Tourism industry to ameliorate its effects on change

Ho, Sept 23, GNA-The tourism sector in Ghana has been urged to safeguard its future by resorting to non-carbon dioxide emission sources of energy which tended to cause dangerous imbalances in world climatic conditions.

This is because climate is a crucial determinant of how the sector performs.

"Action must be taken now", Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Minister of Tourism and Disaporan Relations exhorted at a World Tourism Day workshop for tourism related institutions and agencies in Ho on Tuesday. It was under the theme; "Tourism: Responding to the challenges of climate change".

"Tourism is not just a potential victim of climate change. It also contributes to its causes", by spewing between 4-6 percent of emissions such as carbon dioxide from aviation, hotels and restaurants and motoring, "into the earth's dying atmosphere", she said "The tourism industry itself must take action to reduce its contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions," Mrs. Sai-Cofie said. She said Ghana needed to act to stem the danger in order to safeguard her potential earnings of 1.1 billion United States Dollars from the tourism sector and the 220,000 direct jobs it offers.

Mrs. Sai-Cofie urged players in the sector to resort to wind, biomass and solar power as alternative sources of energy away from fossil fuel based energy sources.

This, she said, must be coupled with changes to planning procedures and laws and the creation of more opportunities for developing renewable energy sources.

Mrs. Sai-Cofie called for the adoption of stringent efficiency standards and compulsory energy rating scheme in hotels, the incorporation of public transport and cycling as well as low impact vehicle technology.

She also recommended recycling and conservation of water sources and afforestation.

Mr. Kofi Dzamesi, Volta Regional Minister said the recent floods in the north and the destruction by tidal waves along the country's coasts such as Keta are part of Ghana's share of the consequences of world climatic changes taking place.

The workshop would feature a documentary on global warming and its impacts as well as a general overview of climate change and how activities of the tourism sector impact on climate change and how to help mitigate the challenges involved. They would also be group discussions leading to the issuance of a communiqu=E9. 23 Sept. 08