these circumstances it shows they are being non-effective. This is due to the abuse of natural resources and undermining the impact within the protected and natural areas.
The WTO (2002) which is a part of the UNEP argues the point “many African countries can base their tourism development on exploiting their natural assets on the condition that the rules of sustainable development. Providing advantage in tourism”. This would be in referral to Agenda 21 which set out the goals for certain levels of sustainability to be reached.
Carter (1995) states all forms of tourism is bad for the environment as it is creating further unnecessary damages to the environment that is already there, which has been created by the locals. “Tourism places additional pressures on the environmental resources upon which it is based, compromising the present and future”.
The main problem with environmental sustainability within tourism and the UNEP is that they can try and do it in stages and get people to agree to certain aspects and is going to be a long process as it cannot just happen overnight. According to Mowforth et al (2003) sustainability as “ ensuring continued profits through more flexible patterns of capital accumulation, or maintaining middleclass lifestyles” while Horis et al (2003) states sustainability has been to be “captured in a widespread sense of impending global eco-disaster and the need for change in the way societies utilize natural resources”
For the UNEP they need to be able to adopt a responsible tourism pledge therefore gaining a balance between tourists, gaining profit within finances to carry on running but also to be able only use natural resources when necessary.
Looking at South Africa’s national government they formed a White paper for the purpose to identify responsible tourism, to help for the protection of the environment, locals, and also to gain an competitive advantage.
“Responsible tourism implies a proactive approach by tourism industry partners to develop, market and manage the tourism industry in a responsible manner, so as to create a competitive advantage. Responsible tourism implies tourism industry responsibility to the environment through the promotion of balanced and sustainable tourism and focus on the development of environmentally based tourism activities (e.g. game-viewing and diving). Responsible tourism means responsibility of government and business to involve the local communities that are in close proximity to the tourism plant and attractions through the development of meaningful economic linkages (e.g. the supply of agricultural produce to the lodges, out-sourcing of laundry, etc.). It implies the responsibility to respect, invest in and develop local cultures and protect them from over-commercialisation and over-exploitation” (DEAT, 1996).
3.0 Management techniques put into place
Within the UNEP they are trying to focus on sustaining the ecosystems by attempting to meet the following: “ecological and human needs and integrating social, environmental and economic perspectives” (UNEP, 2008)
The many areas of which the UNEP concentrates on is mainly the African countries, as they make up majority of the environmental protection plan on protected areas. The main idea is to help economic growth but also to help develop jobs within the local community and also to reduce the impact of poverty. “To demonstrate that environmental protection is not only compatible with economic growth but can also promote trade, generate employment, help address climate change, and reduce poverty” (UNEP, 2008).
In order to assess and manage such delicate areas, and where tourism occurs EMS (environment management systems) was introduced in 2002 at the World Ecotourism Summit this includes “organisational structure, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes, and resources for determining an implementing the environmental policy. The tools include environmental impact assessment, environmental auditing and strategic environmental assessment” (Fennel, 2008).
This is an important implementation for the UNEP as it will help to analyse and look at specific areas where tourism is high and study the impacts and ways in which they can help the locals within the local area and the country on how to manage and sustain the environment but also sustain tourism impacts.
When using any forms of management techniques within protected areas or on the environment in general, it is important to be able to gain a balance in terms of tourism, locals and the environment. “it’s about creating a positive balance between the tourists, local people and the environment” (Burns & Holden, 1997).
The best form of management techniques is Zoning and also limiting tourist’s numbers within each year. The best example is the Galapagos Islands, where the UNEP can say objectives and goals have already been met and is a prime example to the rest of the world.
“Ecuadorian government designated 97% of the archipelago, excluding only those areas already settled, as national parks (GNPS) – Galapagos National Park Service. Most of the Islands’ land area is off limits for visitors and, indeed, residents as well. 40,000 tourists a year ....maximum stay is of six days. Zoning: - tourists zone, but access restricted, only twelve allowed at any time, tourists with a naturalist guide, licensed by the GNP’s with a maximum of twenty per guide. Tourism has made little direct impact on the Island’s ecosystems” (Boniface and Cooper, 2001)
In regards to the UNEP certain projects development by different countries in order to help the environment and the agreement of Agenda 21 as lead to many environmental programmes to take place. According to the Metro (2009) In London work is to start on the largest off-shore wind farm in preparation of the 2012 Olympics, which will be able to provide electricity for at least a quarter of Greater London, near Kent. “It will eventually supply enough electricity of about 750,000 homes – a quarter of all those in Greater London”.
This is a step forward for the UK and the UNEP as it is a step forward to cutting emissions and also is a renewable energy source so the environment is becoming less harmed by pollution, and could become a major tourist attraction for domestic and international tourists.
Within Zimbabwe project CAMPFIRE began in 1988 (Communal Areas Management Program for Indigenous Resources) which was designed for the local communities to manage the resources and tourism, allowing them to be able to retain the income and to develop the infrastructure further and develop a better quality of life, which is what the UNEP is also designed for, to help those better the standards of life. “In CAMPFIRE projects, wildlife conservation was linked to community benefits from safari hunting and wildlife tourism”. This has helped “village facilities such as schools, health clinics, roads and bridges, water bores, grinding mills, tractors and fences” (Zeppel, 2006). This is another prime example of the UNEP and how it’s awareness to other countries as enabled them to take responsible actions to try and resolve the environmental problems addressed by the UNEP.
3.1 Do they work?
From the above techniques already outlined and the key issues which has been addressed, it is showing the world is taking the effects of the human race on the environment very seriously, and has begun new projects, with the continuation of old ones. The main point is without the UN, UNEP, WTO or WS (world summits), then it is doubt whether or not action would of been taken, by all countries agreeing to targets and goals set realistically by the UNEP for each country. Within the belief the world will see the effects of the operations but into place by the world and the UNEP, with the next couple of decades, as it is not an overnight transformation, it is an ongoing process that will take a while to sort before the benefits are seen, this also depends on how tourism is managed in the future and if not dealt with correctly, then sustainability of income via tourism could also become another problem, with price rises or restricting tourism to many areas. Therefore it has to be managed correctly and delicately, and overall having a health balance.
“Sustaining Life: How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity, spearheaded by Harvard Medical School’s Center for Health and the Global Environment, in collaboration with UNDP, UNEP, CBD and IUCN, reflects the work of over 100 leading scientists. It examines the threats that a loss of biodiversity poses to human health and helps to establish the sound science that is essential for effective policy making, including at the international level” (UNEP,2008).
4.0 Recommendations
In order for the UNEP to be fully successful in environmental sustainability all forms of travelling and tourism nationally and internationally would have to halt unless a harmless substitute for travelling would be introduced and non expensive, then the problems of pollution from mankind would be have to be tackled and strict management techniques would have to be implemented.
The main recommendations for the UNEP would to be continue advising and working towards the problems of environmental issues but also to advise and keep a watch over them to ensure management techniques and proposals are safe and to check there is no loop holes for repercussions.
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