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Why we should travel despite climate change
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In order to protect the environment, it would be best not to go on vacation at all. Or? This is what Martina von Münchhausen, who is responsible for WWF, says.
Is a long-haul trip harmful to the environment? If you look at the flight alone: yes, of course. A flight to the Canary Islands, for example, causes 1.5 tons of CO2 per passenger. That is an unbelievable amount and it cannot be compensated for with so much cycling and vegan life.
That is one side, and it cannot be argued away. But there is also another side: In many regions, especially in those with particularly fragile biodiversity that is worth protecting, nature is protected because there are tourists who come for precisely that reason. Tourism offers the population and the government the incentive to put certain regions under protection and not otherwise use them economically. The income from tourism finances nature conservation work.
Sustainable tourism is often a prerequisite for nature conservation.
For the WWF, the corona pandemic has confirmed how influential tourism is as a lever for international nature conservation. Last year we were able to see what happens when there is no tourism in these regions: Employees who, for example, carry out tasks to protect wild animals in Namibia could no longer be paid. In many regions of Central America, a large proportion of the employees responsible for marine protected areas have been laid off. But it was also dramatic for the local population, who are indirectly dependent on tourism. Small fishermen, for example, who otherwise sell their catch to hotels and restaurants, lost this source of income.
There are many countries that live to a great extent from the tourist attraction of their natural treasures, including Nepal, many island states such as the Maldives and most of the Caribbean. But also countries in Central and South America such as Ecuador, Mexico or Costa Rica, to name just a few.
When the guests stay away, many locals find themselves in need.
What do these countries do when the guests are absent? You have to consider: A nature reserve often means restrictions for the local people. The economic use of the areas is very limited. The tourist use, however, is a compensation for this. If this does not happen, people get into need through no fault of their own because they can no longer secure their livelihood.
Of course, one can take a critical look at the dependence on tourism. Especially when the country makes itself dependent on a certain form of tourism. But, on the one hand, the alternatives to this cannot simply be conjured up and, on the other hand, the question arises of what they should look like: more agricultural use? More livestock and land reclamation or more industrialization?
Tourism that is designed to be sustainable is the better solution.
During the Corona crisis, many discovered how beautiful it can be in Germany right on the doorstep. It would be wonderful if this trend continued and long-distance travel became something that is done less often. And when the distance calls, you stay longer on site, plan tour operators, accommodation and activities in such a way that the trip benefits the region and the people and a contribution is made to nature conservation. This does not only apply to exotic destinations. In the Mediterranean countries, too, you can go on vacation away from mass tourism, choose accommodation with a sustainable concept and eat in small family restaurants.
It is important that everyone must be aware that their own travel behavior has an impact – in a negative as well as a positive way.
The expert: Martina von Münchhausen is responsible for the tourism program of the World Wild Fund (WWF) Germany in the international WWF center for marine protection in Hamburg.
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