Tourism and the Environment
Assignment 4: Tourism and the Environment
Analysis of Ecotourism in Rathdowney, Queensland, Australia
By: Angie Haves
December 14, 2009
Introduction The effect of global warming is becoming ever more evident, well-known and of increasing concern as research is conducted on an ongoing basis and the results of this research are communicated widely through the media and print publications. Scientists believe that climate change is largely caused by humans producing pollution (i.e. burning of fossil fuels; accumulating vast amounts of garbage in dumps) and removing large areas of forests, which has caused an excess of heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere. This is believed to be causing significant changes in weather patterns resulting in more frequent occurrences of drought, flooding, hurricanes and heat waves. Consequently, these weather pattern changes are believed to have had, and will continue to have, negative physical effects for all living beings (e.g. increased rates of death from famine; increases in life-threatening diseases) which will only intensify over time if changes are not enacted throughout the world (United Nations, 2009). The United Nations has taken the lead on a ‘call to arms’ for nations to become engaged in formulating a global response to the problem. This began with the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) developed in 1992 to begin to consider what can be done to reduce global warming. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted by 184 world partners who committed to reducing their emissions by an average of 5 percent by 2012 1.
from 1990 levels. Currently, the United Nations is hosting the UN Climate
Change Conference in Copenhagen to further the work completed by the Kyoto Protocol. The goal of this conference is to strengthen the multi-nation
Analysis of Ecotourism in Rathdowney, Queensland, Australia
By: Angie Haves
December 14, 2009
Introduction The effect of global warming is becoming ever more evident, well-known and of increasing concern as research is conducted on an ongoing basis and the results of this research are communicated widely through the media and print publications. Scientists believe that climate change is largely caused by humans producing pollution (i.e. burning of fossil fuels; accumulating vast amounts of garbage in dumps) and removing large areas of forests, which has caused an excess of heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere. This is believed to be causing significant changes in weather patterns resulting in more frequent occurrences of drought, flooding, hurricanes and heat waves. Consequently, these weather pattern changes are believed to have had, and will continue to have, negative physical effects for all living beings (e.g. increased rates of death from famine; increases in life-threatening diseases) which will only intensify over time if changes are not enacted throughout the world (United Nations, 2009). The United Nations has taken the lead on a ‘call to arms’ for nations to become engaged in formulating a global response to the problem. This began with the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) developed in 1992 to begin to consider what can be done to reduce global warming. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted by 184 world partners who committed to reducing their emissions by an average of 5 percent by 2012 1.
from 1990 levels. Currently, the United Nations is hosting the UN Climate
Change Conference in Copenhagen to further the work completed by the Kyoto Protocol. The goal of this conference is to strengthen the multi-nation
References: Ecotourism Australia (2009). Eco Certification Program. Retrieved from http://www.ecotourism.org.au/eco_certification.asp Goeldner, Charles R. and Ritchie, J.R. Brent (2009). Tourism: Principles, Practices and Philosophies Government of Ontario (2009). Global Tourism Opportunities: Research Study. Lindsay, H. E. (2003). Ecotourism: the Promise and Perils of Environmentally- Oriented Travel http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/ecotour/overview.php United Nations (2009) Retrieved from http://unfccc.int/press/fact_sheets/items/4978.php United Nations (2009) United Nations General Assembly (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future http://www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm World Tourism Organization (2002) 1.pdf World Wide Fund For Nature (2001) Retrieved from http://www.icrtourism.org/Publications/tourism.PDF Wikipedia (2009)