The U.S. Conference of Mayors has agreed to support global guidelines for sustainable tourism and will urge its member cities to adopt the criteria developed by a coalition of organizations that includes the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Foundation and the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
The agreement came when the conference voted to approve a resolution from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who called for the organization’s endorsement of the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.
The partnership is a coalition of more than 32 international organizations involved in conservation, the travel industry and development. The partnership was initiated by the Rainforest Alliance, the U.N. Environment Programme, the U.N. Foundation and the U.N. World Tourism Organization.
Last autumn, the coalition unveiled the sustainable tourism guidelines, which were derived from more than 4,500 industry best practices from around the world. The standards, which are voluntary, focus on four areas: effective sustainability planning, maximizing socio-economic benefits for the local community, enhancing cultural heritage and reducing negative impacts to the environment.
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon and Miami Mayor Manny Diaz joined Newsom in proposing the resolution to the mayors’ group on Saturday. Baltimore, Miami and San Francisco have already pledged to apply the criteria in their towns. In San Francisco, where the U.N. Charter was signed almost 64 years ago, more than 25 restaurants, bars, and hotels have been recognized as Green Businesses for meeting the city’s environmental standards for waste reduction, pollution prevention, and energy and water conservation.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors has convened in Providence for its 77th annual meeting,
Valere Tjolle
