Reflexiones sobre Calentamiento Global y Turismo. Principales riesgos ambientales y regiones turísticas afectadas

The environmental effects related to global warming jeopardize tourism activity and the economic stability of several countries with a marked dependence on activity. Concepts from Social Theory of Risk and the Climate-Tourism Binomial are used, and an analysis is made of the environmental effects of Global Warming, such as the melting of the eternal snows, the rise in sea level, the changes in marine currents and the extreme weather events (hurricanes, floods, rainfall, drought, heat waves) that affect tourism directly and indirectly. Taking into account the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) regions, emblematic cases were identified whose selection responds to the role of tourism in the economic development of the place or its wealth in terms of tourist attractions. The results allow to account for the modification of climatic situations that contribute tourism, the greater occurrence of natural disasters, the presence of attractions at risk, the destruction of basic infrastructure, among other issues. Therefore, it is important to plan the tourism activity taking into account the threats and risks arising from an increase in atmospheric temperature.