Sustainable Tourism and Natural Resource Conservation in the Polar Regions

This book holds key papers from the fifth conference and community workshop of the International Polar Tourism Research Network (IPTRN), held in the village of Raufarhöfn (population 160) in Northeast Iceland at the end of August 2016. In total, 40 papers were presented at the conference which explored how expectations towards tourism development in peripheral places can be managed to contribute to the cultural well-being of peripheral communities and enhance the protection of the environment. The seven papers contained herein, in addition to the editorial, can roughly be grouped into two categories. The first set of four papers deals with methods and key assets for developing sustainable tourism operations in the Polar Regions. The second set of three papers deals more with the implications of different means of access to the more remote parts of the Polar Regions

Four paradoxes of the user-provider interface: A responsible innovation framework for sea ice services

In the Arctic region, sea ice retreat as a decadal-scale crisis is creating a challenging environment for navigating long-term sustainability. Innovations in sea ice services can help marine users to anticipate sea ice concentration, thickness and motion, plan ahead, as well as increase the safety and sustainability of marine operations. Increasingly however, policy makers and information service providers confront paradoxical decision-making contexts in which contradictory solutions are needed to manage uncertainties across different spatial and temporal scales. This article proposes a forward-looking sea ice services framework that acknowledges four paradoxes pressuring sea ice service provision: the paradoxes of performing, contradictory functions embedded in sea ice services, contradicting desired futures and the paradox of responsible innovation. We draw on the results from a multi-year co-production process of (sub)seasonal sea ice services structured around scoping interviews, workshops and a participatory scenario process with representatives of marine sectors, fishers, hunters, metservice providers, and policy experts. Our proposed framework identifies institutionalized coproduction processes, enhanced decision support, paradoxical thinking and dimensions of responsible innovation as tactics necessary to address existing tensions in sea ice services. We highlight the role of socio-economic scenarios in implementing these tactics in support of responsible innovation in sea ice social-ecological systems. The article concludes with a discussion of questions around equity and responsibility raised by the ultimate confirmation that enhanced information, data infrastructures, and service provisions will not benefit all actors equally.</p

