Guiding Principles for Environmental Responsibility Assess environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of tourist establishments and operations – including the planning and design phase - and ensure that negative impacts are reduced to the minimum and maximising positive ones. Use resources sustainably, and reduce waste and over-consumption. Manage natural diversity sustainably, and where appropriate restore it; and consider the volume and type of tourism that the environment can support, and respect the integrity of vulnerable ecosystems and protected areas. Promote education and awareness for sustainable development – for all stakeholders. Raise the capacity of all stakeholders and ensure that best practice is followed, for this purpose consult with environmental and conservation experts. Adapted from the Cape Town Declaration. The Cape Town Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations was organised as a side event preceding the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002 and was attended by 280 delegates from 20 countries.