BIODIVERSITY FOR SUSTAINABILITYA. Raschi CNR-IBIMET With contribution of H.Hamele ECOTRANS

The term sustainability is nowadays widely used, but what does it mean?

Sustainable development: a development that guarantees future generations, by preserving and incrementing the local capital (environmental, human, social, infrastructural (Moseley, 2004)

Touristic sustainability: a careful use of touristic resources, that guarantees their future availability (Jenkins, 1991)

Sustainable development in tourism aims not only to satisfy the current needs, but also to protect and improve the environment, promote economic equity, and improve people’s life, by cooperating to integrate conservation, cultural integration and participation (Inskeep, 1991)

"sustainability is improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems“ (IUCN/UNEP/WWF 1991)

BIODIVERSITY

The Convention on Biological Diversity was one of the outcomes of Rio Earth Summit (1992), and defines Biodiversity as “the variability among living organisms from all sources including inter alia terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part…diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems”.

The aim of the Rio convention is not only to “conserve”, but to pursue “sustainable use” and “equitable sharing of benefits”

BIODIVERSITY IS A DYNAMIC CONCEPT, AS ECOSYSTEMS AND POPULATIONS CAN MOVE IN DEPENDENCE OF NATURAL AND ANTHROPIC CAUSES

With agriculture and gardening man has diffused alien species:

From IranFrom Japan

From America From China

ALL THESE ARE NOW CULTIVATED IN EUROPE

ON THE OTHER HAND, INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE REDUCES BIODIVERSITY

PLANTS ARE MORE AND MORE UNIFORM, AND LANDSCAPE AS WELL(but tourists seem to appreciate anyway

EACH FARM WAS A MOSAIC OF DIFFERENT CROPSTraditional landscape

OTHER CHANGES IN BIODIVERSITY CAN BE CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE

SO, HOW CAN TOURISM IMPACT ON BIODIVERSITY?

EASY TO DEFINE IN GENERAL TERMS, BUT SITUATION IS DIFFERENT FROM SITE TO SITE BECAUSE:

-TOURISM IS A COMPLEX ACTIVITY

-ECOSYSTEMS ARE COMPLEX, AND THEIR INTERNAL DYNAMICS ARE KNOWN ONLY IN PART.

- POLICIES ARE BASED ON VALUE JUDGEMENTS, THAT ARE IN NTURN BASED ON THE PERCEPTION OF RISK, ON INTERESTS AND ON SOCIAL CONSTRUCT OF NATURE.

- THIS LEADS TO FACE AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM: CONFLICTS

Many impacts on nature /ecosystems /biodiversity have been widely analyzed, well known and documented!

Degradation and destruction of ecosystems

Tourism infrastructures – often in protected areas, hotspots of biodiversity

Reduce /avoid restrictions in protected areas because

of tourism development (example Mallorca), or reduction of protected

areas surface

CO² and other Greenhouse Gas

emissions contributing to Climate Change

Emissions, waste, waste water,

noise (e.g. lakes, rivers, coasts, beaches),

Indirect

Transport infrastructure, e.g.

roads, airports, parkings

These parks’ shape is designed to keep some touristic towns out of the protected areas

Beaches are biodiversity hotspots, and are very dynamic

Beach biodiversity

These parks’ shape is designed to keep some touristic towns out of the protected areas

Beaches are biodiversity hotspots, and are very dynamic

And where does the wastewater go?

Not to mention about shipwrecks in national parks

What impacts does tourism have on biodiversity?

Overexploitation of natural resources

Lack or no acceptance of management plans / land

use plans

Exeedance of the carrying capacity of a landscape

/destination

Exploitation of wild life without respecting

rules /scientific advise, without well trained

guides

High water consumption in regions with water

shortage

Purchase of unsustainable produced

products (food, souvenirs etc.)

Recreational activities with high impact on biodiversity, e.g. heli

skiing,

Acceptance of selling illegal products (e.G.

CITES)

Offering /promoting activities against animal

welfare (zoos not fullfilling international

standards, dolphinarios .

What impacts does tourism have on biodiversity?

