Speaking at the International Conference on Digitalisation and Sustainable Tourism in Mauritius, Professor Geoffrey Lipman co-founder of SUNx and TraNexus blockchain solutions highlighted the fact that:

“Climate Change is the major eXistential challenge we face - if we fail to respond now, our entire planetary lifestyle will be shattered irreversibly. There are no options."

Professor Lipman described the link between the increasing volatility, scale and destructiveness of extreme weather, with the starvation, poverty, disease, migration and conflict that it causes. He said:

“Travel & Tourism, as a lead global Socio-economic Development Agent must step up to the plate with actions. As a leader, we will need to be in the forefront of change and the more so many of our core products/attributes are in the front line - transport (particularly aviation), coastal facilities, infrastructure for example will need radical transformation and support. We are not yet going far enough, fast enough and haven't focused on the real potential impacts. Nor have we put in place mechanisms to put the sector in the mainstream. We will need to embrace the green, the blue, the circular, the sharing and the sufficiency economies. Not just study but embrace them. We will need to adapt our institutions to be more visionary, nimble and inclusive. SUNx - the Strong Universal Network - has been established to help keep our eyes on the ball and our minds on the stakes.”

He described how Technology, specifically Blockchain, will be a major factor in determining success or failure. He explained that this will be through changes to transport propulsion systems, energy efficient buildings and improved border crossings. He went on to say:

“It will help enhance security through positive identification, make bookings and fulfilment easier, faster and safer, it will revolutionise marketing and promotion through augmented reality. And it will rationalise and strengthen payment systems and investment flows.”

Speaking about the fact that small island states and poorer countries are first in the line of fire he concluded by saying:

“It is fitting that Mauritius has had the vision to focus on this at the time of its 50th Anniversary as a sovereign state. You will need to act now and act out of the box, to build on your incredible success story and help the world make it for the next 50 years. Business as usual is not enough: moderate change is not enough: only total transformation is enough.”