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Appendix A
KUALA LUMPUR DECLARATION 15TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF APPCED “CLIMATE CHANGE AND TOURISM” 6 - 9 JUNE 2011 KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
We, the Participating Parliamentarians at the 15th General Assembly of Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Conference on Environment and Development (APPCED), 2. Recalling the outcome and decisions of the 14th General Assembly of Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Conference on Environment and Development; 3. Acknowledging that climate change and its impacts on environmental, economic and socio-cultural well-being constitute one of the most pressing challenges of our time; 4. Concerned about the slow pace in the United Nations (UN) negotiations towards the full implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; 5. Recognising that all countries need to implement nationally appropriate mitigation actions to address impacts of climate change in accordance with their respective common but differentiated responsibilities under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; 6. Recognising further that all countries will have to adapt to climatic change impacts that are already occurring and that are expected to increase in frequency and severity which require financing, technology transfer and capacity building; 7. Reiterating that economic and social development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities for the developing country parties; 8. Understanding that nations especially vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather events and sea-level rise include many nations that are highly dependent on tourism as an important, if not sole source of foreign revenue; 9. Recognising that response measures taken to address climate change can also adversely impact the tourism industry; 10. Affirming the important role of tourism in raising awareness on vulnerability, wise resource management, sustainable development, and the need for financing and technology transfer; 11. Acknowledging that Parliamentarians as legislators can and should play a key role in encouraging their respective legislative bodies to embrace climate resilient and climate friendly policies and to craft effective and meaningful legislation to address climate change in a fair and equitable manner; 12. Declare our commitment to address the impacts of climate change on tourism, on the basis of equity and according to the ‘polluter pays’ principle and the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective national capabilities, as follows: 13. Urge our respective governments to develop and adopt national policies to enable the full implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; 14. Further urge our respective governments to strengthen compliance with all legally binding multilateral environmental agreements and, where appropriate, by enhancing the implementation of appropriate mitigation actions at the national level; 15. Encourage developed countries to adopt more ambitious emission reduction commitments and developing countries to undertake nationally appropriate emission reduction actions; 16. Enable and support the transfer of appropriate technology and provide financial assistance, through the Financial Mechanism of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to assist developing and vulnerable countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change; 17. Cooperate with all countries to develop and implement measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change to the tourism sector; 18. Ensure that unilateral remedial measures implemented by any country take into account possible adverse impacts on vulnerable developing countries, particularly in the tourism sector; 19. Mobilise resources to enhance the important role of the tourism industry in building awareness on the drivers and impacts of climate change and educate the public about the need to implement response measures; and 20. Inspire fellow legislators of countries of the need to act urgently and decisively in responding to the threat of climate change so as to avoid its worst consequences and to allow sufficient time for environmental, social and economic systems to adapt. Adopted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on this 8th day of June 2011. |
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