Webinar Series 2019

In 2019, the Coordination Desk continued promoting a series of webinars supported by UN Environment, UNWTO, France and Spain. The webinars focused on two main themes: plastic waste and pollution, in line with the cross-cutting theme for the One Planet network for 2019 and 2020, and climate change.

Webinar 16. Addressing plastic pollution in tourism destinations, 14:00-15:00 CET, 29 October 2019

Plastic pollution is among the great environmental challenges of our time. With 95% of marine litter being composed of plastics and various tons of additional waste entering the ocean every minute, the risks and damage to biodiversity and ecosystems are unprecedented. Coastal environments are one of the main assets of tourism destinations and at the same time very vulnerable to uncontrolled littering. According to WWFs “Stop the flood of plastic”[1] 2019 report, in the Mediterranean region alone the tourism sector loses up to 268 million Euros each year from plastic pollution. At the same time, tourism has been found to be among the most probable sources of marine plastic pollution, with the sector being responsible for up to one-third increase of waste during the summertime in some Mediterranean countries, resulting in local waste management facilities being overwhelmed.

The objectives of the webinar are to: 

• Discuss how destinations can assess and reduce plastic pollution by improving their planning and management; 
• Learn more about existing alternatives to plastic to revisit procurement strategies;
• Explore how the tourism sector can become a catalyzer for change and find innovative solutions to address plastic pollution and marine litter. 

Participants: 118 (84 women, 34 men)

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material. 

Webinar 15. Building a common vision to address plastic waste and pollution. Key concepts and commitments, 23 October 2019

The organization of this webinar was led by the One Planet (10 YFP) Secretariat in support of the implementation of actions on plastic waste and pollution as a cross-cutting theme for the whole One Planet Network in 2019 and 2020. The purpose of this webinar was to discuss plastic pollution, highlighting its complexities and to understand the systemic and value chain perspectives to tackle it. 

During the webinar, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation presented the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment in collaboration with UNEP. The webinar also introduced the One Planet network initiative on plastics, including the initiative developed by the Sustainable Tourism programme. 

Participants: 105

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the presentation material.

Webinar Series 2018

In 2018, a series of webinars was promoted by the Coordination Desk with an aim to share and exchange information on sustainable tourism and its connection to the circular economy. The webinars were followed by 250 participants and included the collaboration with the One Planet Sustainable Buildings & Construction Programme.

Webinar 14. Circularity in sports events, 28 November 2018

Moderator: Carlota Estalella (UN Environment)

Speakers: Katherine Adams (BRE group), Julia Pallé (Formula E Holdings), Yoan Noguier (Yunus Sports Hub)

Participants: 24 (19 women, 5 men)

Objectives: The objectives of the webinar were to:

• Learn about existing circular solutions applied already in large sports events;
• Discuss the potential of integration of circularity in sports events (including legacy aspects for host destinations and sports communities and more broadly, awareness raising among the general public);
• Explore how large sports events may become incubators of innovative circular solutions.

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar 13. Circular economy: exploring an innovative approach for the tourism sector, 6 June 2018

Moderator: Dr. Dirk Glaesser (UNWTO)

Speakers: Ms. Anna Tarí, (Circular Economy Club), Dr. Jesper Manniche (Center for Regional and Tourism Research), Ms. Sally-Anne Käsner (JG AFRIKA)

Participants: 106 (66 women, 39 men, 1 unknown)

Objectives: The objectives of the webinar were to: 

• Provide definitions of circular economy and explore potential of circular models within the tourism sector;
• Learn more about innovative business models that apply circular principles;
• Explore concrete results of implementation of circular business models through the case study of Hotel Verde.

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar 12. Sustainable Business Models on Circularity in the Built Environment, 28 March 2018

Moderator: Mr. Pekka Huovila (Sustainable Building and Construction Programme of the One Planet network)

Speakers: Mr. Nitesh Magdani (Royal BAM the Netherlands), Dr. Ke Wang (VITO Belgium), Dr. Robert Wimmer (GrAT - Center for Appropriate Technology)

Participants: 108 (61 women, 47 men)

Objectives: The objectives of the webinar were to: 

• Provide testimonials of frontrunning organizations developing and implementing circular models in the built environment;
• Explore examples of profitable business cases of circular construction and management of buildings within the tourism industry.

