Green Key is a leading standard of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism, guiding tourism establishments to do their part in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. In our new feature series we will present each of the 17 SDGs and explain their connection to Green Key.
In 2015, the UN member states adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to guide governments, the private sector and civil society in transforming our world into safer, fairer and more livable place.
Sustainability lies at the heart of Green Key, which is why the programme inherently contributes to all of the 17 goals. Today, we talk about Goal 14: “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”.
Coastal areas receive the highest percentage of tourist arrivals. If not managed sustainably, the tourism industry has detrimental effects on marine ecosystems. At the same time, tourism puts its own base at risk, because clean beaches, thriving marine ecosystems like coral reefs or mangrove forests as well as healthy populations of marine wildlife often are the reason for tourists to choose certain destinations.
Tourism establishment can play an important role in the protection of the marine environment if they ensure proper waste and wastewater management, reduce the use of toxic chemicals that could potentially enter the water cycle, and refrain from the use of endangered seafood but instead using products from sustainable sources.
How does Green Key help to achieve goal 14?
- In Green Key awarded establishments all wastewater must be treated in accordance with national and local regulations (criterion 4.9).
