Climate Change and Tourism in Switzerland: Impacts, Vulnerability and Possible Adaptation Measures

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Climate Change and Tourism in Switzerland
Impacts, Vulnerability and Possible Adaptation
Measures

• Cecilia Matasci
• PhD student
• EPFL ENAC INTER REME
• CH-1015 Lausanne
• Tel [phone]
• E-mail cecilia.matasci_at_epfl.ch

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contents

• Introduction climate change and tourism
• Impacts
• Vulnerability
• Possible adaptation measures
• Conclusions

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introduction
Tourism and climate change intertwined
Perch-Nielsen (2008)
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introduction
SWITZERLAND -1/11 people directly or
indirectly working for tourism (1/3 in mountain
areas) (Dayer, 1998) - 5.2 of national GDP
(Bfs, 2005) - 30.4 billions CHF2005 61 inner
tourism 39 foreign
tourism (5.3 income from export ?
4th place) (BfS, 2008) - Indirect
benefits commerce, transports, banks,
insurances, etc.
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introduction
Costs and damages of climate change in 2030,
2050, 2070 and 2100 for the principal domains
Tourism
Buildings Energy
Human
and infrastructure
health
Ecoplan/Sigmaplan (2007)
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Impacts
Seven Categories of Impacts considered


1. Changes in climate suitability
2. Snow pack reduction
3. Glaciers melting
4. Permafrost melting Rock Falls
CATEGORIES OF IMPACT CONSIDERED
Beniston (2003)
OcCC/Proclim (2007)
Perch-Nielsen (2007)
Maisch in Beniston (2004)
5. Natural hazards
6. Water scarcity - Drought
7. Landscape changes Scenic beauty
Glacier de la Tschierva, Engadine Slide from
Beniston (2004)
www.dessertcomesfirst.com
www.news.bbc.co.uk
Badler and Kunz (2000)
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VULNERABILITY
Definining vulnerability Vulnerability is the
degree to which a system is susceptible to, and
unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate
change, including climate variability and
extremes. Vulnerability is a function of the
character, magnitude, and rate of climate change
and variation to which a system is exposed, its
sensitivity, and its adaptive capacity. IPCC,
2007
Preston (2008)
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objectives

• Develop a tool for stimulating discussion about
  climate change vulnerability and adaptation
  within Switzerland and the tourism sector
• Examine spatial heterogeneity in vulnerability
• Examine differential vulnerability to different
  climate impacts
• Identify diversity of drivers that may contribute
  to vulnerability
• Determine similitude between regions ? promote
  collaboration and exchange of information

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method
Exposure Sensitivity Adaptive capacity
Changes in climate suitability Tourism structure Feasibility
Snowpack reduction Population . Social
Glaciers melting Economy . Economic
Permafrost melting - rockfall Infrastructure . Technological
Natural hazards Institution . Institutional
Water scarcity drought Environment . Environmental
Landscape scenic beauty Acceptability
. Social
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method
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Possible adaptation measures
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conclusions

• Tourism one of the most affected domains of CH
  economy
• Various impacts, both on offer and supply
• Regions differentially exposed and vulnerable
• Vulnerability hotspots ? importance to adapt
• Various types of adaptation measures possible

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• Thank you for your attention!

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