The Industrial Revolution began in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Coal, oil and gas (collectively termed fossil fuels) offered levels of energy production previously undreamed of, leading to shifts towards factory-based systems and the mass production of goods such as cotton. Over the past 100 years global mean temperature has increased by 0.7 0C and in Europe by about 1.0 0C and the 1990s was the warmest decade over the past 150 years. Warming-up of the atmosphere is part of changes in climate and (extreme) weather conditions. If these changes persist, they will influence water availability, flood hazards, agricultural productivity, and natural areas. The environmental impact of human beings has grown in scale, become more rapid, and changed in character. Whereas we once transformed locales or regions, today we can be said to be transforming the Earth on a global scale. Today, industrialisation continues in the less well developed areas of the world like Africa and parts of Asia. We have gradually become aware that there are many environmental impacts as a consequence of industrialisation, and that we have the ability to take the appropriate action. The main impacts of concern are pollution, resource consumption (including energy resources) and population growth. Sustainable tourism depends on a clean environment. Member States are already implementing some policies with respect to the environmental impact of tourism, including environmental impact assessment, environmental zoning, sanitation projects, etc. Keywords: environment, sustainable development, sustainable tourism.