Tourism and Climate Change

Climate change, global warming, extreme weather, a rising sea level; we all hear and see the results of climate change in the daily news. But that’s not all, it’s becoming visible in our own environment and day to day life. Climate change is a growing challenge for the survival of life and mankind on earth.

Tourism – in all its forms - is contributing substantially to global warming and climate- and ecosystem changes. Given the fact that international tourism is growing exponentially, there are serious concerns about its contributions to global climate change. We know that this growth will lead to short- and long-term effects for life on earth. For instance, numerous island destinations are becoming flooded. At the same time, we can see how other places are gradually turning into deserts. And if tourism will grow as it does today, we expect it to be solely responsible for an increase of 1,5-2 percent on planet earth by 2070. It is likely that something must change, or that we have to rethink the very ways in which people experience travel in the future.

In the MOOC Tourism and Climate Change, we address the key challenges that tourism is facing in context of drastic climate change-, mitigation and adaptation challenges. By joining this MOOC you will also gain insights about your personal position and attitude towards - what we frame as - a climate change emergency.

You can enrol in a free audit track or upgrade to a verified certificate. If you upgrade to a verified certificate you will get an additional opportunity to position yourself in relation to diverse debates concerning climate change and (calculate) your own travel footprint. You will also engage with fellow learners in (re-)modelling various adaptation and mitigation challenges. These exercises will help you to get a better understanding and reflection of what is at stake and how we may further engage with future tourism issues.

The MOOC ends with a range of potential future scenarios of tourism in context of climate change but will also invite you to vote how this course can further develop in the coming years. On basis of this joint decision making, the teaching staff will further equip the content of this course to best address emergent challenges and need for further action.

Join and support the successful tourism team at Wageningen University & Research by enrolling in this MOOC and in taking up this climate change challenge towards a more sustainable tourism of tomorrow!

Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism

If you find this MOOC interesting we recommend you to also take a look at our Professional Certificate Programme Sustainable Tourism. A fully dedicated programme about sustainability in the tourism industry. The programme consists of two MOOCs Sustainable Tourism: Rethinking the Future and Sustainable Tourism: Society and Environmental Aspects. This last MOOC is among the 10 best MOOCs in the world and was nominated for the annual edX award in 2019.