Transcript Effect of tourism on land degradation

THE EFFECTS OF TOURISM
ON LAND DEGRADATION
IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN
by France Jade
WORLD’S TOP TOURISM DESTINATIONS
1 FRANCE
2 US
3 SPAIN
4 ITALY
5 CHINA
6 UK
7 RUS. FED.
8 MEXICO
9 CANADA
10 GERMANY
11 AUSTRIA
12 POLAND
13 HUNGARY
14 GREECE
International tourist arrivals
1999
2000
73.0
75.5
48.5
50.9
46.8
48.2
36.5
41.2
27.0
31.2
25.4
25.2
18.5
21.2
19.0
20.6
19.5
20.4
17.1
19.0
17.5
18.0
18.0
17.4
14.4
15.6
12.2
12.5
% change
1999 -2000
3.4
4.9
3.0
12.8
15.5
-0.8
14.5
8.4
4.9
10.9
2.9
-3.1
8.1
2.8
Market share
(%) 2000
10.8
7.3
6.9
5.9
4.5
3.6
3.0
3.0
2.9
2.7
2.6
2.5
2.2
1.8
Source: World Tourism Organisation, 2001
INTERNATIONAL TOURISM RECEIPTS
(US$ Billion)
1999
Growth rate (%)
Market Receipts
share
per
(%)
arrival
(US$)
2000 1999/1998 2000/1999 2000
2000
World
455.4 475.8
2.9
4.5
100
680
Africa
10.3
10.7
3.6
3.7
2.2
385
Americas
122.4 136.4
4.4
11.5
28.7
1060
East Asia &
Pacific
Europe
75.2
82.5
6.4
9.6
17.3
735
233.1 231.5
0.6
-0.7
48.6
575
Middle East
9.8
9.7
12.4
-1.6
2.0
470
South Asia
4.6
5.1
7.1
11.1
1.1
795
Source: World Tourism Organisation, 2001
WORLD’S TOP TOURISM EARNERS
Rank
International toursim
receipts (US$ billion)
1999
2000
74.9
85.2
13.7
Market
share (%)
2000
17.9
31.0
-4.3
6.5
31.5
29.9
-5.1
6.3
Italy
28.4
27.4
-3.2
5.8
5
United Kingdom
20.2
19.5
-3.4
4.1
6
Germany
16.7
17.8
6.5
3.7
7
China
14.1
16.2
15.1
3.4
8
Austria
12.5
11.4
-8.7
2.4
9
Canada
10.2
10.8
5.9
2.3
10
Greece
8.8
9.2
5.0
1.9
1
United States
2
Spain
32.4
3
France
4
% change
2000/1999
Source: World Tourism Organisation, 2001
GLOBAL TOURISM
• NOW THE WORLDS LARGEST INDUSTRY
• IN 2000 INTERNATIONAL TOURIST ARRIVALS REACHED
AN ALL TIME HIGH OF 698 MILLION.
• GROWTH RATE OF 7.4% DOUBLE THE GROWTH RATE OF
1999.
• THE MARKET SHARE WAS FOUND TO BE:
EUROPE - 48.6%
AMERICAS - 28.7%
EAST ASIA & PACIFIC - 17.3% (WTO 2000)
• THE MEDERTERRANEAN BASIN ACCOUNTS FOR 35%
OF THE INTERNATIONAL TOURIST TRADE AND IS THE
WORLD’S LEADING TOURIST AREA.
DETREMENTAL EFFECTS OF MASS
TOURISM
• INCREASED PRESURE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
WATER AND ENERGY.
• INCREASED WASTE AND SEWAGE POLLUTION
• TRANSPORTAION POLLUTION
• COMPETITION FOR LAND USE LEADING TO INCREASE
IN LAND PRICES IN DESIRABLE AREAS OFTEN INVOLVING
LARGE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS.
• CREATION OF TOURIST UBANISATIONS LEADING TO
SKEWED SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS.
AIR TRAVEL
• THE FASTEST GROWING SOURCE OF GREENHOUSE GASES
• 1 TONNE OF CARBON DIOXIDE PER PASSENGER IS RELEASED
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE ON A LONDON-NEW YORK FLIGHT.
• AIRCRAFT POLLUTION CAUSES 3.5% OF MAN-MADE GLOBAL
WARMING WITH ADDITIONAL EFFECTS FROM THE
FORMATION OF ICE CRYSTALS AT HIGH ALTITUDES.(IPCC)
• NO TAX ON AVIATION FUEL
• INTRODUCTION OF GREEN TAX, THE INDUSTRY IS OPPOSED.
THE IBERIAN PENISULAR
•
A LONG HISTORY OF ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS
RESULTING IN EVER INCREASING LAND DEGRADATION
•
THE ‘BAD LANDS’ ARCHEALOGICAL EVIDENCE SHOWS
THAT THIS OCCURRED 5000 YEARS AGO.
•
16TH-17TH CENTURY ESTABLISHED CHRISTIAN RULE
AND COLONISATION OF AMERICAS LED TO A SOUTHWARD
EXPANSION OF AGRICULTURE AND HIGH DEMAND FOR
WOOD & WOOL
18TH CENTURY POPULATION INCREASE
•
•
1960’S TECHNOLOGICAL, SOCIAL & ECONOMIC CHANGES
THAT ALTERED RURAL LIFE THAT CONTINUE TODAY
POPULATION
• LAND DEGRADATION OCCURS WHEN THE PRESSURE ON THE
AVAILABLE LAND RESOURCES AND SERVICES BECOME TO
GREAT.
