The uncoming UN Framework Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bali will focus on how carbon emissions trap heat and affect the Earth’s climate. Bali was chosen for a number of reasons and is one of the world’s premier tourist destinations. A BBC article asks if the tourist industry itself is helping to destroy its own future.
The article entitled ‘How to make tourism greener’ points out that jet airliners pump out a tremendous amount of carbon and the industry as a whole, which is really all about customer service, often places consumer satisfaction above all else (apart from making a profit).
How does this relate to Bali? The current villa boom, coupled with recovering economy are good for the island right now, but how much is too much? When do we stop trying to make Bali into south Florida or some twisted version of the Costa Brava. How many foreign arrivals do we need each day to exist happily and will Kuta / Denpasar someday be one long set of villas all the way to Ubud? For some developers its never enough and the famous Balinese culture will be a modern day dodo after some people have finished with it.
Tourism can be wonderful for all involved, but there has to be a limit in terms of personal space, personal consumption, personal waste and personal freedom to do what we like.
