Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai

This report analyzes the 'Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives' (SUT) project conducted between 2012 and 2013 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Hue, Vietnam. The project aimed to identify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the tourism sector and develop mitigation strategies that simultaneously create pro-poor, green employment. In Chiang Mai, the project identified transport as the primary emission source and advocated for non-motorised transport (NMT). In Hue, the project focused on promoting traditional garden houses as carbon sinks and sources of local employment. The report details the methodology used for emission estimation, the specific local strategies adopted, and the enabling factors and challenges encountered during implementation.

• In 2011, the tourism sector in Chiang Mai emitted approximately 4.4 million tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq), with the vast majority of these emissions originating from travel.
• To mitigate emissions in Chiang Mai, the project advocated for a non-motorised transport (NMT) system, specifically focusing on the Three Kings Monument area. Implementing NMT in this landmark area could reduce land-based transport emissions within the city by 0.6% to 1.6%, cutting between 230 and 570 tons of CO2eq annually.

APA

Kumar, S., Kusakabe, K., Shrestha, P., Linh, N. K., & Suwanprik, T. (2016). Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Sustainable-urban-tourism-low-carbon-initiatives-Hue-and-Chiang-Mai1.pdf

Chicago

Kumar, S., Kyoko Kusakabe, Pujan Shrestha, Nguyen Khanh Linh, and Trinnawat Suwanprik. Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2016. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Sustainable-urban-tourism-low-carbon-initiatives-Hue-and-Chiang-Mai1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kumar |first1=S. |last2=Kusakabe |first2=Kyoko |last3=Shrestha |first3=Pujan |last4=Linh |first4=Nguyen Khanh |last5=Suwanprik |first5=Trinnawat |title=Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=February 2016 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Sustainable-urban-tourism-low-carbon-initiatives-Hue-and-Chiang-Mai1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kumar2016sustainable, author = {Kumar, S. and Kusakabe, Kyoko and Shrestha, Pujan and Linh, Nguyen Khanh and Suwanprik, Trinnawat}, title = {{Sustainable urban tourism through low-carbon initiatives: Experiences from Hue and Chiang Mai}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2016}, month = feb, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Sustainable-urban-tourism-low-carbon-initiatives-Hue-and-Chiang-Mai1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }