Consumption and the environment (SOER2010) - European ...

Thematic assessment | Consumption and the environment
the building of facilities such as hotels, second homes or
tourism infrastructure and activities at the destinations
(Figure 7.1). Life‐cycle assessment studies on tourism are
sparse and often related to a specific hotel or destination
(De Camillis et al., 2010).
Transport connected to tourism accounts for about 8 %
of GHG emissions in the EU‐15 (Working Group on
Sustainable Tourism, 2007) and the choice of transport
mode to and from the destination is by far the most
influential factor in overall GHG emissions from tourism, as
illustrated by the emissions associated with different types
of typical holiday trips of German tourists (Figure 7.2).
In the EU‐15, most trips are made by car, followed by air.
Car travel accounts for about 41 % of GHG emissions from
tourism (Working Group on Sustainable Tourism, 2007),
and trips made by plane account for about 55 % despite
only being used for 20 % of trips (UNWTO and UNEP,
2008). In the Mediterranean countries, the share of tourists
arriving by plane increased from 23 % to 40 % between 1988
and 2006 (UNEP/MAP‐Plan Bleu, 2009).
Some tourist activities, such as swimming and golf, are
responsible for heavy water use, often in regions with
few water resources. In sensitive regions such as the
Mediterranean or the Alps, tourism is thus an important
cause of water shortages and the degradation of water
supplies (EEA, 2009a; EEA, 2010c, 2010d). In order to meet
high tourist water demands, in some cases drinking water
is even transported over long distances by ship, for example
to some of the Greek islands (EEA, 2010b).
Although highly dependent on environmental quality,
tourism, through the construction of hotels, second/
holiday homes, marinas, skiing facilities, and other
attractions, is an important driver of land take and
degradation, especially in coastal areas. Together with
other tourism‐related pressures, such as over‐visiting
vulnerable habitats, disturbance of wildlife, sale of
endangered species to tourists, trampling of dune
environments, this contributes to the loss of habitats for
wildlife (UNEP/MAP/BLUEPLAN, 2008; see also EEA,
2010e). Tourism based on observation of marine wildlife
is both an opportunity and a threat to biodiversity if the
intensity of such activities is not controlled (UNEP/MAP/
BLUEPLAN, 2008).
The growth in tourism is proving to be especially
environmentally damaging in some mass tourist
destinations such as the Mediterranean coasts and islands
and the Alps. And as mass tourism spreads further to
the coastal areas of the Southern Baltic Sea, Brittany
and the Black Sea, similar environmental degradation is
occurring and can be expected to continue (EEA, 2006).
In the Alps, winter tourism is growing rapidly, often
extended by artificial snow‐making, which is not only
energy‐intensive but has high water demand in a season
of low water levels, thus putting pressures on lakes, rivers
and groundwater, and enhances flood risks when the snow
melts (EEA, 2009b).
7.3 Tourism outlooks and scenarios
Before the economic recession, total tourist travel was
forecast to grow by 122 % between 2000 and 2020, with a
related increase in CO 2
emissions from European tourism
of 85 % (Simpson et al., 2008). Tourist air travel is expected
Figure 7.2
GHG emissions for some types of holiday trips from Germany, CO 2
‐equivalent
per person per day
Staycation (14 days, 4 persons)
Family holiday Ruegen, Germany (car, 14 days, 4 persons)
Wellness holiday Allgaeu, Germany (train, 10 days, 3 persons)
Culture holiday, South Tyrol (bus, 5 days, 2 persons)
Skiing holiday, Austria (car, 7 days, 1 person)
Beach holiday, Majorca (plane, 14 days, 3 persons)
Mediterranean cruise (plane, 7 days, 2 persons)
All-inclusive holiday Mexico (plane, 14 days, 4 persons)
0 200 400 600
CO 2
-equivalent per person per day
Travel Accomodation Food On-location activities
Note:
Staycation means a holiday at home with holiday activities locally.
Source: WWF, 2009.
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The European environment | State and outlook 2010