West Norwegian Fjords and Glacier Bay join forces to strengthen conservation in marine World Heritag

Last month, the Marine World Heritage Programme traveled to Norway to facilitate an exchange between the West Norwegian Fjords -Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord and Glacier Bay National Park.
These two marine World Heritage sites share a challenge and an opportunity: both are popular cruise ship destinations and are threatened by pollution from tourism traffic. In Glacier Bay, a competitive bidding process limits the number of ships that can access the bay, requires strict environmental controls to reduce impacts on local water quality and wildlife, and generates half of the site’s operating revenue. Site managers from the Norwegian Fjords have been working hard to build a greener, more sustainable tourism industry. The August visit was a chance for the site managers to share their experiences and ideas and chart a course for a more sustainable future.
When managers from the two sites met at the first Marine World Heritage site manager’s conference in Honolulu in 2010, they realized that at least seven major international cruise lines visit both sites. This gave them the idea to work together on win-win strategies that limit the environmental impacts of cruise ship traffic while harnessing the visibility and revenue it can provide.
West Norwegian Fjords - Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2005, is renowned for its spectacular beauty. The fjords reach underwater depths of more than 500 meters, and are host to seals, dolphins, and whales. Visitors flock to the area in the summer months, many by cruise ship, and the ships' smoke stacks pollute the air. Site managers have been working on a Green Fjord initiative to facilitate “transport without a trace.” It includes electric scooters, zero emission cars and public transportation and green technology innovation that could provide a boost to the region's private companies. Mitigating the ecological footprint of the cruise ships is a critical step in realizing a zero-emissions future for the fjords.
The August visit was just one step in what is intended to be a long and fruitful relationship between these two sites. The Marine World Heritage Programme will be sharing their learning with the many other marine sites in its network that are accessed by cruise ship, as well as those working to reduce environmental impacts from other tourism vehicles.