Navigating Weather, Water, Ice and Climate Information for Safe Polar Mobilities

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Polar Prediction Project (PPP) was conceived and initiated in 2012 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), through its World Weather Research Programme (WWRP), in response to rapid environmental change in the Polar Regions. The primary goal of the PPP is to advance scientific knowledge such that society, both within and outside of the Arctic and Antarctic, may benefit through applications of improved weather and climate services. This includes improved understanding and prediction of physical parameters and the ways people use the available information. To this end, the Polar Prediction Project Societal and Economic Research and Applications (PPP-SERA) working group was established in 2015. This report represents the foundational work of PPP-SERA and aims to explore how weather, water, ice and climate (WWIC) information is currently being used and produced in the Polar Regions, by whom, and for what reasons. The report also identifies, frames and articulates important areas of research related to the use and provision of environmental prediction services that should be prioritized and further developed during, and beyond, the Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP, 2017-19). The concepts of information value chains and human mobilities are used in this document to conceptualize the complex interaction between the production and use of environmental prediction information. This approach facilitates: (a) the exploration of WWIC-related risks that affect physical movement of people, goods and services between places (i.e. mobilities); (b) an examination of the demand for, and production and mobilization of, WWIC knowledge and information that can inform user decisions (i.e. value chain). We identify that WWIC information provision occurs through a variety of actors, from formal state institutions, to private and community-based organizations, to Indigenous and local knowledge obtained by a range of individual actors or groups, positioned in an increasingly complex value chain of information provision and use. The constitution, functioning and implications of these increasingly complex WWIC information value chains are currently not fully understood. Value chains used to describe linear processes whereby WWIC information was transferred directly from providers to users. Today, users not only consume WWIC information but they also co-produce data, information, and decisionmaking products. This has largely been facilitated by technological advancement and improved communications via the Internet, which promotes a decentralization of WWIC information services. Consequently, it is difficult to discern whether or not user needs are being adequately identified and addressed by providers and whether WWIC services are adding value to users. Our analysis indicates that human activities and mobility sectors operating in the Polar Regions vary widely in size and scope, and are diverse in terms of operational contexts and practices. Despite the challenge of mapping the temporal and spatial dimensions of human activities in the Polar Regions, due to a paucity of consistent information, we discuss relevant characteristics and future prospects of a range of distinct mobility sectors including: (a) commercial transportation (shipping and aviation); (b) tourism: (c) fishing; (d) resource extraction and development; (e) community activities; (f) government activities and scientific research. Most activities are on the rise and human activities in the Polar Regions are becoming increasingly diversified. Users appear to be increasingly dependent on specialised WWIC information services and technology needed to access these. More detailed, specialized and near-real-time weather and climate services are required to provide relevant information for a diversity of contexts and practices. While higher-quality WWIC information and greater resolution of data is necessary for some, it is insufficient for all. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ data product needed to assist the variety of users. Furthermore, the existence of more and improved WWIC information does not necessarily mean that it will be used. For WWIC data to be valuable and used, they must be trusted, easily understood, accessible, and packaged for easy transmission to remote areas with limited Internet bandwidth. There is also a need for systematic documentation regarding particular uses of existing WWIC information services, and thus more work is needed to collect data necessary to situate human activities and their mobilities within their spatial-temporal contexts and decisionmaking practices. To respond to these knowledge gaps, we identify that in-depth qualitative and quantitative research is needed which explores: (a) user information needs, behaviours and preferences; (b) the relationship between users and providers of WWIC information, including the co-production of services; (c) factors that enable or constrain access to, or provision of, WWIC information services; (d) infrastructure and communication needs. PPP-SERA, and social scientists involved in research that focuses on the Polar Regions more broadly, can contribute to addressing some of the knowledge gaps outlined in this document. We have compiled an initial database of sources for WWIC information that is of relevance for different user sectors and across different regions, and we envision broader and ongoing contributions to this effort. We also identify a need for categorization of users, decision factors, services sought and providers tailoring products for specific mobilities. This will highlight the complexity and interconnections between users, providers and decisionmaking contexts across the Polar Regions. The Polar Regions are undergoing dramatic environmental changes while seeing a general growth and diversification of human activity. These changes imply that WWIC services not only need to respond to rapidly transforming environmental parameters, but ought to be salient in the diverse contexts in which users engage with them. While it is still largely unknown how WWIC information services are currently being used, and to what extent they influence decisionmaking and planning, improved access to, and quality of, WWIC information is considered as significant for reducing the risks related to human activities in dynamic polar environments

Easing the adoption of agent-based modelling (ABM) in tourism research

Agent-based modelling (ABM) is an emerging approach in tourism research. Despite the natural fit between theories of tourism as a complex, interconnected system, and the generative approach supported in ABM, there has been only limited integration within mainstream tourism research. This research letter reports on a recent gathering of tourism ABM researchers to define the main challenges that face the adoption of ABM in tourism research. These include technical, communications, and novelty issues. In response to these challenges, three potential strategies to ease adoption are outlined: education, awareness, and interdisciplinary teams. These findings are framed as a call for increased attention to the fit of ABM within tourism research, and a framework for negotiating constraints to adoption of this technology.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Denying bogus skepticism in climate change and tourism research

This final response to the two climate change denial papers by Shani and Arad further highlights the inaccuracies, misinformation and errors in their commentaries. The obfuscation of scientific research and the consensus on anthropogenic climate change may have significant long-term negative consequences for better understanding the implications of climate change and climate policy for tourism and create confusion and delay in developing and implementing tourism sector responses

Permanent land based tourism in Antarctica: Nightmare on the horizon or unfeasible?