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar Series 2017

In 2017, the Coordination Desk continued to promote a series of webinars, organized by UN Environment and France, which were followed up by over 470 participants. The webinars focused on aspects related to planning and management, sustainable value chains and financial tools in the run up to the 2017 International Symposium and Annual Conference under the theme “Empowering Tourism Destinations’ Sustainability through Innovation”.

Please note that the opinions expressed during the webinars are those of the speakers.

Webinar 11. Sustainable food management, 19 December 2017

Moderator: Mr. Bruno Fareniaux (Ministry of Ecological and Inclusive Transition of France)

Speakers: Mr. Christian de Barrin (HOTREC), Mr. Alexis Waravka (HOTREC), Ms. Agnès Weil (Club Méditerranée), Mr. Arnaud Herrmann (AccorHotels)

Participants: 33 (24 women, 9 men)

Objectives: The three objectives of the webinar were to:

• Provide examples of methodologies for management of food & beverage value chains in the tourism industry;
• Discuss benefits of food waste prevention;
• Present approaches to integrate small, local producers into a large, mainstream tourism value chains.

Please kindly note that this webinar was held in French. 

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar 10. What is overtourism in protected areas and what can we do about it?, 3 November 2017

Moderator: Dr. Anna Spenceley (IUCN WCPA TAPAS Group), Mr. Allan Rhodes Espinoza (Ecoturismo Genuino)

Speakers: Mr. Jon Kohl (PUP Global Heritage Consortium), Dr. Stephen McCool (University of Montana) 

Participants: 131 (77 women, 54 men)

Rising visitor use levels in tourism destinations over the last several years have caught residents and managers off-guard, leading to potentially significant social and biophysical impacts. This condition has been termed “overtourism”, but has been previously known by other terms such as “over use” and “over crowded.” Concern about this situation has a long history in protected area management. Regardless of the term, the concerns about impacts have legitimate foundations. Resolving this problem will require a better understanding of it first, before proposing simplified solutions. 

As a collaboration between the IUCN WCPA Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group, Ecotourism Genuino, PUP Global Heritage Consortium and the 10 YFP Sustainable Tourism Programme, the webinar was designed to build awareness of the challenges of high levels of visitor use in protected areas, review what has lead to this challenge, and to suggest a way forward. 

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar 9. Financing sustainable development in tourism SMEs, 18 October 2017

Moderator: Ms. Cecilia Lopez y Royo (UN Environment)

Speakers: Ms. Virginia Robano (OECD), Mr. Salvador Leal (Ministry of Tourism, Mexico), Mr. Vasilis Karakousis (TEMES S.A.)

Participants: 66 (35 women, 31 men)

Objectives:

• Presented solutions that public actors, in collaboration with banks may develop to support SME access to finance;
• Shared information on governmental investment and finance initiatives supporting the tourism transition towards sustainable tourism development.

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar 8. 'Sustainability catalysts' - The importance of large companies to tourism value chains, 11 October 2017

Moderator: Ms. Helena Rey (UN Environment)

Speakers: Ms. Jane Ashton (TUI Group PLC), Ms. Marie Balmain (Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs), Mr. Nicolas Perin (International Tourism Partnership)

Participants: 81 (52 women, 29 men)

Objectives:

• Explored opportunities for large tourism companies in influencing and enhancing the development of sustainable practices within SMEs across value chains.

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar 7. Tourism and sustainable food management, 20 September 2017

Moderator: Dr. Dirk Glaesser (UNWTO)

Speakers: Mr. Nout van der Vaart (Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries), Ms. Wendy Moore (The Travel Foundation), Mr. Terry Brown (The Travel Foundation), Prof. Dagmar Lund-Durlacher (MODUL University Vienna), Mr. Benjamin Lephilibert (LightBlue Environmental Consulting)

Participants: 115 (84 women, 31 men)

Objectives: The three objectives of the webinar were to:

• Provide examples of methodologies for management of food & beverage value chains in the tourism industry;
• Discuss benefits of food waste prevention;
• Present approaches to integrate small, local producers into a large, mainstream tourism value chains.

