A “Carbon Neutral Destinations” Conference Series will be held in 2011 to highlight Carbon Reduction Strategies for Tourism. This Series will kick off in Kuala Lumpur on 29-30 June, 2011 with the theme “Carbon Reduction Strategies for Tourism: Optimising the Renewable Energy Mix”. The Malaysian Minister of Transport, YB Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha has been invited to officiate this event. The Kuala Lumpur edition of the series, organised by IJO Sdn Bhd which manages the Carbon Neutral Destination Network…
A “Carbon Neutral Destinations” Conference Series will be held in 2011 to highlight Carbon Reduction Strategies for Tourism. This Series will kick off in Kuala Lumpur on 29-30 June, 2011 with the theme “Carbon Reduction Strategies for Tourism: Optimising the Renewable Energy Mix”. The Malaysian Minister of Transport, YB Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha has been invited to officiate this event.
The Kuala Lumpur edition of the series, organised by IJO Sdn Bhd which manages the Carbon Neutral Destination Network, will address policies, practices and solutions for tourism planners, investors, destination managers and service operators interested in lowering their carbon footprint through the latest state of the art and innovative approaches available from the renewable energy industry.
This Conference will hear presentations by experts from the tourism and renewable energy sectors covering implications of climate change, the contribution of the tourism sector in addressing the issue and policy measures from the public sector to facilitate the specific carbon mitigation measures which could be adopted to realize carbon neutrality in tourism. The Conference will largely deal with the practical aspects of carbon reduction strategies for tourism including assessing the technologies available, project management and financing.
The tourism sector is a significant contributor to climate change altogether responsible for 5% of GHG emissions. Reports have forecast that carbon emissions from tourism will grow by 162% in the period 2005?2035 partly a result of the massive expansion of airports and increase in low?cost carriers paving the way for such growth in emissions.
The Conference Series will serve as a catalyst for tourism industry players to commit to carbon reduction goals, strategies and activities. It is envisaged that the Conference Series will help to orientate the view of tourism stakeholders towards this important aspect of sustainable tourism and its positive implications for tourism destination development. It will highlight in special sessions carbon mitigation measures for aviation; how alternative fuels can be a win?win solution for reducing aviation’s dependence on fossil fuels.
In addition, a number of international airports have already achieved the much-coveted “carbon neutral” status; such as Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, Christchurch International Airport Limited and Gander International Airport. Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) recently set a goal of making its five international airports carbon-neutral by 2020. The Conference will also address carbon mitigation measures for land and water transport, offering alternative fuel options for cars, rail as well as for cruise lines. Special presentations will also be made on carbon footprint measurement and offset mechanisms for the tourism industry.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
