Climate Change and Tourism in Mexico*

CLIMATE CHANGE AND TOURISM IN MEXICO*

Senator Carlos Jiménez Macías President of the Committee of Asia Pacific Foreign Affairs Senate of Mexico

Honorable Representative Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, President of the House of Representatives of Malaysia

Honorable Hwang, Woo-Yea, President of the Executive Committee of the APPCED and Member of the National Assembly of Korea

Distinguished colleague legislators:

I wish to initiate my participation acknowledging the outstanding work done by the organizers of this 15th General Assembly of the Conference of Parliamentarians of Asia Pacific on Environment and Development. The kindness and cordiality of the Malaysian people has made us feel right at home. Thank you for your kind gestures toward us.

I now want to make reference to the pertinent call that you made to reflect on an issue which is not only extremely updated, but very transcendental and which has an impact on the destination of the nations of the world and especially those of us who share the Asia Pacific region: the relationship between climate change and tourism.

It is well known that tourism is one of the most important activities in this contemporary world, but that it is also one of the sectors most sensitive to climate change.

Allow me to make my presentation in the context of Mexico.

Tourism is one of the most important engines of Mexican economy:

 It is the third source of foreign currency of the country. In 2010, the spillover effect in this sector was of 11.9 billion dollars.

 It represents nine percent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

 In 2010, the sector received twenty-two million four hundred thousand foreign tourists, 5.3% more than in 2009. This figure does not include the six million tourists that arrived in cruisers and the almost fifty million excursionists and visitors at the border of the United States.

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*Based on the information supplied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, taken from Bill of the General Law on Climate Change, as well as from the electronic pages of the Ministry of Tourism and of the Mexican Senate.

1  It creates 2.5 million direct jobs and five million indirect ones

 It is a tool of economic and social development, especially in the most marginalized regions of the country.

 Currently, Mexico is placed in the 19 position in foreign exchange earnings and in tenth place in tourism visitors and it is standard reference in the world tourism map.

International Tourism Arrivals (millions)

Due to this the care and attention for this sector has become a task in which we see the different government levels in public administration present: the executive branch and the society in general.

In a simplified way it is possible to say that Mexico has gained ground in promotion and development of sustainable tourism activity. On the other hand, taking into account the global aspect of climate change, the country is participating domestically complying with its commitments before the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Protocol and in its international environment, promoting moving forth international negotiations.

The Tourism Sector

The tourism sector is directly linked to the phenomenon of climate change. On one hand, due to the profile of the tourism industry in Mexico, the close relationship to climate makes it very sensitive to any change in weather conditions in the destinations, making it foreseeable as one of the most affected sectors due to the impacts expected in this phenomenon; on the other hand, leisure activities hold a responsibility in gas emissions that bring about the greenhouse effect which in turn is responsible for global warming.

2 According to international information (1), tourism currently represents five percent of the global emissions of gases with greenhouse effect (GEI) of anthropogenic origin. Of this five percent, it is estimated that two percent originates from the services of air transportation.

If this situation in the sector and consumption patterns prevail, there will be an increase of 2.5 percent in GEI emissions looking at the year 2035, because still taking into account the recent global economic recession, it is calculated that air traffic will increase 5 percent in the next fifteen years, resulting in an increase in emissions of 2.7 percent, causing an impact on environment.

It is calculated that in two or three decades the temperature of the surface of the bodies of water in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Mexican Pacific Ocean, could increase between one degree and two degrees centigrade. If this were so, the heat waves and intense storms would also augment. Additionally, the minimum temperatures would increase bringing about less cold days. Likewise, we could expect an increase in the intensity of the maximum wind factor and the rain associated would increase its intensity of tropical cyclones.

Consequently, the increase in the sea level would affect the hotel industry located near the coast zones, since the maritime currents would have a different behavior causing potential effect on the coast areas and the dynamics of the sand on the beach – something that is already happening in different regions of the country, especially in Cancún, Quintana Roo -. Besides, with a reduction in the supply of drinking water, there would be a rivalry for this element in the urban areas and the hotels.

