On November 22, 2024, the Climate Change Conference (COP29) came to a conclusion. This two-week event marked the 29th United Nations (UN) annual conference of parties, with delegations across the globe converging to reflect and map out solutions to the ongoing challenges that are presented by climate change. This year, Kenya is among 50 states that have endorsed a UN Declaration to make the Tourism Sector much more eco-friendly. The declaration, titled Enhanced Climate Action on Tourism, is historic as it commits states for the first time to address tourism in their climate strategies, particularly in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It is not shocking that Kenya would be among the states endorsing this pact. The state’s socio-economic backbone is the Agricultural Sector, which has been adversely impacted by rapid changes of weather patterns, particularly subsistence farming which is largely rain reliant. Kenya is also reliant on its Tourism Sector, consistently ranking amongst the top traveling destinations on the globe. Climate change also poses a danger to tourism in Kenya, as the leading attractions are all predominantly nature-based and culture-reliant, including lush mountains, sandy beaches, and sprawling savannahs.
What Does a Climate Friendly Tourism Sector Mean?
The tourism sector has been recognized as a major driver for both economic growth and development. Prior to the COVID19 Pandemic, tourism was the third-largest export earning category worldwide, and despite the effects of the pandemic, by the first quarter of 2024, the tourism sector was noted to have had a 97 per cent recovery. Highlighting the overall resilient nature of the industry. However, while tourism contributed greatly to Global GDP, it is also responsible for 8.8 per cent of Greenhouse Gas Emissions, from 2009 to 2013. Tourism is identified as climate change vulnerable in only 53 per cent of the NDCs, and out of these, only 64 per cent acknowledge the role of the tourism sector in supporting adaptation while 36 per cent recognize its role in supporting mitigation.
The declaration outlines three pathways for Climate Action in Tourism: the first is through strengthening tourism climate governance and policies. This approaches’ foundation is the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism which while outlining the role that tourism has played as a contributor to climate change and ensure that tourism is acknowledged as part of the solution in both adaptation as well as mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. This is geared towards the promotion of sustainable tourism practices. The second pathway is the building of new metrics and a shift in the business models for climate action within the tourism sector. There are two main tools envisioned to make this possible: establishing a means by which adequate and reliable measurement of tourist emissions, and the integration of circular economic models and the one planet sustainable tourism programme. The third pathway is bridging the knowledge gap and unlocking financing. The declaration acknowledges the resources that will be required for the global tourism sector to transition into low carbon.
Kenya’s tourism sector appears to be aligned with this declaration. With societies such as Ecotourism Kenya (EK), which brings together professionals from the private and public sector to champion tourism practices that are sustainable by linking tourism, communities, and conservation. Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife (MoWT), also shares this interest in supporting a low-carbon tourism industry as captured in the Kenya Tourism Strategy (2021 – 2025). Within the strategy, there are 9 initiatives identified to help deliver the new strategy, among them is ‘establish sustainable standards for operators and ensure compliance’ (D2), which aims to help strengthen the tourism industry in a post COVID19 era. The strategy clearly outlines the What: the need to establish the minimum requirements for operators to meet or face licence suspension and a means of evaluation on these new sustainability budges. Then Who: National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to help monitor the minimum requirements and reevaluate environmental audit licenses, while the MoWT would evaluate if Ecotourism Kenya is an adequate monitoring body for this accreditation and add benefits for operators who have gained sustainability badges. Lastly, How: the suspension of licences of those who do not meet criteria, establishment of benefits that will be inaccessible if an operator lacks or cannot sustain their badges.
Beyond this initiative, the strategy is still in line with the ideas of an eco-friendly tourism sector, mapping out ways in which the state can reduce over-crowding in the national parks and reserves, while also providing marketing strategies that can help attract local, regional and international tourists throughout the year to various regions across Kenya, in a way that is self-sustaining and preserves the local cultures and landscapes.
Will Eco-Tourism Work in Kenya?
While Kenya boasts a large number of organizations, agencies, and societies be it in the private or public sector that advocate for eco-tourism in Kenya, the practices on the ground greatly defer. For instance, there are designated reserves and parks to preserve environmental diversity, however within those same designated areas lack of proper training among staff and a lack of established values that promote preservation of surroundings among visitors, leads to degradation of the environment. As of 2024, when this article is being authored, the Kenya MoWT has yet to fully implement the outlined D2 initiative. The Kenya Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA), which is mandated with regulating the tourism sector in Kenya since 2011, has established a licencing framework, with corresponding penalties for non-compliance, and a digital licencing portal through which operators can apply, track and renew licences. These are all steps that align with the 2021 – 2025 strategy, however, it remains unclear to what extent all the specifications of the D2 initiative have been actualized.
On a whole, the tourism sector continues to be a great source of economic growth and development for Kenya. Taking into account the state’s vulnerability to climate change, eco-tourism presents new opportunities for Kenya. With the advantage of having states such as Costa Rica to benchmark against, sound government policies and strategies, and the presence of local-based experts, Kenya is primed for change. This can only be achieved, though if the same change was reflected on the ground, away from the trappings of boardrooms and theoretical framing.
Photo Credits: Tourism Board of Kenya
Raudhat Saddam is a Researcher at the HORN Institute
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