Tourism and Climate Change
Join this online course and understand how tourism and climate change are inextricably connected. Strategically position yourself, and your organisation, and address the causes and challenges of climate change that we are facing now and in the future.About this course
Climate change, global warming, extreme weather, a rising sea level; we all hear and see the results of climate change in the daily news. But that’s not all, it’s becoming visible in our own environment and day to day life. Climate change is a growing challenge for the survival of life and mankind on earth.
Tourism – in all its forms – is contributing substantially to global warming and climate – and ecosystem changes. Given the fact that international tourism is growing exponentially, there are serious concerns about its contributions to global climate change. We know that this growth will lead to short- and long-term effects for life on earth. For instance, numerous island destinations are becoming flooded. At the same time, we can see how other places are gradually turning into deserts. And if tourism will grow as it does today, we expect it to be solely responsible for an increase of 1,5-2 percent on planet earth by 2070. It is likely that something must change, or that we have to rethink the very ways in which people experience travel in the future.
In this online course we address the key challenges that tourism is facing in context of drastic climate change-, mitigation and adaptation challenges. By joining this MOOC you will also gain insights about your personal position and attitude towards – what we frame as – a climate change emergency.
You can enrol in a free audit track or upgrade to a verified certificate. If you upgrade to a verified certificate you will get an additional opportunity to position yourself in relation to diverse debates concerning climate change and (calculate) your own travel footprint. You will also engage with fellow learners in (re-)modelling various adaptation and mitigation challenges. These exercises will help you to get a better understanding and reflection of what is at stake and how we may further engage with future tourism issues.
The MOOC ends with a range of potential future scenarios of tourism in context of climate change but will also invite you to vote how this course can further develop in the coming years. On basis of this joint decision making, the teaching staff will further equip the content of this course to best address emergent challenges and need for further action.
Join and support the successful tourism team at Wageningen University & Research by enrolling in this MOOC and in taking up this climate change challenge towards a more sustainable tourism of tomorrow!
Course details
What you’ll learn
- The relationship- and mutual impacts of- tourism and climate change
- Climate change mitigation/adaptation strategies
- Future challenges in tourism related to climate change
- Apply lessons learned on your own/organisational situation
- Reflect upon your own behaviour/calculate travel footprint/model future scenarios
Course partners
Course outline
Module 1: Planetary overview
In module 1 you will become aware of planetary context of tourism and climate change. We address topics such as:
- Planetary boundaries
- Climate change
- The greenhouse effect
- Emissions
- Tourism emissions
Exercise: Self-positioning in the tourism and climate change debate
Module 2: Tourism impacts
The goal of module 2 is to become aware of impacts of tourism on the climate and climate change. You will learn about:
- Emissions, trends and future
- Mitigation challenges
- Adaptation challenges
Exercise: Calculate your travel footprint & interpret/discuss
Module 3: Climate impacts
In the third module of the course you will become aware of
- Climate change effects on environment, tourism and society
- Potential use of climate services
We will address topics such as:
- (in)Direct effects
- Mitigation effects
- Societal effects
- Vulnerabilities of places and people
- Climate Services and decision making
Module 4: Connecting Agenda’s
In this module you will understand the linkages between mitigation and adaptation agendas and create awareness of future challenges of tourism.
You will learn about:
- Extreme tourism scenarios
- Future course scenarios
Requirements
No prerequisites, however, we do recommend you to enrol in the MOOC Sustainable Tourism: Society &; Environmental Aspects as a preparation for this MOOC.
