Glasgow - Beth: The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) discussed the new alliance that will accelerate the tourism sector's transition towards net zero emissions, as tourism ministers around the world and leaders of international organizations announced their support for efforts to create a sustainable travel and tourism sector through the global hub Sustainable Tourism (STGC).

The Global Center for Sustainable Tourism is an international multilateral alliance established to lead, accelerate and regulate the tourism sector's transition to net zero emissions, as well as lead international efforts to protect nature and support communities.

The tourism sector is also vibrant, with some developing countries and small island states completely dependent on tourism for their economies. In addition, more than 40 million tourism projects are small or medium-sized projects, which is equivalent to 80% of the tourism sector as a whole. The World Center for Sustainable Tourism aims to support the planet and humanity by improving and activating the role of tourism in climate change, in an effort to protect and preserve the environment.

In a special session on the future of the Global Center for Sustainable Tourism at COP26, His Excellency the Saudi Minister of Tourism, Mr. Ahmed Al-Khatib, met with former President of Mexico and Head of the New Climate Economy Project and the World Resources Institute Mr. Felipe Calderon, Senior Adviser to the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and a number of leaders.

It is worth noting that the strategy of the World Center for Sustainable Tourism is being formulated by a coalition of governments, international organizations, academia, foundations and multilateral funding associations.

Invitations to participate in the first phase of this important alliance have been extended to the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, Japan, Germany, Kenya, Jamaica, Morocco, Spain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As these countries give priority to climate issues, tourism and small and medium-sized businesses, this would achieve the desired harmony in support of the Center's strategy that seeks to accelerate the desired transformation.

As for organizations, the most important organizations that will contribute to the formation of the center and its services in the first phase are the World Resources Institute (WRI), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), World Bank, and SYSTEMIQ. This is in addition to Harvard University, which will provide its support to the center through research and capacity development. The support provided by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is to accelerate the transformation of the tourism sector's activities to climate neutrality.

The center's services revolve around three main axes, including knowledge exchange, measurement and monitoring, and empowerment. The center will focus on at least nine areas in its support to the sector, such as research centers, knowledge development, platforms, standards and licensing development, facilitating bilateral exchange, capacity building, statistics or attracting Demand, investment.

The center is headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and regional offices will be opened later. The Center also has a presence on the Internet via a multilingual website.

Invitations to participate in supporting the second phase of the World Center for Sustainable Tourism will be directed to other countries and organizations. Work is also underway to bring together a group of global experts in tourism and climate to support these efforts.

Professor Ahmed Al-Khatib, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commented:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the extent of the interdependence between man and nature and the vulnerability of societies that depend on tourism to external changes. Tourism is one of the most vital sectors, providing jobs for more than 330 million people around the world. But the sector is also responsible for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, we must work now to enhance the capacity of societies and the sector to address the challenges of climate change, and we must work in cooperation with companies, government agencies and international organizations to accelerate this transformation. Through the Global Center for Sustainable Tourism, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia confirms its commitment to these necessary efforts.”

President Felipe Calderon, former President of Mexico and President of the World Resources Institute, said:

“We welcome this discussion with leaders from all over the world who share our mission in making tourism a pillar through which to achieve the aspirations of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, and there is an opportunity for companies and government agencies to work together to translate these goals into reality, as it will be the global center for sustainable tourism. as the success criterion for leading this mission."

Edmund Bartlett, Jamaican Tourism Minister, said:

“The Government of Jamaica remains committed to efforts aimed at enhancing resilience and resilience towards sustainable development, which includes sustainable tourism. In this regard, Jamaica welcomes the opportunity to partner with the Global Center for Sustainable Tourism, to contribute to this collaborative effort and work to reap its benefits to preserve the environment for generations coming.”

Ms Janet Rogan, UK Ambassador for the Middle East and Africa Climate Change Conference, said:

“We are proud to host COP26. We have run out of time on the issue of climate change. Now is the time to take action as tourism is a key sector that supports jobs and growth. This important new initiative will help accelerate the sector’s transition to net zero.”

