Responsible accommodation campaign launched for COP17

The conference is expected to attract 20-30 000 delegates and visitors, who will generally be more environmentally aware than is perhaps usually the case. It is therefore important, believes the municipality, that facilities adopt environmentally sustainable practices within their operations.

Additionally, accommodation facilities will contribute towards the environmental footprint of the event through their increased resource consumption (energy and water) and waste production over the conference period.

In order to minimise the environmental impact of hosting the event, the municipality believes it is critical that relevant initiatives are put in place to achieve this. These will be coordinated under the municipality's COP17/CMP 7 Greening Programme. As part of this, the city is taking the opportunity to develop and pilot a campaign encouraging Durban's hospitality sector to engage around adopt "responsible tourism" through the Responsible Accommodation Campaign.

Building awareness of climate change

The campaign will focus on building awareness of climate change, its implications for businesses, the COP17/CMP 7 event and responsible tourism. It will provide practical support, knowledge, ideas and tools for hospitality business owners to start this process through a three part process - two campaign forums, a practical "responsible accommodation toolkit" and "responsible visitor's charter".

The purpose of the free forums is to provide an opportunity for owners/managers of accommodation facilities in and around Durban to be exposed to new knowledge and ideas which are practical and important for their businesses, and to provide practical information on how to implement more sustainable practices within their operations. It is at these forums that accommodation facilities will join the campaign and receive a toolkit. Participants will also receive a certificate acknowledging their participation in this campaign.

The first forum took place on Monday, 12 September 2011. The second forum is on 12 October at the Southern Sun Elangeni Hotel in Durban.

Updated at 12.05pm on 14 September 2011.
For More list added at 2.32pm on 14 September 2011.