The tourism sector stands at the crossroads of climate change, both influencing and being impacted by environmental, social, and economic challenges. In response to these pressing issues, the CPMR is involved as a full partner via its Intermediterranean Commission (IMC) in the Interreg Euro-MED Community4Tourism governance project which has played a key role in equipping tourism stakeholders with the necessary tools to drive meaningful climate action. In addition, the CPMR IMC & IC (Islands Commission) are taking part in the Interreg Euro-MED NaTour4CChange which has recently designed a specific toolkit to support regions and destinations in climate adaptation & mitigation action planning, presented to the Community4Tourism.
Over the course of three Community4Tourism Online Training Sessions, around 350 participants engaged in discussions exploring challenges, opportunities, and practical solutions for integrating climate action into tourism strategies. Led by The Travel Foundation, as an external expert consultant , these sessions provided valuable insights into setting objectives, prioritizing actions, and tracking progress using key performance indicators (KPIs), based on the Community4Tourism Blueprint for Tourism Climate Action Plans. The focus was on equipping regional authorities and destinations with the knowledge and resources needed to implement sustainable practices effectively. This work aligns with the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, a global initiative, supported by the CPMR and launched at COP26 to drive climate action in tourism, reduce carbon emissions, promote sustainable practices, and support a green recovery from COVID-19.
As a key outcome of this process, the NaTour4CChange Toolkit built on the Blueprint, provides a step-by-step guide to help regions and destinations translate sustainability commitments into tangible actions. This practical resource, broadly shared and presented as part of the Community4Tourism Online Training Sessions, offers structured methodologies for developing and implementing climate action plans and is already being applied in the NaTour4CChange regions partners Andalusia, Région Sud, Sardinia, Zadar County, Crete, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. By providing a clear framework for assessing feasibility, impact, and long-term sustainability, the toolkit empowers tourism stakeholders to integrate climate-conscious decision-making into their strategies. Within the framework of the NaTour4CChange project, regional tourism authorities will focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation actions, taking into account the enabling conditions in each territory that will facilitate their successful implementation. At local level, pilot destinations will use the toolkit to implement adaptation measures and test a nature-based solution. A key strength of this toolkit is its flexibility, allowing it to be adapted to different contexts, regardless of varying levels of expertise in climate action planning, different territorial realities, and starting points. In addition, the NaTour4CC will be accompanied in the definition of their action planning by the Travel Foundation, the toolkit designer.
The successful engagement in these online capacity-building sessions highlights the growing commitment within the tourism sector and public authorities to urgently adopt climate action measures. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and data-driven approaches, the initiative supports destinations in building long-term resilience. As implementation progresses, the NaTour4CChange Toolkit can be transferred to other interested regions and tourist destinations and will continue to serve as a valuable resource, helping tourism actors move from awareness to concrete, impactful change.
Recordings of the Online Training Sessions Series are available hereafter:
