Seminar to analyze how to promote a global agreement to face climate change in 2015

With the purpose of increasing the visibility and reflection regarding the phenomenon of climate change and its effects, CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, and the European Union (EU) organized a seminar called "Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change", prior to the PreCop which will be held in Venezuela in November. 

Aude Maio-Coliche, EU Ambassador, and Luis Enrique Berrizbeitia, CAF's Executive Vice-President, inaugurated the event that was the scenario to analyze and debate about the challenges and opportunities to achieve a global agreement in 2015 in the fight against climate change. 

Luis Enrique Berrizbeitia stated, "The region must become an efficient territory that promotes development and reduces vulnerability in the face of climate change". He added, "In this regard, CAF promotes programs and projects aimed at boosting the growth of the economies in the region, with an environmental and social sustainability criteria, to achieve better life conditions for the population and for future generations". 

At the same time, Aude Maio-Coliche pointed out, "The planet urgently needs a global, ambitious, comprehensive, and binding agreement. In the European Union we have managed to uncouple economic growth from the increase of greenhouse gasses. We have been able to prove that growth, employment, and the protection of climate may go hand in hand".

In developing countries, the EU contributes with the equivalent of USD 2.2 billion to fight against climate change. The Ambassador said that "one out of five Euros of the global 2014-2020 budget will be allocated to project and policies related to this issue". 

For Ligia Castro, Director of CAF's Department of the Environment and Climate Change, adaptation efforts constitute one of the main challenges that Latin America and the Caribbean must face. She highlighted that, "Financing in the international and regional context for adaptation to climate change is increasing. However, it is still insufficient to cover the estimated needs. These spaces enable the exchange of experiences, discussion regarding measures, and promotion of practices aligned with sustainable development".  

During her participation in the seminar, Anne Charlotte Becker, DG Climate -EU, spoke about "Green Growth: perspective from the European Union". In her intervention, she highlighted that mitigation policies go beyond sectorial and environmental policies. "Through voluntary policies, the European Union has reduced emissions of greenhouse gasses, exceeding even the commitment assumed in Kyoto. Currently, in view of the global agreement to be negotiated in Paris in 2015, the European Union will present its new goal, which consists in reducing its emissions by 40 percent for 2030". 

The event included the participation of international experts such as James Painter, professor at Oxford University, and Anne Charlotte Becker (DG Climate European Commission); Guillermo Dascal, form the Euroclima project; national authorities such as Dalia Hernandez, Vice-Minister for New Sources and Rational Use of Electric Energy of the Ministry of Popular Power for Electric Energy; representatives from public and private enterprises; academics; and journalists.    

The agenda was divided into two blocks. In the morning, issues related to mitigation, energy efficiency, green financing, and renewable energies were addressed. In the afternoon, the issues addressed were those related to adaptation to climate change, vulnerability, and best practices, among others. 

The seminar "Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change" is the precursor of the PreCOP which will be held in Venezuela at the beginning of November, the Peru COP which will be held on December 20th of this year, and the Paris COP in 2015.