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(1) WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM et al, “Toward a Tourism Sector with Low Carbon Emissions”

3 It is important to point out that Mexico has obtained vast experience in handling natural disasters and as a result the annual death casualties linked to hurricanes have reduced thanks to the implementation of the Early Alert System (Sistemas de Alerta Temprana), nevertheless, we need to say that the hotel infrastructure in the shore zones are exposed to constant risk and the costs for prevention of disasters increase year after year due to the recurrent tropical cyclones.

The tremendous amounts of resources earmarked for recuperation of devastated zones, brings about enormous budget imbalances for economies vastly dependent on tourism activity which are also seriously affected by a reduction in the economic activity and also results in job losses. As an example of this undesirable dynamic effect we can mention the strong impact that the hurricane Wilma had (2005) on the Yucatán Peninsula, Central America, the Caribbean and Florida.

Agenda 21 for Mexican tourism

The program commonly known as Agenda 21, is an initiative spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR), and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and Federal Government Offices to create sustainable development in tourism activity which means to say that it is a proposal for joint work of municipalities, states, the federal government, entrepreneurs and the communities so as to improve the conditions and the sustainability of tourism destinations.

Its objective is to suggest strategies and actions in a short, medium and long term period to strengthen the dynamics of tourism destinations; to work toward sustainable development in the tourism activity bringing about well-being, preservation of the environment and culture as well as optimizing the economic and social benefits of the communities.

4 Its objective is to join efforts and resources from the government, social academia and the private sector, since the main goal is directly associated to economic activity and to quality of life in the different destinations.

Understanding that tourism is one of the most effective tools to progress in obtaining sustainable development in the tourism municipalities, its sustainable development includes the economic benefits of the activity, improvement in the standard of living of the inhabitants of the specific destination, ecological long term balance and the preservation of culture, which are conditions that are necessary for considering a tourism destination competitive.

It functions by means of local administration, since it is the best route for working toward sustainable development since no one knows their own problems better than those who live in the different destinations.

1. Introduce local Agenda 21 for tourism municipalities. 2. Indicator sustainability system for tourism. 3. Promotion of better environmental practices in enterprises and destinations. 4. Incentive program for sustainable tourism activity. 5. Training program; technology transference 6. Ecological touristic arrangement of the territory 7. Ecotourism as a key for tourism in natural protected areas.

5 The first step in Agenda 21 is the application of an indicator system which is a tool that allows measuring and monitoring the conditions present in each destination; this means to say that you have to have an image that will be very easy for all the stakeholders to understand.

The result of the system is a diagnosis that is a fundamental tool in decision making situations, which expresses the information and opinions of the local actors. The diagnosis includes four main issues: Environment, Socioeconomic

Ambiance, Urban Development and Tourism which are the basis for putting together an action plan and for defining priorities and responsibilities.

The progress in putting together the diagnosis (around 100 for the same number of tourism destinations), has allowed to have a clearer view and a more realistic concept of the existing conditions and how things are happening in the destinations with tourism activity as well as the living conditions of its inhabitants and the challenges that must be faced.

In what interests us the most, in a general way regarding the environment, it is possible to point out that the main focus should be placed on the handling of solid waste material, the treatment and handling of residual water as well as the promotion of programs concentrating on environment education.

Regarding urban development, the problems are evident in issues such as the urban sprawl and the increase in precarious housing areas built on the outskirts of the destinations as well as the lack of territorial ordinance.

Speaking of socioeconomic environment, demographic pressure and street vendors, all these have become a major problem for some destinations. On the other hand, we also point out the establishment of training centers, of competitiveness programs and improvement of conditions in the destinations.

All the aforementioned gives us a vision of the challenges that tourism destinations have in Mexico and we must say that they have had positive behavior in their activity, but coordinated work is required of all those stakeholders involved, such as the three branches of government, the tourism enterprises, the academia, the non-government organizations and the community to move forth not only in competitiveness of tourism destinations, but also in its sustainability and the improvement of the living conditions of the inhabitants.

Climate change

The Special Program of Climate Change 2009 – 2010 specified that our country is placed thirteenth at a world wide level due to the gas emissions with a greenhouse effect (GEI) and that it represents 1.6 percent of the total of these global emissions. The sum total of these emissions represents an increase of 40 percent in comparison with the level registered in1990.

