Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the context of both climate change and peak oil, it is clear that the tourism industry cannot
continue with a business-as-usual approach. Unfettered fossil fuel use is no longer an option and
novel approaches need to be explored in order to change the configuration of energy systems.
Transport is particularly energy intense and consequently, since it involves travel, so is tourism.
The Drifters Desert Nature Reserve (DDNR) is probably a net carbon sink. The property is large
and has thousands of long lived trees and bushes: but this would be an ‘easy out’ in an industry
which is has a reputation for evading tough questions. Are there affordable techniques that can be
employed by the Reserve that will reduce its carbon footprint and enable it to move toward being
entirely carbon neutral, without relying on sequestration?
A willingness to pay (WTP) survey investigating if clients were prepared to pay a voluntary amount
towards reducing the emissions of the DDNR, thereby offsetting some of their own emissions, was
conducted; 121 questionnaires were completed. The results were extrapolated out to represent the
WTP of the 1055 clients that visited the DDNR in the last year. It was found that 73% of all the
clients who stay at the DDNR are willing to pay toward helping the DDNR change the way its
systems are configured as a means to offset some of their own emissions debt in getting to the
reserve. Lodge clients were prepared to pay almost double the amount clients staying at the
campsite would consider. In both cases, WTP was around 10% of the value of the accommodation
package chosen.
The fossil fuel use and consequent carbon dioxide debt of the DDNR was calculated and
emissions were found to be in the region of 30 tonnes per annum. As per the case in the greater
Namibia, transport is responsible for the bulk of the carbon dioxide output, with energy provision in
this off-grid reserve being a close second. Of four potential interventions considered, two were
found to be financially viable, regardless of the WTP of clientele.
It is speculated that WTP on a small scale is administratively laborious and the potential
contribution of a voluntary offsetting payment was perhaps not high to justify the implementation of
the scheme. It was however found that reconfiguring the energy systems would definitely be a
worthwhile exercise.
On corporate level where efficiencies of size amplify gains, Drifters, as a group of 14 lodges and an
overland company, may well find that a transparent voluntary emissions reduction (VER) payment,
ring-fenced, appropriately used, and properly implemented, is worthwhile.
Ethically, however, injecting VER payments into a balance sheet is problematic, especially where
the payback period of the technological interventions is short and the benefits derived are long
term. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gebruik van fossielbrandstowwe wat in die huidige tydsgewrig tot die opwekking van oormatige
kweekhuisgasse lei is nie langer aanvaarbaar nie en innoverende opsies om die voortgesette
generasie van energie te verseker, sal nagestreef moet word. Een van die grootste verbruikers van
energie is vervoer, en vervolgens is dit ook die geval dat toerisme, wat swaar op vervoer
staatmaak, ‘n groot gebruiker van energie is.
Aangesien daar etlike gevestigde bome en bosse op hierdie woestynreservaat is, is die Drifters
Desert Nature Reserve (DDNR) moontlik ‘n netto bespaarder van koolstofgasse, maar dit kan nie
sondermeer daargelaat word in ‘n bedryf wat bekend is daarvoor dat dit graag die moeilike vrae
vermy nie. Daar is dus gevra: is daar bekostigbare tegnieke wat moontlik by die DDBR aangewend
kan word om die koolstofvoetafdruk te verminder en dit in staat kan stel om totaal koolstofneutraal
te word, sonder om op ingryping staat te maak?
Navorsing is gedoen en 121 vraelyste is voltooi om vas te stel of kliente gewillig sou wees om ‘n
vrywillige bydrae te maak om die afskeid van koolstof te beheer en daardeur hul eie
koolstofvoetafrdruk te verminder, in ‘n sg “gewilligheid om te betaal” oftewel “willingness to pay”
(WTP) opname. Die resultate is deurgevoer as verteenwoordigend van die 1 055 kliente wat
verlede jaar die oord besoek het. Daar is gevind dat 73% van die kliente wat die oord besoek
bereid sou wees om die DDNR geldelik te help om sy stelsels te verander as ‘n teenrekening om
hul eie koolstofbesoedeling op pad daarheen te vergoed. Kliente wat die losie gebruik het was
bereid om meer te betaal as diegene wat by die kampeerterrein tuisgegaan het.
Die hele reservaat se jaarlikse koolstofdioksied debiet is bereken, en die jaarlikse opwekking is op
ongeveer 30-tonne vasgestel. Nes in Namibie as geheel is vervoeruitlaatgasse verantwoordelik vir
die oorgrote meerderheid opwekking, met die voorsiening van energie by die afgelee oord kort op
sy hakke. Van die vier moontlike ingrypings wat oorweeg is, is twee finansieel die moeite werd
gevind, ongeag die kliente se gewilligheid om geldelik by te dra. Die bestuur van aanvraag is ook
oorweeg, en hoewel dit nie gekwantifiseer is nie, is dit nes die moontlikheid van tegnologiese
innovering, duidelik deel van die oplossing,
Daar is gevind dat ‘n stelsel van betaling op plaaslike vlak moeilik sou wees om die administreer,
en aangesien selfs die gewilliges nie oorgretig is nie, is daar tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat dit
nie die moeite sou loon nie. Ongeag bogenoemde beginsel van toersitebydraes is daar gevind dat
dit ongetwyfeld die moeite werd sou wees om die energiestelsels aan te pas. Maar dit sal nie
noodwendig op ‘n korporatiewe of ‘n makro-skaal werk nie, veral nie waar grote ‘n rol speel nie. As
maatskappygroep mag Drifters vind dat met ‘n deursigtige, vrywillige uitlaatverminderingspaaiement,
wat afgebaken, korrek aangewend en effektief bestuur word, die kool die
sous werd sou wees.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20210 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Gibson, Sean |
| Contributors | Brent, Alan, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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