CLIMAR

Climate change (CC) is an structural phenomenon which has severe and irreversible impacts. Tourism has received increased attention as a high-energy and often environmentally destructive sector, significantly contributing to the pollutants that are causing CC. This is particularly true in many LA countries, where tourism is of undisputed importance for employment generation. This sector must adapt, as must the research, teaching and training associated with it. HEIs have a role to play in innovating curricula related to tourism, so that it addresses CC needs and proposes dynamic solutions that graduates can bring to market. HEIs also have a role to play in continuous professional development, as most tourism professionals need upskilling to best address the changes in the sector caused by CC. CLIMAR aims to link inter-disciplinary research, innovation & knowledge transfer to HE curricular development and continuous professional training, so as to prepare the tourist sector to best face climate change and to mitigate its impacts, making the circular economy a crucial policy in any tourist destination. This will allow generating and promoting tourist services that adapt to changing situations, creating a flexible and diversified business fabric, under an economic model characterized by resilience, human well-being, social equality, the reduction of environmental risks and proper management of the waste generated, thus helping to maintain the competitiveness of the tourist destination. Tourist preferences are increasingly defined by those destinations with climate change control and mitigation policies, where the circular economy strategy is promoted.
It targets specifically HEI in Colombia, Panama, Argentina and Mexico and has the following specific objectives:
i) Support the creation of transnational and multidisciplinary research groups specialized in CC, Circular Economy & Tourism (CC&T), among HEIs from EU and LA and reinforce their capacities to increase regional knowledge on CC&T
ii) Promote research-based collaborative teaching in CC&T, via the development of a transversal study module that can be inserted in different courses at the postgraduate level.
iii) Enhance university-NGO-industry-public administration knowledge transfer so as to contribute to sustainable development and new employment opportunities, via a professional development course in CC&T
iv) Ensure sustainable academic relations and strategic partnerships among HEIs from EU and LA, based-upon multi-disciplinary approaches