Impact of COVID-19 on Nature-Based Tourism Electric Energy Emissions in South African National Parks

The carbon footprint assessment of the entire nature-based conservation and tourism estate in 2020 showed a variation in carbon emissions across the 19 South African National Parks (SANParks). Electricity was the primary source of carbon emissions at 55% of the organisation’s total emissions. The GHG Protocol demonstrated that seven national parks, including Kruger, Garden Route, Table Mountain, Addo Elephant, Golden Gate Highlands, Kgalagadi and Augrabies Falls, accounted for 85% of the organisational electricity emissions. This chapter shows the dichotomy between the staff and tourism electricity consumption and carbon emissions. Further, it investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the seven national parks to propose a post-COVID-19 recovery plan. The results showed an average 20% decline in total electricity emissions during COVID-19. Electricity consumption (thus emissions) fell during the stringent lockdown levels (5-3). However, a slight continued increase occurred with the relaxed lockdown levels (3-1), with some parks’ trajectory heading towards pre-COVID-19 values. The results demonstrate that tourism emissions declined significantly during COVID-19, while staff emissions only showed a significant decline in the Kruger NP. As part of the mitigation and awareness campaigns at the park level, a multi-pronged post-COVID-19 recovery response plan (including SANParks Green Energy Strategy) could help maintain the gains made on emission reduction during COVID-19.