Keyword

Sustainable Development Goals, intra-generational equity, measurement of sustainability, environmental accounting techniques

Abstract

The Sundarbans, considered as the tourism heartland of South Asia and compared to Amazon rainforest for its expanse and biodiversity of flora and fauna spanning over 36,000 square kilometers, is currently at risk of massive depletion. The disaster can be avoided through sustainable tourism that minimizes negative social or environmental impacts and conserve fragile ecosystem consisting of flora and fauna and their habitats. This sustainable tourism can draw upon its basic tenets from the ‘’Sustainable Development Goals’’ propagated by World Tourism Organization. For both Bangladesh and India, it is obligatory under the remit of sustainable tourism to shift policy focus from growth to equity, thus, paving the way for strong institutions capability of regulating the tourism industry and distributing assets to facilitate ‘pro-poor growth’ policies and actions. As the current sustainable tourism debate is patchy, disjointed and often flawed with false assumptions and arguments the discourse on sustainable tourism of the Sundarbans needs to be oriented towards a thoroughbred scientific level, a systemic perspective and an interdisciplinary approach


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References
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END.

  • [1] Pachali, D., (2019) ‘’Sundarbans, which is 10 times bigger than the city of Venice, and its many facts’’, TimesTravel, Times of India, Jan 7, 2019  <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/sundarbans-which-is-10-times-bigger-than-the-city-of-venice-and-its-many-facts/as67383231.cms#:~:text=Out%20of%20these%20102%20islands,is%20being%20owned%20by%20Bangladesh.> Accessed on 10 July 2020
  • [2] Ibid.,
  • [3] Hazra, S., (2002) Sea Level and associated changes in the Sundarbans, Science and Culture (ISSN 0036-8156), Vol 68, Issue no 9-12, 2002, School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University pp 309-321 <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285639426_Sea_level_and_associated_changes_in_Sundarbans> July 12, 2020
  • [4] Ibid.,
  • [5] Liu, Z., (2010) Sustainable Tourism Development: A Critique, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Volume 11, Issue 6, Mar 29, 2010 (London: Routledge)
  • [6] Ibid.,
  • [7] Bramwell, B., and Lane, B. (1993) Sustainable Tourism: An Evolving Global Approach. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Vol. 1, pp l-5 (London: Routledge)
  • [8] Ibid.,
  • [9] Byrd, E. T., (2007) Stakeholders in sustainable tourism development and their roles: applying stakeholder theory to sustainable tourism development, Tourism Review, ISSN: 1660-5373, May 1, 2007, Vol. 62 No. 2, (Emerald: London) pp. 6-13
  • [10] Ibid,
  • [11] x
  • [12] Hazra, S., (2002) Sea Level and associated changes in the Sundarbans, Science and Culture (ISSN 0036-8156), Vol 68, Issue no 9-12, 2002, School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University pp 309-321 <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285639426_Sea_level_and_associated_changes_in_Sundarbans> July 12, 2020
  • [13] Ibid.,
  • [14] Ibid.,
  • [15] Spenceley, A. and Meyer, D., (2012) Tourism and poverty reduction: theory and practice in less economically developed countries, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Vol. 20, Issue 3, (London: Routledge) pp 297-317
  • [16] Ibid.,
  • [17] Buckley, R. (2012) Sustainable tourism: Research and reality, Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 39, Issue 2, April 2012, (Elsevier: Amsterdam) pp 528-546
  • [18] BizBangladesh, Investment in Bangladesh - Potential Sectors for Investment  <https://bizbangladesh.com/potential-sectors-for-investment> Accessed on July 13, 2020
  • [19] Ibid.,
  • [20] Spenceley, A. and Meyer, D., (2012) Tourism and poverty reduction: theory and practice in less economically developed countries, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Vol. 20, Issue 3, (London: Routledge) pp 297-317
  • [21] Pani, D. R. et al (2013). "Exploration, evaluation and conservation of salt tolerant rice genetic resources from Sundarbans region of West Bengal", Journal of the Indian Society of Coastal Agricultural Research, Vol 30, Issue 1, pp 45–53
  • [22] Iftekhar, M. S. and Islam, M. R. (2004). "Managing mangroves in Bangladesh: A strategy analysis"  Journal of Coastal Conservation. Vol. 10, Issue 1, (NY: Springer) pp 139–146.
  • [23] Bhaumik, S. (2003) Fears rise for sinking Sundarbans, BBC News, 15 September <news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3102948.stm> Accessed on 12 July 2020
  • [24] "Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert 23-05-2009 05z". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. May 23, 2009 <https://www.webcitation.org/5gyqCJTfO?url=http://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/warnings/io9809web.txt> Accessed on July 12, 2020
