Conservelopment
Conservation and development have long been seen as arch rivals, neither accommodating the other in a bid for the upper hand. In order to conserve barriers must be erected and access controlled to the resources that are to be preserved. To develop, areas are bulldozed to make way for the infrastructure that accommodates growing populations. It is clear that you can’t have one with the other, or can you?
Is there a way to enhance the social situation while conserving the natural environment? Can people find a way to co-exist with nature and still increase standards of living? Since the Industrial Revolution it has been accepted that where there is development there is environmental degradation. Take China’s massive growth phase – it is already the second most energy consuming nation on earth and looks set to increase these demands by 5% each year (http://www.eia.doe.gov/).
We cannot feasibly ask these developing mega-nations to forsake the short-term benefits of rapid growth to ensure we minimise environmental damage. Afterall, a report in publication from the IPCC shows those forecast to be worst effected by the effects of climate change will be developing nations anyway, so a little unfair perhaps to start blaming them for the damage underway. Developed nations were not called to account during their era of major industrial expansion so neither can we impose sanctions on others. It does mean, however, we should lead by example.
Money does make the world go round and to ensure the environment has a chance of fighting back against the insult of industrial development we need to show that environmental protection itself enhances economic benefits. It takes a lot of lateral thinking to work out how this can be done and even more consumer power. As soon as consumers start seriously demanding more environmental responsibility from their producers, multi-national corporations will start to listen. But the words have to be translated into money talk or no one will care.
Tourism is the largest industry in the world, bar the arms trade, and doesn’t look to be subsiding any time soon. Even with the recent publication of the IPCC’s report about climate change, human behaviour will not be immediately influenced and people will continue to fly for business and leisure, perhaps though with more guilt.
So what is ‘responsible travel’ (RT) and what does the term even mean? RT is basically a way of travelling that is both socially and environmentally respectful. An oxymoron I hear you say! Travel and tourism is all about flying and flopping, buying fake DVDs and generally making a nuisance of yourself in another country, isn’t it? I agree; until recently the travel industry has been held to relatively little account for the impacts it has on destinations, however sweeping generalisations are also too common.
The concept of RT revolves around ensuring you maximise social benefits via travel and minimise the environmental damage. For example, money spent by travellers goes straight to the local people providing the services travellers demand, anything from accommodation and meals to excursions and treks. Money spent locally, brings social benefits that lead to development. What about the conservation aspect?
The term ‘ecotourism’ has lost much of its meaning as it is now used to communicate a host of different travel-related ideas. But taking it now as meaning travel that involves an appreciation of nature, perhaps in visiting reserves, ecolodges, conservation projects, working sustainable farmsand similar ‘ and it begins to offer the conservation element of RT. Suddenly the natural environment becomes a valuable commodity as travellers will pay big money to have the ecotourism experience. Whether it’s silverback gorillas or a rare orchid species, someone will pay money to see what that destination has to offer. It it is in the interests of the community to preserve their most treasured natural possession and ensure it is available for the next group of travellers.
If you can plant the seeds of environmental responsibility in the thoughts of the traveller you can open their minds to the challenges faced by the countries they visit, even encourage them to take an interest in community projects. An ancient Chinese proverb gets this point across much better than I can:
Until you experience first hand the catalytic effect of introducing a visitor to a local person who wants to share their knowledge and thoughts can you appreciate how much there is to gain from cross-cultural interaction - and responsible travel. Travel is all about seeing new places and cultures, and how better to do that than through local eyes. When you stand in someone else’s shoes you can’t help but gain empathy for their situation. This is why when travellers meet and interact with local people they gain such a different experience and always a more rewarding one if that person is reliable and hospitable. This is the foundation of responsible travel – equality, awareness and participation: involving travellers in local efforts that enhance their social and environmental awareness and involving local communities in the benefits of global tourism. You remove the middleman and suddenly many more benefits – social, environmental and even economic – are yielded.
Exciting? It is, and the fact it actually makes good economic sense to support these efforts makes it even more interesting. The smart money for those in travel is to join these efforts now and be a leader. It offers a way to differentiate within the biggest industry in the world and gain access to a larger, more sustainable customer base. But this is not something the huge industry leaders can do easily, It’s an opportunity for those at grass roots level to implement projects and initiatives that offer travellers new experiences, communities sustainable futures, and the environment the protection it deserves. It also stimulates equality in an industry controlled by global corporations and across cultures.
So yes, there are ways to stimulate development with conservation and they are practical solutions that are being put in place all over the world in small settings. 2007 sees the first World Responsible Tourism Day on November 14th and promises to be revolutionary year for travel and RT in particular. But the smart ones already know that and are leading conservelopment to new heights.
