On the fringes of the region’s Middle East & North Africa Climatic Week on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Ministry unveiled a Global Solution Hub as part of its effort to address the climate catastrophe.
The development is a knowledge hub that will track sustainable travel globally through research projects, the establishment of industry toolkits, and intellectual conversations. It is being spearheaded by the Kingdom’s Sustainable Tourism Global Center.
Gloria Guevara Manzo, the head of STGC, said that the information center is a big advancement and might change the broader landscape of environmentally friendly travel in an interview with Arab News.
Manzo, who serves as the Saudi tourism minister’s top special adviser, highlighted how the hub will serve as an incubator for identifying problems and coming up with sustainable solutions.
“We are working with over twenty schools, and by 2030, we want to have reached 100 schools. Top universities like MIT, Stanford, NYU, and Harvard are producing toolkits and solutions, according to Manzo, who spoke to Arab News.
The advisor also cited the example of a program that is being created in conjunction with Stanford University to aid businesses and cafés who need assistance determining their emission levels reduce food waste.
Manzo stated that the program would assist identify difficulties among restaurants and develop an affordable and practical tool to measure their footprint, with food waste accounting for 8 to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions globally.
“We additionally tell them that this is the issue at hand, but also here is the answer, and this is the manner in which you do it,” she added.
“We’re also releasing a few solutions this week, and over the year to come, you’ll see 20 ideas emerging out of Riyadh which will benefit small and medium-sized businesses, destinations, and travelers,” Manzo continued.
She added that the initiatives will also include projects related to water management, plastic reduction, and other sectors, saying that these solutions transcend beyond food waste.
The hub unveiled three toolkits on Tuesday, principally focusing on the usage of solar heating heaters, reducing emissions by means of food choices, and lowering the cost of solar panels.
Ahmed Al-Khateeb, the Saudi tourism minister, said in a statement following the hub’s opening that it will offer useful information to assist stakeholders in making educated choices.
Manzo stated that the hub would serve as a directory for international tourism industry solutions and would compile all best practices for the benefit of stakeholders everywhere.
Manzo stated that in order to give locations that wish to take inspiration from others a place to stay, we must both archive successful stories and offer answers.
The center has also determined that over 27 different types of SMEs can benefit from its services.