Tourism reaffirmed its growing role in global climate action at COP30, building on the momentum from COP29.

Over two dedicated Tourism Thematic Days (November 19–20), UN Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism of Brazil convened a broad range of tourism stakeholders to advance solutions for a low-carbon and climate-resilient tourism sector.

Following its recognition in the COP29 Action Agenda, tourism again featured prominently, with discussions centred on strengthening governance through UN Tourism’s Interinstitutional Working Group on Tourism and Climate Action.

Accelerating the implementation of the Glasgow Declaration Initiative on Climate Action in Tourism, which operates under the umbrella of the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme in collaboration with UNEP, was also a cross-cutting element to the discussions.

UN Tourism Executive Director Zoritsa Urosevic said: “Climate change is now one of the defining forces influencing the future of tourism, requiring faster advances in decarbonization, adaptation and regeneration, but most importantly investment required for the Net Zero transition. Our sector must align climate action with innovative approaches to strengthen resilience and ensure tourism’s competitiveness in the decades ahead.”

Tourism Consolidated Positioning as Climate Solution

A key milestone was the inclusion of a Plan for Accelerated Solutions (PAS) for the tourism sector under the UNFCCC High-Level Climate Champions, supporting a unified approach to measurement, mitigation and adaptation, with particular emphasis on stewarding forests, oceans and biodiversity. 

“The Plan for Accelerated Solutions builds on Brazil’s achievements in tourism GHG emissions measurement and sectoral adaptation planning, with support from the Inter-American Development Bank, as well as on countries’ priorities voiced through the Inaugural Meeting of the Interinstitutional Working Group on Tourism and Climate Action. It gives us an opportunity to scale local solutions into global pathways for tourism’s transformation”, said Ana Carla Lopes, Vice Minister of Tourism of Brazil

The PAS aims to support the development a Global Partnership for Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism to scale up solutions and access to finance – a mechanism stemming from the COP29 Declaration on Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism, which was endorsed by 70 governments, under the leadership of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan.

Advancing Adaptation and Innovation as Priorities

COP30 placed strong emphasis on adaptation, with sessions exploring how destinations can integrate climate-risk data and adaptation measures into tourism planning, and strengthen the governance needed to guide implementation.

The inclusion of tourism within national adaptation processes, community-led adaptation, nature-based solutions and the circularity of plastics, water and food were echoed as strategic measures with potential to support the Global Goal on Climate Adaptation.

Participants also explored pathways to accelerate alternative fuels, scale reforestation, restore corals, pilot blue carbon projects and unlock innovative blended-finance mechanisms to crowd in private investment for low-carbon and climate-resilient tourism projects. 

UN Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism of Brazil launched a public call to advance “Regenerative Approaches to Climate Action in Tourism” through the participatory development of a briefing paper with the objective to drive a more holistic approach to climate action in tourism that enhances ecosystem health and community well-being, and strengthen the nexus across climate and biodiversity agendas.

Global Stakeholder Participation Strengthened

In the spirit of the global mutirão, the Tourism Thematic Days on site were complemented by the Global Sessions on Climate Action in Tourism, organized with Travalyst and The Travel Foundation in collaboration with UN Tourism. These sessions ensured wide international participation and the exchange of solutions from all regions.

A special signing ceremony of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism welcomed new signatories, including the iconic Christ the Redeemer Sanctuary in Rio de Janeiro, further broadening the global community committed to climate-aligned tourism pathways. -TradeArabia News Service