ECLAC participated in the Climate Week in Latin America and the Caribbean 2022

The proposal for the Big Push for Sustainability, the circular economy, the social price of carbon and climate action are some of the topics that the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) promoted during the Climate Week in Latin America and el Caribe 2022, meeting that was held from July 18 to 22 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The event was organized by UN Climate Change in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Environment Program and the World Bank Group. ECLAC, CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), acted as associated organizers of the region.

The importance of sustainable consumption and production enshrined in the circular economy to achieve the 1.5 °C warming target, was the topic addressed during the first meeting, held on Wednesday, July 20, and co-organized by the Government of the Dominican Republic. , ECLAC, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Brightline Institute, the IDB, ParlAmericas, the Technology Center and Network of the Climate of the United Nations (CTCN, for its acronym in English) and Deuman.

In the meeting entitled Unleashing circular economy opportunities towards the 1.5 degree warming goal, specialists highlighted the increased awareness of the synergies between the circular economy and climate action registered in the region. In addition, they presented good practices and shared experiences to improve collaboration between the government and key actors.

Subsequently, ECLAC, the EUROCLIMA+ Program and the Network of National Public Investment Systems of Latin America and the Caribbean (RedSNIP) organized a parallel event entitled Social price of carbon and evaluation of public investment: applications in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Caribbean.

The session promoted the discussion between national authorities on the use of the social price of carbon in the evaluation process of public investment projects in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and its importance for the fulfillment of the climate commitments set forth in the Contributions Nationally Determined (NDC).

In the side event Accelerating the implementation of Climate Action Plans in Latin America and the Caribbean, a document was presented detailing the tools and methodologies available and focused on strengthening the Climate Action Plans of local governments, and facilitating its implementation.

For its part, on July 21, the Regional Dialogue was held: Consistency and articulation between the NDC and LTS, an opportunity for the coherence of climate policy, organized jointly by UNEP, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) , ECLAC and the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP).

With this event, ECLAC, together with the organizing institutions, sought to promote the search for tools and methodologies that allow governments to act consistently and coherently at the level of NDCs and Long-Term Strategies (LTS). in English) in the participating countries, with an emphasis on adaptation and public investment.

Later, ECLAC presented the proposal for the Big Push for Sustainability based on a combination of social and environmental policies that, hand in hand with economic, technological and industrial policies, can relaunch a new development project for Latin America and the Caribbean. where, while advancing economic objectives, social and environmental gaps can also be reduced.

In the side event Opportunities for the transition: Towards a great push for sustainability, national authorities and technicians from countries in the region linked to the Ministries of Planning, Economy, among others, exchanged national experiences on the importance of sectors such as renewable energies , electromobility and nature-based solutions to drive a more sustainable recovery for the region.

Finally, ECLAC, GIZ and the Costa Rican Ministries of Finance and Environment and Energy organized a parallel event entitled Fiscal Expenditure and the Role of the Ministries of Finance in Climate Action: The Costa Rican Experience, in which highlighted the important contribution of fiscal policy to move towards a greener and fairer transition.