Introduction

1This article examines the natural resource dilemma in the tourism industry within Jamaica. It examines the theoretical foundation of the quest to balance the economic gains of the tourism industry and the use of natural resources. In particular the paradox of greening of tourism activity to account for damage induced by the tourism sector. In comparison to the lack of regulatory policies and intervention at national and sub national levels for the socioeconomic livelihood systems of the local population.

2Tourism is considered to be the most important engine of growth and development in Jamaica (fig.1). The industry is the country’s major foreign exchange earner. Tourism represents 70 % of Direct Gross Value Added by Industry at Basic Prices in 2009. The supporting sectors of tourism such as accommodation represent 95.1 %, food and beverage 22.1%, passenger transport services 78.4%, transport equipment rental 82.5%, travel agencies and other reservation services 99.8% recreational, cultural and sporting activities 49.9 (Statistical Institute of Jamaica, 2009).

3There is a clear thrust in the “greening of national accounts” and measuring the welfare costs of resource depletion and environmental degradation (World Bank, 1991). Debates contend the implementation of policy instruments for environmentally sustainable development to be continuously improved to include subsidy reduction, targeted subsidies, environmental taxes, user fees, deposit-refund systems, tradable permits, and international offset systems (World Bank, 1997). There is a clear responsibility of the state to foster human development and encourage an institutional environment which is conducive to economic growth, implements social policies and provide incentives for ecologically appropriate behavior (World Bank World Development Report, 1997).

4This suggests regulation of natural resources is beyond the market's capacity. Economic priorities within the sector of tourism often override ecological priorities. According to this perspective renewable resources should be utilized at rates less than or equal to the natural rate at which they can generate and should also optimize the efficiency with which non-renewable resources are used, subject to substitutability between resources and technological progress Pearce et al.,1990: 24). This perspective has therefore left a precedence of the environment being regarded as a commodity. Herman Daly posits sustainable development can be operationalized in terms of natural capital (Daly, 1992: 10). Daly posits that for renewable resources the consumption should be limited to sustainable yields. While for nonrenewable resources the rule is to reinvest the proceeds from nonrenewable resource exploitation into investment in renewable natural capital. This will result in a constant maintenance of natural capital.

5Some theorists even categorize the response to the concept of sustainable development as strong or weak sustainability. According to Daly, weak sustainability focuses on only maintaining total capital intact. He further argues this is weak as it is based on generous assumptions on the substitutability of capital for natural resources in production. However, strong sustainability requires maintenance of both manmade and natural capital intact separately, with the assumption that they are not really substitutes but complements in most productive functions (Daly, 1992: 250). Thus sustainable development as posited by the Brundtland Report requires distinction between the basic needs and the extravagant needs. Sustainable development is also about sufficiency as well as efficiency. Furthermore “the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” can be interpreted as requiring either strong or weak sustainability thus the pervasive issue of substitutability is resurfaced. Sustainable economic development should therefore imply technological progress that increase resource productivity and reduce pressure on natural capital stocks (Daly, 1992: 253).

1. The Tourism Dilemma

6Norgaard insists that economic models do need to meet the challenges of future generations to ensure they will inherit an approved capital stock and better technology that will equip them to substitute resources and overcome scarcity which is a fundamental argument of sustainable development (Noorgard, 1994). Notwithstanding the thrust in the tourism sector within the framework of sustainable tourism development planning, one can argue the sector has failed to acknowledge that resources bear a relationship to each other in the natural environment, as part of environmental systems. Thus sustainable tourism planning often use market mechanisms, which fail to allocate environmental goods and services efficiently because environmental systems are not divisible and therefore do not reach equilibrium positions and incur changes which are irreversible.

7Case study: Water Dilemma Example
It is true the tourism paradigm acknowledges damage is possible to the environment .For instance, the World Tourism Organization clearly states, Nature in the form of mountains, beaches, tropical forests, desserts, or influenced by anthropogenic activity of humans (landscapes, cultural heritage, etc.) which are also an attraction for visitors. Furthermore WTO posits tourism contributes to irreversible damage to the environment through pressure on fragile ecosystems, by construction of resorts or roads that destroy the natural sites and heritage, through pressure exerted on land, air and water and through diverse processes of all kinds that generate pollution, deforestation, discharge of residuals, erosion, etc. Moreover international standards of WTO admonish initiatives at a national and sub national levels to generate indicators to analyze, monitor or evaluate environmental implications of tourism development in specific areas (World Tourism Statistics, 2008: 77). It is clear there is a call for priority regarding tourism sustainability issues.

8However this system records the direct link between the cost of tourism degradation and the environment and does not account for the damage by livelihood systems of the local population which serve the tourism sector. It focuses on two principal objectives: Firstly the incorporation of tourism as a specific industry and classification of the consumers within the hybrid flow account of environmental accounts. Secondly, the “Greening” of the tourism GDP derived from the Tourism Satellite Account, which includes consideration of the cost of the degradation of the environment and the use of the natural capital by tourism. As well as expenditures that set out to prevent degradation in the tourism industry.

2. Livelihood System Dilemma

9For instance in Jamaica , the largest labour force employer is the Wholesale & Retail , Repair of Motor Vehicle & Equipment sector, followed by Agriculture, Hunting , Forestry and Fishing sector ,Construction, and Hotel Restaurant and Services (Statistical Institute of Jamaïca, 2009). Each of these sectors has a direct impact on the quality of natural resources and the health of the ecosystem. Furthermore, these sectors include portions of the population who are self employed or small size business units which operate independent of national formal structures and rules. Thus their activities are often not regulated and the damage not accounted for within the green account system.

11Water quality statistics on Cockpit Country, indicate high levels of nitrate of natural water for which the principal contaminators are not the tourist, but due to the local population waste practices. It must be noted that Cockpit Country (fig.3) is a 600 km² area significant as a habitat for many endemic species. Most of the karst remains forested; however there are communities which live in the immediate vicinity. Furthermore, agricultural, domestic and industrial pressures are mounting. Even though this area has a high level of hydrological and biological significance, the effective conservation of the Cockpit Country is laissez-faire and minimal (Sean et al. 2001). In contrast to the tourism sector which has put in place environmental conservation practices such as privately owned waste systems. The rural area also lacks sanitary landfills in the rural areas, which also encourages the use of fire at disposal sites (photos 1-8).

Conclusion

12Treatment of organic waste is also a crucial factor, as organic waste from “manure” cross contact with water sources. Water quality indicates high levels of phosphate concentrations, due to soil erosion. This adds significant amounts of suspended phosphate to streams, linked to the local population. The water quality statistics reflect high levels of chloride, linked to the contamination of water by domestic activities such as washing. Samples indicate high levels of Faecal Coliform and high levels of Biochemical Oxygen demand due to organic pollution.

13There is a clear need for a revision of national planning and sub national environmental units to regulate the cost of damage by the local population to natural resources that disturb ecosystems which are part of the tourist attraction. It is clear sustainable livelihood systems must be examined to balance the socioeconomic needs of the local population and the health of the ecosystem.