Climate Change Impact on Outdoor Organizations Today.

Wilderness Environ Med

Algonquin College, Pembroke, ON, Canada.

Published: November 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • - Outdoor recreation and tourism providers are facing significant challenges from climate change, with a survey of 127 organizations revealing moderate to serious impacts due to extreme weather conditions in 2023.
  • - Key concerns identified include extreme heat, poor air quality, and various severe weather events like flooding and wildfires, leading many operations to revise their plans without clear decision-making criteria.
  • - There is widespread uncertainty about health impacts and guidance sources related to extreme conditions, highlighting the need for practical solutions and targeted research for the outdoor recreation sector.

Article Abstract

Introduction: Outdoor recreation and tourism providers, education programs, and outdoor recreation facilities are experiencing the effects of climate change and severe weather firsthand. This research assessed the impact that climate change was having on these operations in 2023.

Methods: Respondents from 127 outdoor organizations completed an online survey assessing the impacts of climate change and severe weather. Any outdoor operation that owed a duty of care to clients who they take outdoors or host at their facilities was invited to participate. This included outdoor tourism and recreation providers, outdoor education programs (both school and expedition based), groups involved in conservation work, and facilities such as parks, ski areas, and other outdoor recreation facilities. Respondents were from Canada's far north to Mexico, with 14% from further international locations.

Results: Climate change is having moderate to serious impacts on outdoor operations. Extreme heat and air quality were of primary concern, with storm event flooding, wildfires, snowpack, and changes in the ranges of disease-carrying insects top concerns. Fewer than half the operations have established criteria to aid in decision making, yet most had to revise operational plans in 2023 due to extreme weather.

Conclusions: There was pervasive uncertainty regarding decisions involving extreme heat and air quality, particularly the short-term health impacts on clients and the long-term health impacts on workers. There was uncertainty regarding trusted sources for guidance and the many overlapping or contradictory jurisdictional recommendations. Practical direction is required for operations and decision makers, as is further research specific to this sector's needs.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10806032241296526DOI Listing

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