The Tourism Society and the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) will examine climate change and its relationship with global tourism at a forum chaired by Keith Richards, Head of Business Development and Consumer Affairs at ABTA, taking place on 22 September 2009 at the RGS-IBG in London.

The event will look out at how the tourism industry is working to mitigate its contribution to climate change, presenting projects and case studies from both the UK and internationally, which reflect the important role the industry is beginning to play in reducing emissions directly resulting from its activities.

Two speakers will give their perspectives on destinations where climate change is already having a perceived impact: the Maldives (High Commissioner, Her Excellency Dr. Farah Faiza) and Sri Lanka (Sanjika Perera, Director of Sri Lanka Tourism), and what further steps should be taken there.

Dr David Viner, Programme Leader on Climate Change at the British Council will deliver the keynote speech. Other presentations come from Ufi Ibrahim (Chief Operating Officer of the World Travel & Tourism Council), Professor Geoffrey Lipman (UNWTO), and Stephen Farrant (Director, International Tourism Partnership).

The event, which is the third and final of a series of joint events held between the Tourism Society and the RGS-IBG, takes place only a few months ahead of the latest round of climate change negotiations in Copenhagen which will seek to develop a fresh set of international targets for the global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.