6 The increase of the emissions of GEI of the country has also gone hand and hand with an increase in temperature. Regarding this, “the instrumental observations of the last 38 years, show that the annual mean temperature has increased 0.6 degrees centigrade in average for the Mexican territory. The historic mean of the period reveals 20.9 degrees centigrade and shows that the observations are above the aforementioned mean after 1990; in the last ten years the tendency indicates an accelerated warming of 0.7 degrees Centigrade. (2)

Mexico’s geographic location, social inequality, lack of infrastructure, among other factors makes it fall into a category of a highly vulnerable country to climate change. In a scenario of temperature increase of 2 degrees centigrade we foresee that our country will have impacts in the environmental, social and economic aspects which are all linked to each other. Some of these impacts will be:

 There will be an increase of 2 degrees centigrade and a reduction of 10 percent in rainfall in the country that would bring about that more than half of the surface of the country will alter its temperature and rain conditions.

 97 percent of the territory is susceptible, in a moderate or high level, to desertification and drought.

 Increase in number or intensity of tropical cyclones and hurricanes.

 The increase in vulnerability of the species that currently are in a risk category and the endemic ones when facing the fragmentation of their habitat or rivalry with exotic invader species. Mexico is ranked in first place worldwide in species in danger of extinction.

 The effect of the oil infrastructure, highways and the transmission of electric energy.

 The effect of the number of people living in poverty, especially regarding foodstuff and training as a consequence of the reduction in production of food and due to the displacement of population to areas not affected by natural disasters linked to climate change.

 Of 99 operating fisheries in Mexico (which engulf 636 species), there is only a five percent potential for development.

 The most vulnerable regions regarding water scarcity are: Quintana Roo, Baja California Sur, Baja California, Mexico City, Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche and Jalisco; all of them with an elevated participation in the tourism GDP.

 70 million Mexicans are vulnerable to Climate Change. ------(2) Comisión Intersecretarial de Cambio Climático. “II Inventario Nacional de Emisiones Gases de Efecto Invernadero”. Mexico. Fourth National Communication before the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources– Instituto Nacional de Ecología, Mexico p. 34 (National Ecology Institute)

7  The price of idleness is estimated at an equivalent of 6 percent of the GDP. (3)

In this context, as we pointed out, in the international environment, Mexico holds a strong commitment before the issue of Climate Change, promoting progress of international negotiations. This was proven by Mexico’s participation in the COP 15 Summit and the celebration in Cancún at the end of last year of the 16th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 6th Conference of the Parties at a Meeting of the Parties of the Kyoto Protocol, with agreements that have helped, undoubtedly, for the reestablishment of trust in the multilateral system.

Domestically, it has complied with its commitments before the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Protocol by establishing four National Communications and the fifth is in progress and will be delivered in 2012.

Additionally, it has been modifying the institutional framework with laws such as the one of Desarrollo Rural Sustentable, (Rural Sustainable Development), for Desarrollo Forestal Sustentable, (Forest Sustainable Development), the law of Energías Renovables, (Renewable Energy), and specifically the bill of Ley General de Cambio Climático, (General Law of Climate Change), recently introduced in the Senate of Mexico. (1st reading).

It is important to point out that for the consolidation of the aforementioned bill, more than 100 forum meetings and workshops were held in which non- government organizations participated as well as research centers, universities, Chambers of Commerce, Public Federal Government offices and federal representatives, state representations and international organisms.

(3) SEMARNAT, 2009, “Economic Evaluation of Climate Change in Mexico”, The Economy of Climate Change, Mexico p. 54

8 Based on the analysis and evaluation of the proposals, opinions, suggestions, observations and criticisms received, the proposal that includes different points of view regarding mitigation and adaptation in a balanced way was put together; involve the three government branches so they will apply the policies and measures that are their concern; the promotion of national sustainable development based on an economy of low carbon emissions; scientific and technological research is fully supported; incentives are offered for national technological development and the promotion of new niches in the market; and the society is participative as policies are put forth and they participate as well in decision making situations.

Thank you very much.

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