Is there a way to enhance the social situation while conserving the natural environment? Can people find a way to co-exist with nature and still increase standards of living? Since the Industrial Revolution it has been accepted that where there is development there is environmental degradation. Take China’s massive growth phase – it is already the second most energy consuming nation on earth and looks set to increase these demands by 5% each year (http://www.eia.doe.gov/).
We cannot feasibly ask these developing mega-nations to forsake the short-term benefits of rapid growth to ensure we minimise environmental damage. Afterall, a report in publication from the IPCC shows those forecast to be worst effected by the effects of climate change will be developing nations anyway, so a little unfair perhaps to start blaming them for the damage underway. Developed nations were not called to account during their era of major industrial expansion so neither can we impose sanctions on others. It does mean, however, we should lead by example.
Money does make the world go round and to ensure the environment has a chance of fighting back against the insult of industrial development we need to show that environmental protection itself enhances economic benefits. It takes a lot of lateral thinking to work out how this can be done and even more consumer power. As soon as consumers start seriously demanding more environmental responsibility from their producers, multi-national corporations will start to listen. But the words have to be translated into money talk or no one will care.
Tourism is the largest industry in the world, bar the arms trade, and doesn’t look to be subsiding any time soon. Even with the recent publication of the IPCC’s report about climate change, human behaviour will not be immediately influenced and people will continue to fly for business and leisure, perhaps though with more guilt.
So what is ‘responsible travel’ (RT) and what does the term even mean? RT is basically a way of travelling that is both socially and environmentally respectful. An oxymoron I hear you say! Travel and tourism is all about flying and flopping, buying fake DVDs and generally making a nuisance of yourself in another country, isn’t it? I agree; until recently the travel industry has been held to relatively little account for the impacts it has on destinations, however sweeping generalisations are also too common.
The concept of RT revolves around ensuring you maximise social benefits via travel and minimise the environmental damage. For example, money spent by travellers goes straight to the local people providing the services travellers demand, anything from accommodation and meals to excursions and treks. Money spent locally, brings social benefits that lead to development. What about the conservation aspect?
The term ‘ecotourism’ has lost much of its meaning as it is now used to communicate a host of different travel-related ideas. But taking it now as meaning travel that involves an appreciation of nature, perhaps in visiting reserves, ecolodges, conservation projects, working sustainable farmsand similar ‘ and it begins to offer the conservation element of RT. Suddenly the natural environment becomes a valuable commodity as travellers will pay big money to have the ecotourism experience. Whether it’s silverback gorillas or a rare orchid species, someone will pay money to see what that destination has to offer. It it is in the interests of the community to preserve their most treasured natural possession and ensure it is available for the next group of travellers.
If you can plant the seeds of environmental responsibility in the thoughts of the traveller you can open their minds to the challenges faced by the countries they visit, even encourage them to take an interest in community projects. An ancient Chinese proverb gets this point across much better than I can:
“Tell me, I will forget;
Show me, I may remember;
Involve me, I will understand.”
Show me, I may remember;
Involve me, I will understand.”
Until you experience first hand the catalytic effect of introducing a visitor to a local person who wants to share their knowledge and thoughts can you appreciate how much there is to gain from cross-cultural interaction - and responsible travel. Travel is all about seeing new places and cultures, and how better to do that than through local eyes. When you stand in someone else’s shoes you can’t help but gain empathy for their situation. This is why when travellers meet and interact with local people they gain such a different experience and always a more rewarding one if that person is reliable and hospitable. This is the foundation of responsible travel – equality, awareness and participation: involving travellers in local efforts that enhance their social and environmental awareness and involving local communities in the benefits of global tourism. You remove the middleman and suddenly many more benefits – social, environmental and even economic – are yielded.
Exciting? It is, and the fact it actually makes good economic sense to support these efforts makes it even more interesting. The smart money for those in travel is to join these efforts now and be a leader. It offers a way to differentiate within the biggest industry in the world and gain access to a larger, more sustainable customer base. But this is not something the huge industry leaders can do easily, It’s an opportunity for those at grass roots level to implement projects and initiatives that offer travellers new experiences, communities sustainable futures, and the environment the protection it deserves. It also stimulates equality in an industry controlled by global corporations and across cultures.
So yes, there are ways to stimulate development with conservation and they are practical solutions that are being put in place all over the world in small settings. 2007 sees the first World Responsible Tourism Day on November 14th and promises to be revolutionary year for travel and RT in particular. But the smart ones already know that and are leading conservelopment to new heights.
Labels: conservation, development, ecotourism, responsible travel