• SOURTHERN MEDITERRANEAN ZONES (SMZ) -300% POPULATION
INCREASE SINCE 1950.
• NMZ - 30% POPULATION INCREASE SINCE 1950
• IN NMZ POPULATION RELOCATION IS OCCURING DUE TO
LITTORALIZATION OF THE ECONOMY
• THIS POPULATION CONCENTRATION IN COASTAL AREAS IS A
DIRECT RESULT OF INDUSTRIALISATION, CHANGING
AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND TOURISM.
INTENSIFICATION OF AGRICULTURE
• LAND DEGRADATION OCCURS WHEN THE PRESSURE ON THE
AVAILABLE LAND RESOURCES AND SERVICES BECOME TOO
GREAT.
• COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY(CAP) HAS ENCOURAGED
FARMERS TO INTENSIFY PRODUCTION PARTICULARLY IN THE
OLIVE SECTOR, THROUGH PRODUCTION SUBSIDIES.
• THIS HAS LED TO SMALLER FARMERS ABANDONING LAND OR
SELLING TO DEVELOPERS.
• IN THE SOUTHERN REGIONS AN ESTIMATED 80t/ha OF TOP SOIL
IS LOST ANNUALLY.
• LAND ABANDOMENT CAN ALSO LEAD TO EROSION WHEN
INTENSIVE GRAZING OCCURS AND TRADITIONAL TERRACE
SYSTEMS ARE NO LONGER MAINTAINED.
PRESSURES CAUSING DESERTIFICATION
•
DESERTIFICATION - THE DEGRADATION OF ARID, SEMI AND DRY SUB-HUMID
AREAS CAUSED BY CLIMATIC CHANGES AND HUMAN ACTIVITIES. IT IS
ACCOMPANIED BY A REDUCTION IN THE NATURAL POTENTIAL OF THE LAND AND
DEPLETION IN SURFACE AND GROUND-WATER RESOURCES. (UNCCD)
• FOREST FIRES AND DEFORESTATION
• OVERGRAZING
• AGRICULURAL PRACTICES.
• IRRATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
CONSTUCTION OF DAMS
CANALISATION OF RIVERS
OVEREXPLOITATION OF GROUNDWATER
DRAINAGE OF WETLANDS
POLUTION OF SURFACE AND GROUND WATERS.
THE
MEDETERRANEAN
ENVIRONMENT
THE EVER INCREASING DEMAND FOR WATER
• THE MAIN CONSUMER FOR WATER IS INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE
BUT TOURISM IS INCREASINGLY COMPETING.
• ABSTRACTION ALREADY EXCEEDS THE RECHARGE CAPACITY
OF GROUND WATER IN MANY AREAS.
• WATER SCARCITY LEADS TO THE CREATION OF RESERVOIRS,
DAMS AND TRANSPORTATION OF WATER OVER LARGE
DISTANCES.
• NATIONAL AND REGIONAL HYDROLOGICAL PLANS DEFECTIVE
1. INTERGRATED WATER RESOURCE SCHEMES NOT INCLUDED
2. DOMINATED BY SHORT TERM REQUIREMENTS
3. DRIVE TO INCREASE WATER AVAILABILITY THEN IMPROVE
WATER MANAGEMENT.
• THE NATIONAL WATER PLAN PROPOSES TO PUMP ONE BILLION
LITRES PER YEAR FROM THE NORTHERN EBRO RIVER IS MET
WITH HUGE OPPOSITION FROM ENGO’S.
PROPOSED PIPELINE TO
TRANSPORT WATER FROM
THE NORTH TO REGIONS IN THE
SOUTH TO SUPORT THE EVER
INCRESING DEMANDS FOR
AGRICULTURE AND TOURISM
ECOTOURISM
• THERE IS NO INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED DEFINITION OF
ECOTOURISM, NO CERTIFICATION SYSTEM OR INTERNATIONAL
MONITORING BODY. IT DOES NOT DENOTE SUSTAINABILITY.
• ECOTOURISM REPRESENTS A NICHE MARKET AND REPRESENTS
2-4% OF INTERNATIONAL TOURIST EXPENDITURE.
• SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES SHOULD APPLY TO ALL TOURIST
ACTIVITIES
• AN ECOTAX HAS BEEN DECIDED UPON IN THE BALEARICS TO
ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THE SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
CAUSED BY THE TOURIST BOOM OF THE PAST 3 DECADES.
• THE INTERNATIONAL TOURIST INDUSTRY HAVE LOBBIED
FIERCELY AGAINST IT SAYING IT WILL DAMAGE BUSINESS.
THE TOURIST CARRYING CAPACITY
• PHYSICAL CAPACITY ‘THEORETICAL MAXIMUM NUMBER OF
RECREATIONALIST AN AREA CAN PHYSICALLY TAKE.
• PERCEPTUAL CAPACITY ‘THE NUMBER OF RECREATIONALIST
AN AREA CAN ACCEPT WITHOUT DIMINISHING THE QUALITY
OF THE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY.
• ECOLOGICAL CAPACITY ‘THE LEVEL OF RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITY AN ARE CAN UNDERGO BEFORE IRREVERSIBLE
DAMAGE IS SUSTAINED.
• IN MANY AREAS THE ECOLOGICAL CAPACITY HAS ALREADY
BEEN EXCEEDED.