Tourism in Antarctica has increased steadily over the last two decades and established itself as a legitimate Antarctic activity. Tour operations in the Antarctic are predominantly ship based but other market segments have developed as well, including land-based tourism using aircraft. The development of permanent land-based infrastructures and facilities for the accommodation of tourists in Antarctica has concerned academics for decades. Permanent tourist facilities are believed to start a completely new chapter in Antarctic tourism, especially in combination with an air link (Lovering & Prescott 1979: 99). Hotels, casinos, theme parks and other forms of permanent land based tourism facilities often portray in the media as a nightmare glooming at the horizon of near future in Antarctica (Mercopress 2004, Guardian 2006). However, apart from tourist accommodation at selected scientific stations and a number of tented camps, no permanent, purpose built tourist facilities have been established over the past half-century. Recently the issue of permanent land based tourism has caught the attention of policy makers within the Antarctic Treaty System. At the Antarctic Treaty Meeting of Experts (ATME) on tourism and non-governmental activities in Tromso in 2004 New Zealand proposed a prohibition of permanent land based tourism facilities, because it launches questions on user rights, property rights and legal jurisdiction (Bastmeijer & Roura 2004: 780). During the last Antarctic Treaty Consultancy Meeting in Stockholm, June 2005, land based tourism was on top of the list of issues to be discussed during the tourism-working group. Countries such as New Zealand, Australia and Germany tabled working papers and argued for a precautionary approach and the adoption of a prohibiting measure against the establishment of land-based tourism in Antarctica. Other Consultative Parties did not share their views and no consensus could be reached at this point (ASOC 2005b)

The environmental impacts of tourism in Antarctica: increasing complexity and global challenges.

Tourism in Antarctica has increased steadily over the last two decades and established itself as a legitimate Antarctic activity. Since 1991 the Antarctic tourism industry has self-organized in the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO), imposing a wide range of operational and environmental procedures on its members. The Environmental Protocol, adopted, ratified and implemented domestically by the Antarctic Treaty Parties in the 1990s set out the environmental protection of Antarctica from all human activities, including tourism. Some Treaty Parties expressed concern but tourism was not considered a priority issue between 1994 and 2000. Since 2001 the question of additional measures has received closer attention at the Antarctic Treaty Consultancy Meetings. Recently, additional measures have been taken with regard to a number of tourism issues, among them site-specific guidelines for a number of frequently visited tourist landing sites (Bastmeijer & Roura 2004, Crosbie 2005). Alongside the political debate, from 1990 until recently an impressive body of academic literature has developed about the desirability, implications and manageability of tourism in the fragile, pristine and extreme Antarctic environment. A limited number of empirical scientific studies into the impacts of tourism on Antarctic biota and ecosystems have also been carried out (Stonehouse & Crosbie 1995, Naveen 2000). Within this lively academic debate, environmental impacts and risks of tourism have played a central role. This paper is a review of a number of academic papers that were published in the period from 1990 until recently. In this paper, I will assess the environmental risks and impacts presented in these papers and discuss some of its limitations and complications for academic research. Implications for management and regulation will be largely left out of this discussion. I would like to note that this review is based on a limited number of research papers and is by no means complete. Before moving towards the main discussion of this paper, I will provide some context by briefly sketching the historical and current state of play in Antarctic tourism

On vacation to the largest ice mass in the world

Het is een droom van veel mensen, een reis naar Antarctica. Een van de laatste grote wildernisgebieden op aarde met dramatische landschappen en hele bijzondere diersoorten. In de winter van 2019-2020 reisden ongeveer 78.000 toeristen af naar het Zuidpoolgebied, aan boord van een cruiseschip of per vliegtuig. Vooral de laatste jaren neemt het toerisme flink toe, na een tijdelijke daling tijdens de economische crisis tussen 2008 en 2011.Met de hernieuwde belangstelling is ook het debat over Antarctisch toerisme weer nieuw leven ingeblazen. Beleidsmakers, wetenschappers en milieuorganisaties maken zich zorgen over de groei en de nieuwe vormen van toerisme in Antarctica. Toerisme zou kunnen leiden tot schade en verstoring van het kwetsbare Antarctische ecosysteem, tot verhoogde veiligheidsrisico’s en tot verstoring van onderzoeksprogramma’s