Sustainable urban tourism through low carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai

Together with the city and tourism authorities of Hue (Vietnam) and Chiang Mai (Thailand), researchers from the Asian Institute of Technology will deploy a carbon accounting tool (Bilan Carbone) developed by the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (Agence De l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l’Energie, ADEME) to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the urban tourism sector in these cities. This initiative builds on a larger project funded by ADEME called “Action towards Resource-efficient and Low Carbon Cities in Asia”. This research aims to explore strategies for alleviating poverty and low carbon emissions in these cities’ urban tourism sectors, which are important urban centres in the Mekong Region.

The research will first estimate GHG emissions generated by the tourism sector. Then, actions for low carbon development (i.e. GHG emission mitigation) will be developed, which aim to create valuable, green jobs for women and men in the two cities. These efforts, therefore, will foster the development of action plans and policies on climate compatible urban tourism development.

Through this research, local partners will be trained on the application of the Bilan Carbone tool. This will enhance each of the cities’ ability to conduct GHG accounting. The project will also provide an opportunity municipal administrators to work together and support city-to-city learning and collaboration.