The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) has been selected as a leading institution to promote "sustainable consumption and production" in the global tourism industry.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has so far awarded the designation to related ministries in France and Morocco and to the U.N. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), as well as to the Korean culture ministry, among the 38 nations and institutions that have applied for the designation.

The culture ministry, as one of the leading institutions, will promote sustainable tourism, under which environmental pollution is minimized through the effective use of tourism resources. It also plans to send tourism professionals to UNEP headquarters, to establish practical, eco-friendly tourism strategies and to support other nations in implementing these policies.

The decision is part of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP), adopted during the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) held in 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 10-year-plan proposes a number of tasks to promote sustainable consumption and production, covering tourism, consumer information, lifestyle, education, architecture and public procurement.


After this designation, Korea, France, Morocco and the UNWTO will establish and support a four-year strategic plan that will contain the preservation of biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural heritage, as well as the effective use of tourism resources and the shift toward a low carbon dioxide emissions economy. They intend to announce their sustainable tourism programs at the World Travel Mart in London in November this year.

By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
jun2@korea.kr