PANAJI
The Centre for Responsible Tourism (CRT) has stated that climate justice, not green investment, is the platform serving the interests of the Global South.
Adopting the statement of Tourism Alert and Action Forum (TAAF) and endorsing it as its own on World Tourism Day 2023, the CRT added that if tourism is to have any future at all, it must be one that is built on climate justice foundations as determined by frontline communities living and thriving in the Global South.
The official World Tourism Day celebrations on September 27, to be hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia under the theme “Tourism and Green Investments”, is being celebrated by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
“This year’s focus on “green investments” follows a long line of heralded “green” initiatives, particularly green tourism and green growth. These have proven to be green hypocrisy, as essential actions for equity, sustainability and justice are not on this agenda,” stated a press note issued by CRT Incharge Fr Freddy Braganza.
“The game is to present an image of doing tourism business responsibly, while in fact ensuring ever greater profit is extracted, more commons are taken (including a liveable climate) and the community is served the crumbs from the corporate table.”
The CRT pointed out that as people globally experience the devastating impacts of climate change and the crossing of multiple planetary boundaries “ signified by conflicts, famines, drought, floods, fires and displacements “ people need to be critically conscious of the tools and methods to distract their attention on needed action.
“Each World Tourism Day, TAAF has continued to call out the UNWTO and its corporate allies for its hollow promises and exploitative actions. Tourism is not innocent in these agendas “ it is complicit and instrumental. These green investments and net-zero promises are deadly distractions from what really matters to the Majority World.”
“We say climate justice, not green investment, is the platform serving the interests of the Global South. If tourism is to have any future at all, it must be one that is built on climate justice foundations as determined by frontline communities living and thriving in the Global South,” added the CRT.
