Sharing Session and MoU Signing Between DOT, TIEZA and GrAT

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A formal signing of the agreement between the Department of Tourism (DOT), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Authority (TIEZA) and GrAT - Center for Appropriate Technology will be held on March 21, 2016 at Hotel Jen Manila. 

The agreement concerns collaboration within the Project Zero Carbon Resorts (ZCR) towards Sustainable Development of the Tourism Sector in the Philippines and Thailand. The project aims at contributing to sustainable development in the tourism sector and its value chain. 

It has a focus on value creation with less resource consumption and CO2 emissions. The project helps SMEs in the tourism sector to reduce energy and resource costs with a proven methodology to continuously improve the energy and resource efficiency. 

Over the last 4 years the ZCR methods have shown remarkable results in economic returns, environmental improvement, and international recognition for the participating companies (www.zerocarbonresorts.eu). This project is funded by the European Union´s (EU) SWITCH Asia program to promote sustainable consumption and production. 

It was launched by the implementing partners: Project lead: GrAT- Gruppe Angepasste Technologie (Center for Appropriate Technology); Austria. PRESS RELEASE Project Partners: PCSD- Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Philippines; GLF-Green Leaf Foundation, Thailand; CIEMAT- Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Spain; HPPF – Healthy Public Policy Foundation, Thailand DOT and TIEZA have recognized the relevance of ZCR FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM with regard to their respective mandates geared towards development of Philippine tourism through environmental protection, conservation and restoration, have agreed to collaborate with GrAT in undertaking joint efforts toward the implementation of ZCR FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM in the Philippines. 

This project is funded by the European Union´s (EU) SWITCH Asia program to promote sustainable consumption and production. It was launched by the implementing partners:
Project lead: GrAT- Gruppe Angepasste Technologie (Center for Appropriate Technology); Austria

Project Partners: PCSD- Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Philippines; GLF-Green Leaf Foundation, Thailand; CIEMAT- Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Spain; HPPF – Healthy Public Policy Foundation, Thailand

This includes the development of a Philippine Green Tourism Certification Scheme based on the ZCR principles and the experience of project partners, which seeks to encourage procurement of eco-friendly products and technologies. 

In order to disseminate the project and its benefits a series of extension programs and trainings on ZCR measures will be jointly carried out in at least 5 high potential replication sites in the Philippines, namely Metro Manila and Tagaytay, Batangas and Puerto Galera, Boracay, Cebu and Bohol and in Davao. 

The extension programs will enable the exchange of learning among tourism establishments through sharing of successful implementation of ZCR members, provide training on ZCR measures, provide a platform for interaction among tourism establishments and acquire new members for the ZCR program and community. 

Targeted participants are hotel owners, green technology suppliers, green financing institutions, tourism establishments and associations in the respective areas. The reduction of carbon footprint through the reduction in energy and resource use of tourism establishments, which will greatly contribute to the overall goal of DOT and TIEZA for sustainable tourism development and will also provide a concrete example in reducing one of the causes of climate change