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar 6. Financial tools for the sustainable development of tourism enterprises, 26 June 2017

Moderator: Florence Levasseur (Simplification CCI France)

Speakers: Yannick Pecherand (BPI France), Aude Andrup (ADEME), Abdeliah Lahchimi (Consultant, Tourism and handicrafts)

Participants: 45 (27 women, 18 men)

The aim of the webinar series on sustainable tourism and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) was to enable stakeholders from the public sector, private sector, academia and civil society to learn more about the tools, methodologies and best practices in the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism activities. The webinar primarily addressed at Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), which are particularly concerned by the search for funding for the implementation of more sustainable activities. Indeed, the cost and the lack of profitability are often cited as obstacles to the implementation of sustainable tourism approaches.

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar Series 2016

In 2016, the Coordination Desk of 10YFP Sustainable Tourism Programme promoted a series of webinars, organized by UN Environment with support from France and Morocco, with participation of over 180 participants and hundreds of YouTube views. The webinars focused on climate-related issues and paved the way to the 2016 International Symposium and Annual Conference under the theme “Advancing sustainable tourism in a changing climate”.

Please note that the opinions expressed during the webinars are those of the speakers.

Webinar 5. Management of coastal and mountain tourism areas endangered by climate change, 14 December 2016

Moderator: Svitlana Mikhalyeva (UN Environment)

Speakers: Gérard Ruiz (National Association of French Elected Officials of Coastal Areas –ANEL-), Guillaume Cromer (ID-Tourism and Association of Actors of Sustainable Tourism)

Participants: 38

The discussions focused on effectively linking local, national and international measures to facilitate the sustainable management of costal and mountain tourism areas. The importance of adaptation and mitigation measures for the sustainable management of these areas. 

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information on the Webinar, please download the technical note.

Webinar 4. Tourism transition at destination level: methodologies and innovative projects, 20 October 2016

Moderator: Eric Raulet (Defismed)

Speakers: Pierre Torrente (ISTHIA), Samiha Khelifa (University of Sousse, Tunisia)

Participants: 33 (18 women, 15 men)

The webinar highlighted the need for involving a wide range of stakeholders, including local communities and civil society members, and developing a bottom-up communication channels in establishing long-term sustainable solutions for tourism development.  

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar 3. Sustainable mobility as leverage of reduction of CO2 emissions in tourism sector, 23 September 2016

Moderator: Svitlana Mikhalyeva (UN Environment)

Speakers: Patrick Oliva (Michelin Group), Ghislain Dubois (TEC), Hugo Chauvin (Carte Blanche Conseil)

Participants: 42 (19 women, 23 men)

The discussion was centered around mobility and tourism - two highly interconnected areas in the decarbonisation efforts. The webinar underlined the role of multi-modal transportation and the shift from aviation to rail transportation in reducing carbon footprint of tourist travels.  

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar 2. The Paris Climate Change Agreement and its implications for tourism, 6 June 2016

Moderator: Deirdre Shurland (UN Environment)

Speakers: Dr. Daniel Scott (University of Waterloo, Canada), Dr. Stefan Gössling (Lund University, Sweden)

Participants: 41 (20 women, 21 men)

The webinar focused on the Paris Agreement, adopted by 190+ countries in Paris, December 2015, which aims to ¨hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels¨. The dialogue highlighted the immediate need for sector specific targets for the tourism sector to effectively contribute to the 2030 Agenda. 

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.

Webinar 1. World Heritage & Tourism in a changing climate, 26 May 2016

Moderator: Helena Rey  (UN Environment)

Speakers: Peter Debrine (UNESCO World Heritage Centre), Adam Markham (Union of Concerned Scientists)

Participants: 42 (22 women, 20 men)

The webinar discussed the need to improve collaboration with national multi-stakeholder networks to build resilience to develop destination-level data sets. The discussion also emphasized the role of effective monitoring and data collection practices in protecting World Heritage Sites. 

Please click here watch recorded webinar.

For more information, please download the technical note and presentation material.