Influences of Climate Change on Tourism Development in Small Pacific Island States

Franziska Wolf, Walter Leal Filho, Priyatma Singh, Nicolai Scherle, Dirk Reiser, John Telesford, Ivana Božić Miljković, Peni Hausia Havea, Chunlan Li, Dinesh Surroop and Marina Kovaleva
Additional contact information
Franziska Wolf: Research and Transfer Centre Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
Walter Leal Filho: Research and Transfer Centre Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
Priyatma Singh: School of Science and Technology, The University of Fiji, Lautoka, Fiji
Nicolai Scherle: FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie und Management (FOM), 80335 Munich, Germany
Dirk Reiser: Faculty of Society and Economics, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, 47533 Kleve, Germany
John Telesford: School of Continuing Education, T. A. Marryshow Community College, St George’s, Grenada
Ivana Božić Miljković: Faculty of Business Studies, Singidunum University, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Peni Hausia Havea: Live & Learn Tonga, Nuku’alofa, Tonga
Chunlan Li: Center for Geopolitical and Strategic Studies & Institute for Global Innovation and Development & School of Urban and Regional Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
Dinesh Surroop: Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, University of Mauritius, Réduit 80837, Mauritius
Marina Kovaleva: Research and Transfer Centre Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, 21033 Hamburg, Germany

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 8, 1-22

Abstract: Tourism-related carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions are a central driver of anthropogenic climate change. At the same time, climate change has both direct and indirect impacts on tourism, varying from damages of tourist assets due to extreme weather events, to losses of biodiversity. Small island developing states (SIDS) heavily depend on international tourism as a source of revenue and income. Therefore, much could be gained by assessing the vulnerability of the SIDS tourism sector and by identifying measures that may assist these islands in their sustainable adaptation efforts. Against this background, this interdisciplinary paper provides a review of tourism development and the implications of its emissions on the global climate, linked with observed and projected influences of climate change in the Pacific region, to explain the growing vulnerability of the overall sector, with a particular focus on SIDS tourism. A description of the effects of COVID-19 on international tourism and its consequences for SIDS complement the analysis. Case studies of two Pacific islands present some evidence of current climate impacts, underscoring the multiple risks small island nations and their tourism sectors face. The paper concludes by stating that some measures may be prioritized by decision-makers, so as to increase the resilience of a transforming tourism sector in SIDS.

Keywords: tourism; CO 2 emissions; climate impacts; Pacific region; Solomon Islands; Tonga (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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