28 January 2011: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) launched the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism, which aims to influence policies on sustainable tourism, develop projects and provide a global platform for communication.

The Global Partnership, which also aims to facilitate a shift towards a green economy, is made up of 18 governments, five UN organizations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 17 international and business organizations, and 16 non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Many of these organizations participated in an International Taskforce initiated five years ago by the French Government, as part of the Marrakesh Process, and worked successfully together on high impact sustainable tourism projects.

The Partnership will focus on seven thematic areas: policy frameworks; climate change; environment and biodiversity; poverty alleviation; cultural and natural heritage; sustainable tourism practices for the private sector; and finance and investments. The Secretariat will be housed with UNEP’s Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE), Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch, in Paris, France. UNEP and UNWTO are currently finalizing the tourism chapter of the Green Economy Report. [UNEP Press Release] [Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism Website]