One real litmus test between economic growth and the preservation of biodiversity is the area of the opportunities and threats that tourism and biodiversity face when squaring up against each other, Sustainable Development Minister Leo Brincat said yesterday.

“They can do so in tandem, in conflict with one another or even in synergy with each other. Always depending on the right degree of sustainability involved in the whole process,” Mr Brincat told a tourism and biodiversity workshop held yesterday to mark European Maritime Day.

In the past, limited awareness of the environmental impacts of tourism associated with the drive for economic growth at all costs resulted inevitably in negative impacts.

“Not only has this left its mark on coastal development itself, but also on the increased demand on our national infrastructure as well as on the manner in which diversification and subsequent growth in certain niche markets have generated new impacts and challenges for the coastal and marine environment.

“Nevertheless rather than relying on such a micro analysis, the resultant big picture makes it clear that both sustainable tourism and eco tourism not only pose challenges and opportunities but also offer a number of possible and likely solutions.”

Not only must a stronger commitment be shown to manage the sector in a manner that acknowledges and works with the natural processes of the coastal and marine environment, they needed to also work to improve scientific knowledge of the coastal and marine environment.

“Apart from the protection of the natural environment, particularly regarding the designation of protected areas and fisheries resources, it would also be both opportune and timely to increase research on coastal and marine tourism, its direct impacts as well as those elements that may somehow or other, support this tourism activity.

“In doing so such research must not only rely on the environmental aspect but must also factor in the economic and social dimensions,” Mr Brincat said.

There is also scope for action at a regional level to support technological improvement for areas that are currently perceived or seen as conflicting with environmental objectives.  Greater understanding and appreciation is needed from both tourists and residents about the fragile marine environments.

“At day’s end we are all dependent on safe, secure and sustainable seas. It is for this reason that we see the urgent need for maritime policies to establish an integrated approach in order to protect the economic interests and to promote maritime policies that reflect our dependence on a safe and secure maritime environment.

“The key approach to influencing maritime stability is through the implementation of consolidated maritime strategies and policies that positively reflect our dependence on a safe, secure and sustainable maritime domain.”

Mr Brincat said the government looks upon the Integrated Maritime Policy as an extremely significant step in the European Union’s process of acknowledging and embracing its maritime vocation in all of its dimensions.

They also believed in the introduction of innovative measures that contribute to mitigate the coastal tourism carbon footprint and the adverse impacts on habitat eco systems, biodiversity and the marine environment itself. 

“We need to identify how the regeneration or rehabilitation of coastal areas can take place; how to facilitate, undertake and support initiatives relating to climate change mitigation and adaptation with a particular emphasis on vulnerable coastal areas, as well as how to support carrying capacity studies that take into account both the tourism footprint and the limits of acceptable change for the sector as well as coastal and maritime activities and the acceptable parameters within which these can develop.”

Malta believes that beach based activities, diving, yachting, sailing and other sports activities, accommodation, catering and retail services located in coastal areas, attractions which are marine based or marine dependent, transport operations and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are the most relevant activities and sectors in this form of tourism in Europe, Mr Brincat said. 

“Together with other island states with a strong dependence on tourism, we need to tackle the important challenges that coastal tourism presents.

“The implementation of such a strategy at an EU level should contribute to improve the coastal product offer and thus strengthen the competing edge of the European coast.”

Malta advocates the active involvement of experts knowledgeable in international maritime legislation on work related to the implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning, in order to ensure that proposals put forward are in line with existing international legislation governing the use and management of the sea.

“All this offers much scope for us to be pro active but we must do so and act in a cautious and responsible manner that reflects full awareness of our duties and obligations to ensure that sustainability is put into practice in an effective manner that can be easily gauged and benchmarked,” Mr Brincat said.