Invasive Species

Design of premises (hotel outdoor facilities) with

non native plants

Introduction of non native fish species for

fishing

Cruise Ships(e.g. water tanks),

souvenirs (e.g. galapagos turtle)

Climate Change

Emissions /Contamination

Alien species used in gardens. Some are invasive

Alien species reach the Mediterranean through Suez, And with cuise ships

This fish, introduced for sport tourism,Is destroying all local fauna in Italy

Wild boars introduced for hunting is reproducing out of controlCreating serious damage to agriculture

Bears, reintroduced on the Alps, are putting at risk Sheep farms survival, and tourism itself.

Degradation/destruction of ecosystems

38%

Loss of species21%

Overexploitation of natural resources

24%

Dissemination of invasive alien species

7%

Access and Benefit-Sharing: 7%

Special commitment of the company towards Biodiversity

3%

Standards: coverage of biodiversity aspects in analysed standards (in %)

2. Screening of the Standards/Certificates/Awards in Tourism

Degradation/destruction of ecosystems

Overexploitation of natural ressources

Loss of species

Dissemination of invasive alien species

ABS: involvement of local initiatives, local community support of the protection of Biodiversity

Special commitment of the company towards biodiversity

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

128

81

71

25

24

9

No. of biodiversity aspects listed in standards

2. Screening of the Standards/Certificates/Awards in Tourism

Input: Exemplary criteria found in the screening

3. Discussion of Exemplary Criteria from the Standards and Conclusions

Criteria to prevent degradation /destruction of ecosystems

Green Globe, EETLS: Biodiversity Conservation. Criteria: The business contributes to the support of biodiversity conservation, including supporting natural protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value.

Quality Coast: D2 Protection of sensitive environmentsThe destination has a system to monitor the impact of tourism on sensitive environments and protect habitats and species.

Green Key: XI.5 The establishment provides activities for raising awareness, focused on sustainable development, environment and nature in or around the premises (G).

Various international Standards require: “The business contributes to the support of biodiversity conservation …”. This is a useful approach, but Standards should include an indication regarding cuantitiy and quality of support.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Green

Hills

Nature

Forests

Vineyards

Olive trees/

Cereals

Light

Trees

Sunflowers

Sunset

Valleys

Mountains CampaniaTuscany

Elements used to describe the environment. Countryside means nature, but in a very generic way

But, what does the customer understand about biodiversity? Very little! As usually he is not a specialist/scholarThis is well shown by the informative material of rural tourism enterprises

Sunflower is a very evocative tool toPromote rural tourism

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Valorisation

Genuine

Flavours

Home made

Traditional

Typical

Natural

Tuscan

Terra/from the land CampaniaTuscany

The text refers to typicality, nature And other concepts that have little to do with an intensive crop.

ON THE OTHER HAND, NOT ONLY NATURAL BIODIVERSITY,BUT ALSO AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSITY CAN BE AN ASSETT FOR AN ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS TOURISM:

SOME EXAMPLES:

The promotion of traditional cereals, often taking place in feasts, and fostering the creation of short production chains

Chestnut: from international market of imported fruits to local productions and transformation techniques

To the creation of local cooperatives, able to promote local biodiversity among tourists, to create jobs and to be real development agents

As about natural biodiversity, tourists are sedom able to go beyond aestethical appreciation.Studies performed in African National Parks show that mainly big charismatic species attract tourists (lion, elephant…), while in marine environments the appreciation of biodiversity does not go beyond 20 species.

BUT GOOD RESULTS CAN BE ACHIEVED ON A LOCAL BASIS:

The Caldara di Manziana, near Roma, a verypeculiar biodiversity spot, is visited by thousandsof visitors every year.

Other similar sites are unknown and used asrubbish dumps

A similar site became part of the local touristic offer

Entrance to the path leading to the site

In conclusion, apart of what customers may know and think, biodiversity is a value in itself, as part of the local capital. Its protection can go with its transmission to visitors.

So, tourism can have an informative/educational role and promote the local heritage.But first of all, the local capital (natural, agricultural, human etc) must be known by the local stakeholders/agent

BECAUSE THERE CANNOT BE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE VALUE OF LOCAL HERITAGE

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!