The Dominican Republic has developed a new tourism plan in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme.
The Roadmap for Low Carbon and Resource Efficient Accommodation in the Dominican Republic was launched in May in Punta Cana.
After two years of research, data collection and analysis, the plan sets out goals and targets to measure and reduce food waste, increase energy efficiency, and 2promote the use of renewable energy” in tourism accommodations, says the UNEP press release.
This project was partly funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety through its International Climate Initiative.
New supportive regulations and incentives introduced by the Dominican Republic’s Government will be essential in the success of this project in meeting its targets, as well as the “active participation and firm commitment of the tourism sector”, according to Leo Heileman, UN Environment Regional Director in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“This roadmap would not have been possible without strong cooperation between the public and the private sector,” says Olga Rosario, Director of the Sustainable Production and Consumption Department in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. “It’s the first time they have collaborated to establish clear targets to achieve sustainable development for the tourism sector.”