  • [25] Reliefweb as cited in Cyclone Aila losses in Bangladesh estimated at 269 mln USD, Xinhua, 22 Jun 2009 <https://reliefweb.int/report/bangladesh/cyclone-aila-losses-bangladesh-estimated-269-mln-usd> Accessed on 12 July 2020
  • [26] Hance, J. (2016) Thousands to march against coal plant threat to Bangladesh's Sundarbans forest, The Guaridan, March 2, 2016 <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/02/thousands-to-march-protest-coal-plant-threat-bangladeshs-sundarbans-forest> Accessed on 13 July 2020
  • [27] Alliance, W. (2017) Another Coal Barge Sinks in the Sundarbans World Heritage Site, EcoWatch, Jan 17, 2017 <https://www.ecowatch.com/coal-barge-sundarbans-2197486445.html>Accessed on 13 July 2020
  • [28] Ibid.,
  • [29] Ibid.,
  • [30] Kumar, C., (2013). "Bangladesh Power Plant Struggle Calls for International Solidarity". The Huffington Post, 24 Septembe, 2013 <https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bangladesh-power-plant-st_b_3983560> Accessed on July 13, 2020
  • Mahmud, I., (2016), "Unesco calls for shelving Rampal project", 24 September, 2016 <en.prothom-alo.com/environment/news/122299/Unesco-calls-for-shelving-Rampal-project> Accessed on July 13, 2020
  • [31] "The Roar of Disapproval", HighBeam Research, February 20, 2016. cited in Dhaka Courier. 29 September 2013  <https://web.archive.org/web/20160220221855/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-3084633261.html>Accessed on July 13, 2020
  • Anisul,  I. N., (2015). "Rampal plant won't hamper environ". The New Nation. 27 October, 2015  <thedailynewnation.com/news/71523/rampal-plant-wont-hamper-environ.html> Accessed on July 13, 2020
  • [32] "More reasons to stop Rampal power plant". New Age (Editorial). Dhaka. May 26, 2013. <https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064240/http://old-archives.newagebd.net/detail.php?date=2013-05-26&nid=50369>Accessed on July 13, 2020
  • [33] "DoE changes stance on Rampal power plant". The Financial Express <https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd> Accessed on July 13, 2020
  • [34] Case Study, UNESCO <https://whc.unesco.org/en/climatechange/> Accessed July 13, 2020
  • [35] Ibid.,
  • [36] George, N., (2010). "Disputed isle in Bay of Bengal disappears into sea". Yahoo News. Associated Press. 24 March 2010 <https://web.archive.org/web/20100329164736/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_india_disappearing_island>Accessed on July 13, 2020
  • [37] Ibid.,
  • [38] Ibid.,
  • [39] Ibid.,
  • [40] Bengali forests are fading away, Zoological Society of London (ZSL) January 11, 2013  <https://www.zsl.org/conservation/news/bengali-forests-are-fading-away> July 13, 20
  • [41] Climate Crisis: Bengal Tigers And TheSundarbans Face Extinction, Countercurrents.org <https://www.countercurrents.org/cc300113C.htm> January 30, 2013
  • [42] Ibid.,
  • [43] Ibid.,
  • [44] Ibid.,
  • [45] Galrling, B. (2015) Oil Spill in Bangladesh! Why do mangroves matter?), Mission Blue Sylvia Earle Alliance, January 9, 2015 <https://mission-blue.org/2015/01/oil-spill-in-bangladesh-why-do-mangroves-matter/> July 12, 2020
  • [46] Ibid.,
  • [47] Hazra, S., (2002) Sea Level and associated changes in the Sundarbans, Science and Culture (ISSN 0036-8156), Vol 68, Issue no 9-12, 2002, School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University pp 309-321 <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285639426_Sea_level_and_associated_changes_in_Sundarbans> July 12, 2020
  • [48] Ibid.,
  • [49] Ghosh, A. (2015) 'Everyday disasters' driving flight from Sundarbans, Thompson Reuters Foundation News, April 7, 2015 <https://news.trust.org/item/20150407060825-66t6a/?source=search>Accessed on July 15, 2020
  • [50] Ghosh, A. (2015) 'Poor planning, climate shifts devastating India's Sundarbans', Thompson Reuters Foundation News, November 17, 2012 <https://news.trust.org/item/20121117004000-yc0l9/?source=search> Accessed on July 15, 2020
  • [51] Scheyvens, R. and Momsen, J. H. (2008) Tourism and Poverty Reduction: Issues for Small Island States, An
  •  International Journal of Tourism Space, Place and Environment Vol 10,  Issue 1, Feb 12, 2008
  • [52] Ibid.,
  • [53] Schilcher, D.  Growth Versus Equity: The Continuum of Pro-Poor Tourism and Neoliberal Governance in Hall, M. C. (Ed.) (2007) Current Themes in Tourism: Pro-poor Tourism: Who Benefits? Perspectives on Tourism and Poverty Reduction (Clevedon: Channel View Publications)
  • [54] Ibid.,
  • [55] Goodwin, H. (2017) The International Centre for Responsible Tourism, Responsible Tourism Partnership taking responsibility for making tourism more sustainable, ICRT, October 3, 2017,  <https://responsibletourismpartnership.org/icrt/> Accessed on July 21, 2020