San José, Costa Rica, Tuesday October 8, 2019. In the event Strengthening the alliance between the European Union and Latin America for greater climate ambition
the achievements and challenges of EUROCLIMA+ in tackling climate change and strengthening climate ambition in the region were highlighted.
The activity had outstanding panellists who shared their experiences under the EUROCLIMA+ programme framework.
Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Climate and Energy Action, European Union (EU), pointed out that "EUROCLIMA+ is our star project in LA". Miguel Arias stated that "supporting the countries of the region in complying with their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) is one of the EU's priorities. We understand that when cooperation efforts are successful, they have a strong impact on actions against climate change," he said, referring to the services developed by the programme that are aimed at supporting the implementation of the commitments of the Paris Agreement in the area of climate governance, financing, and technical assistance for the implementation of lines of action with Latin American countries.
Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), referred to the status of climate commitments in Latin America and the role played by EUROCLIMA+ in this context. The secretary pointed out the importance of EU-LAC cooperation for the region in fulfilling the NDCs and the decarbonisation process. "Total emissions from LAC represent only 8.3% of global emissions, but the region is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to its geographic, climatic, socio-economic and demographic characteristics. We have a big challenge in decarbonisation matters. In a scenario like this, the EU's commitment to our region is fundamental. The EUROCLIMA+ programme has helped us to identify the public adaptation and mitigation policies needed to tackle climate change," she said.
Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, Minister of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica presented Costa Rica’s experience in the framework of EUROCLIMA+. The minister said that "the programme has been an important support for the development of technical capacities in the decarbonisation process in our country, specifically in the creation of future scenarios". He added, "EUROCLIMA+ has supported us in creating a long-term vision to carry out our projects in the area. He also highlighted the consistency that the programme has had over time in the field of decarbonisation, despite changes in political leaders.
Carolina Schmidt, COP25 President, Chile's Minister of the Environment, pointed out that the EU is a privileged cooperation partner with Latin America on issues of environmental sustainability and climate change. "We are in a time of profound change where we need clear leadership. In this context, EUROCLIMA+ is a significant and valuable tool for confronting these times of profound transformation", she explained. The minister also added that the support of the programme and its member agencies have allowed the prioritisation of activities for the construction of an ambitious long-term vision for the fulfilment of the NDCs. "With the support of EUROCLIMA+, we hope to carry out studies and build capacities in this area, which will strengthen our governments in generating inputs that allow them to work in an integrated manner in the planning of our commitments," she explained.
Leo Heileman, UN Environment Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, commented on the achievements of countries such as Colombia, Panama and Argentina under the EUROCLIMA+ framework in the area of electric mobility. He also referred to the development of long-term coordination strategies and climate transparency in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Uruguay. "The current climate change situation in the region is very delicate. We are under pressure," he said. In this sense, the regional director also highlighted the role of the programme in the future, stating that "EUROCLIMA+ provides important support for stopping the changes resulting from climate change."
The activity ended with a discussion on the role of international cooperation between the EU and Latin America in increasing climate ambition, which was moderated by Felice Zaccheo, Head of the Regional Programmes Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean DG DEVCO, European Commission.
About EUROCLIMA+
EUROCLIMA+ is a programme funded by the European Union, aimed at supporting the implementation of the commitments of the Paris Agreement, especially the nationally determined contributions in 18 Latin American countries and thereby promoting environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient development for the benefit of the most vulnerable populations. EUROCLIMA+ is implemented through the synergistic work of seven international cooperation agencies: Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), French Development Agency (AFD), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), Expertise France (EF), International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), and UN Environment.
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