PERTH, Thursday 10 October 2024 — Western Australia has been celebrated at the world’s biggest tourism summit today in Perth, but Greenpeace warns fossil fuel expansion threatens the state’s iconic landscapes and wildlife.
The World Travel and Tourism Council wrapped its annual conference today, an event showcasing WA’s unique landscapes, rich biodiversity, cultural heritage, and tourism’s significant economic contribution to the state.
The summit concludes as a new report warns the planet is on the brink of an irreversible climate disaster, as tourism destinations worldwide are hit by ‘supercharged’ extreme weather events. This year alone, WA has experienced several climate-driven events, including the hottest winter temperature ever recorded in Australia and the die-off of forests and shrubs across the South West.
The tourism summit comes as the WA government deliberates whether to approve a proposed extension to fossil fuel corporation Woodside’s North West Shelf gas processing facility in Karratha, which would see gas exported and burned until 2070, fuelling the climate crisis.
“This week’s tourism summit reminds West Australians of what we already know – we are blessed with some of the most iconic landscapes in the world,” said Geoff Bice, WA Campaign Lead at Greenpeace Australia Pacific. “But we’re watching these magnificent places change before our eyes as the effects of climate change take hold.”
“The science is crystal clear. The climate crisis poses an urgent threat to our wildlife, environment and our tourism industry. To protect the places we love and to ensure tourists continue to visit our incredible state, we must keep fossil fuels in the ground – starting with Woodside’s monstrous Burrup Hub gas drilling project.”
Almost 68% of Australia’s tourism sites are at major risk if the climate crisis continues unabated, according to a recent report.
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More information about the Burrup Hub’s impact on climate and nature is here.
High res images can be found here.
For more information or interviews contact Frankie Adkins on 0402 316 996 or [email protected]