Search

The creation of existential spaces, as part of the fabric of environmental history, is seen clearly in the accounts of the Caribbean coast of Mexico, today’s state of Quintana Roo, known as the ‘Mayan Riviera’. Over time we see: first, a ‘wilderness’, discovered by archaeologists, second, a ‘natural resource’ frontier of chicle extraction for the manufacture of chewing gum, third, an commodity, as theme park, leisure complex and cruise liner. The paper leads us to question ‘space’ and ‘place’ within the lexicon of global tourism, and to suggest the importance of historical context in explaining the consumption of space. Key Words: Tourist pioneers, Mexico, consumption of space, ‘Mayan Riviera’., La creación de espacios existenciales, como parte del tejido de la historia medioambiental, se ve claramente en las cuentas de la costa caribeña de México, el estado actual de Quintana Roo, conocido como Riviera Maya.A lo largo del tiempo observamos: en primer lugar, una “naturaleza salvaje” descubierta por los arqueólogos; en segundo lugar, un “recurso natural” frontera de la extracción de chicle para la manufactura comercial del producto; tercero, un “espacio abandonado” identificado y explotado por los primeros empresarios turísticos y, en cuarto lugar, un “paraíso tropical” promesa de escapada para los turistas internacionales y convirtiendo la naturaleza en bien de consumo, parque temático, complejo de ocio y de actividad crucerística. El artículo nos lleva a cuestionar “espacio” y “lugar” dentro del léxico del turismo global, y a sugerir la importancia del contexto histórico en la explicación del consumo del espacio.

The Handbook on Climate Change and Human Security is a landmark publication which links the complexities of climate change to the wellbeing and resilience of human populations. It is written in an engaging and accessible way but also conveys the state of the art on both climate change research and work into human security, utilizing both disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches. Organized around thematic sections, each chapter is written by an acknowledged expert in the field, and discusses the key concepts and evidence base for our current policy choices, and the dilemmas of international policy in the field. The Handbook is unique in containing sophisticated ethical and moral questions as well as new information and data from different geographical regions. It is a timely volume that makes the case for acting wisely now to avert impending crises and global environmental problems.