Green Globe

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The Official Green Globe Logo

Green Globe is a Benchmarking, Certification and Performance Improvement programme based on the Agenda 21 principles ^[1] for sustainable development agreed to by 182 Heads of Government at the United Nations Rio Earth Summit of 1992. Green Globe is supported by the science and technology of the The Sustainable Tourism CRC (STCRC), the largest source of sustainability research in the world.

1 Brief History
2 Aspects of the Green Globe Programme
3 Green Globe Partners and Alliances
4 Green Globe in the Press
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Brief History

Green Globe is based upon the Agenda 21 Plan which was originally endorsed by 182 heads of state at the Rio Earth Summit of 1992 and provided a set of principles for local, state, national and international action on sustainable development. This resulted in Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry: Towards Environmentally Sustainable Development, which listed an action plan for a number of overall objectives for the industry.

The overall plan aimed to convert the objectives into specific targets, and named ten areas in which travel and tourism operations could take action, including:

Waste minimisation, reuse, recycling;
Energy efficiency, conservation, management;
Management of freshwater resources;
Waste water management;
Hazardous substances;
Transport;
Land-use planning and management;
Involvement of staff, customers, communities in environmental issues;
Design for sustainability; and
Partnerships for sustainable development

In 1994 ^[2] , The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) initiated the Green Globe Programme with the aim of providing guidance materials and support for industry members undertaking activities to achieve sustainability outcomes in the Agenda 21 target areas.

The programme was expanded in 1999 with the introduction of the Green Globe Standard and commencement of independent auditing. The Green Globe programme was further updated in May 2001 as part of continuous reflection of its market focus, and now includes four Standards based upon actual measurement of environmental improvements by using the Earthcheck system for Benchmarking on an annual basis.

[edit] Aspects of the Green Globe Programme

The present day incarnation of the Green Globe Programme has four key standards:

Green Globe Company Standard

The Green Globe Company Standard is designed for organisations within the travel and tourism industry and sets out the criteria to attain certification. It provides an environmental management framework for organisations, as part of the process to achieve certification. Initially the process begins with benchmarking of the companies current environmental footprint, this brings in the company to the Benchmarking Bronze Level after which the company may continue to the Certification Silver Level. After 5 years of continuous certification, a company may also be eligible for the Gold Certified Level.

Green Globe Community Standard

The Green Globe Community Standard is designed for communities to achieve sustainable environmental outcomes. The standard provides community with a framework to benchmark and certify their environmental and social performance, and focus on continued adherence to the standard.

Green Globe Building Planning and Design Standard

The Green Globe Building Planning and Design Standard is focused solely upon new construction. This standard is building specific, and tailored to the methods and construction of each individual building or construction.

Green Globe Precinct Planning and Design Standard

The Green Globe Precinct Planning and Design Standard has specific guidelines and tools including indicators to help developers reduce water waste, energy conservation, waste reduction, social inclusion and economic sustainability. Specifically the standard is focused upon aiding developers in their efforts to increase ecological performance and their profile in doing so.

Case Study 1 [4]
Case Study 2 [5]

[edit] Green Globe Partners and Alliances

EC3 Global and by proxy Green Globe is a member of a number of tourism and sustainability partnerships and alliances, both in Australia and internationally, some of the most prominent are listed below:

The World Tourism Organisation is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism Rankings^[3]. The World Tourism Organization is undoubtedly the most significant global body concerned with the collection and collation of statistical information on international tourism. This organization represents public sector tourism bodies from most countries in the world and the publication of its data makes possible comparisons of the flow and growth of tourism on a global scale. UNWTO plays a central and decisive role in promoting the development of responsible, ‎sustainable and universally accessible tourism, paying particular attention to the ‎interests of developing countries‎. UNWTO Homepage

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) was conceptualized in the early 1980s when a group of Travel & Tourism industry CEOs came to the realisation that although Travel & Tourism was the largest industry in the world and the biggest provider of jobs, it was relatively unknown. Furthermore, there was no consolidated data or voice for the industry to give the message of tourism to elected officials and policy makers.

The WTTC was established in 1990 and the Council is positioned as the global business leaders’ forum for Travel & Tourism, comprising the Chairmen and Chief Executives of 100 of the world’s foremost organizations, representing all regions and sectors of the industry. WTTC Homepage

The International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IHRA) is an international trade association representing the interests of the hotel and restaurant industries. It is a non-profit membership organisation dedicated to helping its members achieve business objectives and future standards. IHRA Homepage

Conservation International(CI) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, that seeks to protect Earth's biodiversity "hotspots," high-biodiversity wilderness areas as well as important marine regions around the globe. The group is also known for its partnerships with local non-governmental organizations and indigenous peoples. CI was founded in 1987 and now has a staff of more than 900 employees. Conservation International Homepage

The Pacific Asia Travel Association is an organisation aiming to promote the sustainable development of tourism in the Asia-Pacific region. PATA continues to be a leading authority, advocate and catalyst for the responsible development of Asia Pacific’s travel and tourism industry. PATA Homepage

The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Founded in 1948, its headquarters is located in the Lake Geneva area in Gland, Switzerland. The IUCN brings together 83 states, 108 government agencies, 766 NGOs and 81 international organizations and about 10,000 experts and scientists from countries around the world. IUCN's mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. IUCN Homepage

The Rainforest Alliance is a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1987. Its stated mission is to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behaviour. ^[4] It has offices throughout the United States and worldwide,providing on-the-ground programs that promote sustainable forestry, agriculture and tourism.^[5] It is at work in 56 countries across the globe.^[6] Rainforest Alliance Homepage

Tourism Australia is a statutory authority of the Government of Australia, with responsibility for tourism marketing within Australia and internationally, as well as research and forecasting of domestic and global tourism trends.

The organisation was formed on 1 July 2004, under the Tourism Australia Act 2004, and merging four previous organisations: the Australian Tourism Commission. Tourism Australia

[edit] Green Globe in the Press

[edit] References

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