About this Course: Tourism and Climate Change

This course delves into the intricate relationship between tourism and climate change, highlighting both the impact of tourism on climate change and vice versa. The course explores strategies for mitigation and adaptation to ensure the future sustainability and resilience of tourism destinations. Through engaging case studies, learners will remodel and rethink these strategies, considering the growing need for sustainable tourism in the face of global climate challenges.

What Students Will Learn

  • The interconnected impacts of tourism and climate change on each other.
  • Effective adaptation and mitigation strategies to enhance sustainability in tourism.
  • Identification of future challenges that climate change poses to tourism and how to handle them.
  • Calculating personal or organizational carbon footprints and understanding their implications.
  • Engagement in debates and discussions on sustainable innovations in tourism.

Prerequisites or Necessary Skills

No prior prerequisites are necessary, although it is recommended to first take the MOOC "Sustainable Tourism: Society & Environmental Aspects" to better prepare for the topics discussed in this course.

Course Coverage

  • The fundamental concepts of how tourism contributes to climate change and vice versa.
  • Analysis of tourism's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts.
  • Flow of benefits derived from adaptive and mitigative strategies in tourism.
  • Developing frameworks for sustainable tourism practices.
  • Future scenarios that explore the potential long-term impacts of current tourism practices.

Who This Course is For

This course is designed for professionals working within the tourism industry, business owners in the tourism sector, policy makers, environmental advocates, and anyone interested in understanding and improving the sustainability of tourism practices.

Real-World Applications

Skills acquired through this course can be applied in various real-world settings, including but not limited to:

  • Development and implementation of sustainable policies and practices within the tourism industry.
  • Engagement in advocacy and policy-making for sustainable tourism.
  • Enhancing personal and organizational decision-making strategies to align with sustainable development goals.
  • Active participation in global dialogues and initiatives regarding climate change and tourism.

Syllabus

Module 1: Planetary Overview

  • Understanding the global context of tourism emissions and climate change.
  • The greenhouse effect and its relation to tourism.

Module 2: Tourism Impacts

  • Exploration of emissions from tourism, trends, and future projections.
  • Adaptation and mitigation challenges and strategies.
  • Module 3: Climate Impacts

    • Effects of climate change on the environment, tourism, and societies.
    • Introduction to climate services and how they can aid in decision-making.

    Module 4: Connecting Agendas

    • Exploring the interconnections between mitigation and adaptation strategies.
    • Future scenario planning and its implications for the tourism industry.