UNWTO to hold Second International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism in Davos

The UNWTO will hold the Second International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism in Davos, Switzerland, from 1-3 October 2007. The Conference is organized together with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and supported by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli said that, “The Davos International Conference and the follow-up Ministerial Summit in London will trigger research and policy measures that will enable tourism to respond to the challenges of climate change and at the same time reduce the industry’s own contributions to global warming.”

The message that climate change and development must be tackled together has also been identified by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as a global priority.

Climate change is a key issue for policymakers worldwide and tourism is an important element of discussions. The Second International Conference welcomes stakeholders from the public and private sector, and representatives from the civil society. 

 In 2003 UNWTO held its first International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism in Djerba, Tunisia. Attended by governments, industry and civil society it produced the Djerba Declaration which reflected UNWTO’s longstanding work in the field of sustainability and seta proactive agenda for sector response to the challenge of climate change.

The UNWTO will review its Djerba Declaration in Davos and explore ways for Tourism to respond to today’s climate imperative, while still advancing other priorities, such as the organization’s commitment to the UN Millennium Development Goals.

The second International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism will be followed by a Ministerial Summit, supported by the Government of the United Kingdom at the World Travel Market in London on 13 November 2007.

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