Fatima Zahra Amour, Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social Economy of Morocco, said:

 “Under the guidance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect him, the Kingdom of Morocco has made sustainability one of the main pillars of its previous sectoral strategies and its new development model. Over the past two years, the world has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and tourism is one of the sectors most affected. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to join in. to our efforts to develop a sustainable recovery plan focused on travel and tourism activities. The Global Center for Sustainable Tourism is an important step towards this goal.”

Naguib Bilala, Kenya's Minister of Tourism and Wildlife said:

 “Kenya is one of the most attractive destinations in Africa for global tourists, and as such has been greatly affected by the decline in global tourism as a result of the pandemic. With this in mind, we agree that there is an urgent need to develop a new and sustainable approach to global tourism. Alongside our recently launched 2030 Wildlife Strategy that will ensure a sustainable ecosystem With a thriving natural environment, we support the Global Center for Sustainable Tourism with vigor and determination.”

Maria Reyes Moroto, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism of Spain, said:

“COP26 provides an ideal platform to underscore our commitment to supporting the tourism sector to contribute to addressing the challenge of climate change on a global level. As a leading country in the tourism sector globally, Spain supports tourism sustainability initiatives aimed at preserving the environment, increasing energy efficiency in the sector and adopting the principles of a circular economy. All this will accelerate the tourism sector’s contribution to the green transformation in accordance with the “European Green Deal.” Spain is an active member in international initiatives such as the “One Planet for Sustainable Tourism” initiative, and will remain an active partner working in partnership with other countries on a global level, especially developed countries, in addition to institutions international and corporate.

Julia Simpson, President and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council, said:

“At a time when leadership is most needed to address the climate emergency, we commend the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that will support the sector to achieve global goals and ensure a sustainable future. The World Telecommunication Center is pleased to contribute to supporting the Center through its unique data, research and expertise across companies in the whole world".

John Denton, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce said:

“I commend the decision to establish the Global Center for Sustainable Tourism, a multi-country and multilateral coalition that will promote sustainability in the global tourism sector. Given the effects of the pandemic on the sector, partnerships will be essential to ensure that small tourism operators can come back with more force, becoming a source of benefit to communities The local environment and the environment together.

“The International Chamber of Commerce, as the institutional representative of more than 45 million companies in more than 100 countries and the official contact point for businesses and industries to the United Nations, looks forward to supporting the development of the Global Center for Sustainable Tourism in the coming months, linking its businesses with our global network, and especially with millions of businesses. SMEs in the tourism sector.

Gloria Guevara, Senior Adviser to His Excellency Ahmed Al Khatib, said:

“The tourism sector has gone through many challenges during the pandemic and now needs a global solution, especially when considering the pressing challenges posed by climate change. Small and medium businesses in our sector, such as travel agencies or tour operators, may not know the size of their carbon footprint and how Contributing to net zero emissions So we must create jobs, reduce poverty and benefit our planet whenever we go on vacation The Global Center for Sustainable Development, which is a multi-country and multilateral alliance, aims to bring together stakeholders and stakeholders in the tourism sector and ensure joint collective action for a more sustainable and resilient future.”

Dr. Ramon Sanchez, Principal Investigator and Research Associate, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard University, said:

 "All communities, companies, government agencies, and stakeholders need to have the necessary tools, frameworks, and best practices to contribute to building a sustainable global tourism sector. We at Harvard University are excited to start collaborating with the Global Center for Sustainable Tourism in research that will contribute mainly to the development of sustainable tourism. Building the foundations and moving the sector towards net zero emissions."

Jeremy Oppenheim, founder of Systemtec, a global advisory and investment firm specializing in Paris Agreement-compliant sector transformations and supporting the Global Center for Sustainable Tourism, said:

“The Global Center for Sustainable Tourism brings together many sectors related to tourism, including aviation, hospitality, transportation and catering, in a global multilateral alliance that helps transform industry, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, from a sector that generates 8% of greenhouse gas emissions into one of the engines of a renewable, free world. of harmful emissions to the environment.

Niklas Sveningsen, Director of Global Climate Action for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said:

“Tourism is one of the sectors most threatened by climate change, and it is also one of the sectors that will greatly contribute to progress in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Action to address climate change provides an opportunity for all to recover economies, societies and countries in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.”