04 Aug Sustainability in tourism: System Change or Behavior Change ?
The need for sustainable tourism and responsible travel is clear and immediate. There is a need to make many changes in the tourism system and we need to do it now.
But – how do we make the greatest impact? In responding to this question, I feel stuck between two scientists that I greatly admire.
Jane Goodall captured my imagination almost 50 years ago when I first read about her a primary school reader. She has been an inspiration ever since and I often quote her:
What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. Jane Goodall
Combine this sentiment with the power of big numbers – 7 billion trips every year – and it is easy to see that if we each worked to travel more responsibly, we would make a difference.
But…
In recent years I have come to really admire a couple of scientists that are incredibly effective communicators. One of those people is Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist, policy expert, writer, and podcaster. In a recent episode of her podcast, How to Save a Planet, she advocates for system change as the way to make the greatest change in one of the greatest environmental challenges we face – climate change. Essentially the point is that worrying about our individual carbon footprints is fine but the real change will come when the system changes. For example – when energy producers change the way they produce energy. The argument is compelling – and I expect it extends to other issues beyond climate change. Policy change is an undervalued tool in system change.
So – what’s the answer: System Change or Behavior Change? It has to be both. To create a truly sustainable tourism system we need both behavior change and system change. Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Travel.
There’s work to be done….
PS: I want to call out a couple of great podcasts by these legends:
Jane Goodall: Hopecast The episode “Dr Ayana Elizabeth Johnson: Hope is Taking Action Together” has both Jane and Ayana discussing their individual perspectives on environmental issues. It is a great episode if only to listen for the contrast between these changemakers.
How to save a planet: Check out the episode called “Is your carbon footprint BS ?” It’s a great explorartion of the question – System Change or Behavior Change looking specifically at reducing carbon and GHG.
D'Arcy Dornan
Posted at 12:30h, 05 AugustJonathon, many thanks for sharing your professional insights and compilations here on this subject. Let’s continue moving in the right direction…!.