Pan European Ministers of the Environment to promote sustainability across the tourism sector

The decision was made during the Ninth Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference in Nicosia, Cyprus, organized by the UN Economic Commission for Europe.

 

The unanimously adopted Ministerial Declaration focuses on promoting circular tourism economy, cut down on waste and take environmental actions across the tourism industry.

UNWTO’s Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili commented:

“For businesses, the circular economy can bring competitive advantages. For destinations, it can build more inclusive local value chains. And for tourists, it’s an opportunity to leave a positive footprint. I encourage Europe’s Environment Ministers to build synergies with their counterparts in Ministries of Tourism to implement the circular economy in the tourism sector.”

Mario Šiljeg, State Secretary for the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Croatia, also highlighted the importance of “embracing innovative approaches, particularly moving away from traditional value chain relations adopting more systemic circular production and consumption patterns”.

The adopted Ministerial Declaration states:

“We will promote the transformation of the tourism sector by implementing programmes and projects oriented to applying circular models in the tourism value chain. Moreover, we will build knowledge based on existing circular tools and initiatives, with a view to enabling further dissemination and outreach across relevant ECE member States. We encourage member States and other stakeholders in a position to do so to consider joining and committing to actions under the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, which unites the tourism sector behind a common vision of circular economy of plastics and the Glasgow Declaration: A Commitment to a Decade of Tourism Climate Action.”

The new project will follow the guidelines of One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme, the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative.

 
source: unwto.org