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January 24, 2025
Tourism sector advances on climate action with 50 Countries Back Climate Action Declaration for Sector
For the first time in the history of the UNFCCC COPs, COP29 featured a Tourism Day, with a First Ministerial Meeting dedicated to positioning tourism policy to support national climate goals. In Baku, public and private sector leaders recognized the significant impact of climate change on the tourism sector and its contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At the same time, they emphasized tourism's potential to actively foster climate adaptation and regeneration strategies. Over 700 stakeholders participated in the Tourism Day events.
Governments united around climate action in tourism
The First Ministerial was chaired by Mr Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and included the COP29 President H.E. Mr Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan, UN Tourism, Executive Director of UNEP Ms. and UNFCCC.
Both UN Tourism Secretary–General, Mr Zurab Pololikashvili, and UNEP Executive Director, Ms Inger Andersen, underlined the need for a science-based approach, referring to advanced new research to be further adapted from the University of Queensland (an Affiliate Member of UN Tourism) indicating that tourism represents 8.8% of global emissions (including direct and indirect emissions).
Addressing delegates, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "For the first time, the Action Agenda of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties has included tourism. The First Ministerial Meeting on Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism marks a turning point, when ambition meets action, and vision transforms into commitment. At COP29, the global tourism sector made clear its commitment to positive transformation for a better future for our planet."
The Ministerial welcomed ten Ministers of Tourism: Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Belarus, Czech Republic, Iran, Montenegro, North Macedonia; and Environment: Costa Rica and Maldives, five Deputy Ministers (Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Türkiye, Uzbekistan) and the Special Envoy for the Climate Heritage Network and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Cultural Heritage, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Secretaries of State from Moldova, Portugal, Zambia and Zimbabwe and delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Oman, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and United States of America were also present. The Caribbean Tourism Organization and the Pacific Tourism Organization delivered statements on behalf of their members (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Fiji, Nauru, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu). The World Travel and Tourism Council and the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance also took the floor and the International Transport Forum (OECD) shared a statement.
On the back of the high-level discussions, 52 governments signed the COP29 Declaration for Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism.
One Planet’s Glasgow Declaration Initiative in support of the UNFCCC COP29 Tourism Day
This landmark achievement is the result of a collaboration between the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and UN Tourism, with UNEP’s support, within the framework of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism (GD). The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism is an initiative of the One Planet network's Sustainable Tourism Programme, jointly led by UN Tourism and UNEP. Its objective is to support the tourism sector in implementing the Paris Agreement.
The Glasgow Declaration continues to advance with more than 370 action plans already developed by its 900 signatories. Key Takeaways from the Glasgow Declaration Implementation Report 2024 were released at UNFCC COP29 including:
74% of signatories with climate plans are measuring
92% of plans include decarbonization actions
73% of plans include actions related to biodiversity protection
41% of plans include climate adaptation actions
29% of plans refer to climate justice
82% of signatories with plans report working in partnership with others
44% of plans refer finance actions with this pathway remaining a challenge
During COP29, the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan and Minor International signed the Glasgow Declaration and a further 58 new signatories were announced, including Destination Canada, the Department for Tourism in Samarkand Region (Uzbekistan), HOTREC (The European Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés), among others.
For original article please visit the UN Tourism website.
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