CAF at COP29
CAF arrives at COP29 with a commitment to establish itself as the Green and Sustainable Inclusive Growth Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, advancing toward its goal of 40% green financing by 2026. At this key event, CAF promotes an agenda that integrates natural capital conservation with productive development, fostering policies and strategies aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement. Through an ecosystem-based and regional integration approach, CAF seeks to facilitate coordinated action among regional countries in addressing the climate and biodiversity crises, paving the way for COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
Agenda
Regional Dialogue on the Implementation of Article 6 in Latin America
The event, organized by the Regional Collaboration Centre for Latin America (RCC LatAm), in collaboration with CCAP and UNEP, aims to provide a platform for Latin American countries to share experiences, discuss best practices, and address together the challenges and opportunities in implementing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. This initiative highlights cooperation as a path to advance climate goals and foster sustainable development, addressing key topics such as capacity building, governance, and the practical application of Article 6 in the region.
Date: November 13
Time: 19:00 – 20:00
Location: Room 4, Zone B, Blue Zone
Speakers
- Fabiana Rodrigues, RCC LatAm, Regional Lead
- Sebastián Lema, Director of Carbon Markets and Climate Finance, CCAP
- Sebastián Carranza, Regional Climate Change Coordinator, UNEP
- Government officials from Colombia, Chile, Guatemala, Panama, and A6.4 SBM representative
- Ignacio Lorenzo, Director of Technical Advisory on Biodiversity and Climate, CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (TBC)
Revitalizing the Rio Lempa
Revitalizing the Rio Lempa: A $350 million climate investment for conservation, restoration, and economic development in El Salvador’s largest river and watershed.
The Río Lempa Conservation and Restoration Program is a $350 million climate initiative, based on the world's largest debt conversion for water conservation, announced on October 16, 2024, and set to begin in 2025. Over 20 years, it will revitalize the largest river and watershed in El Salvador, promoting conservation, economic development, and resilient rural livelihoods.
The program, funded by partners such as the Government of El Salvador, the DFC, J.P. Morgan, and CAF, will be managed by CRS and FIAES in collaboration with national water and environmental authorities. This innovative model redirects savings from bond buybacks to restoration and conservation activities. Program details and implementation plans will be presented starting in 2025.
Date: November 15
Time: 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Location: El Salvador Pavilion | Area E, Delegation Pavilion, E14
Speaker:
Franz Rojas, Director of Water and Sanitation Technical Analysis and Evaluation, CAF
Positive Results for Biodiversity in the Renewable Energy Sector: Building Partnerships for a Positive Future for Nature
The event aims to provide a platform for Latin American countries to share experiences, discuss best practices, and jointly address the challenges and opportunities in implementing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. This initiative highlights cooperation as a pathway to advance climate goals and promote sustainable development, covering key topics such as capacity building, governance, and the practical application of Article 6 in the region.
Date: November 15
Time: 10:30 – 12:00 h
Location: We Mean Business Pavilion, Blue Zone
Speakers
- Fabiana Rodrigues, RCC LatAm, Regional Lead
- Sebastián Lema, Director of Carbon Markets and Climate Finance, CCAP
- Sebastián Carranza, Regional Climate Change Coordinator, UNEP
- Government officials from Colombia, Chile, Guatemala, Panama, and A6.4 SBM representative
- Ignacio Lorenzo, Director of Technical Advisory on Biodiversity and Climate, CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (TBC)
Innovation and Policy for Carbon Farming: Towards a Sustainable and Resilient Future
The event aims to promote the adoption of carbon farming practices, highlighting their potential to mitigate climate change through soil carbon sequestration and agricultural productivity preservation. Led by IICA and Ohio State University through the "Living Soils of the Americas" initiative, the session brings together leaders from various sectors to drive innovations and financing that support farmers and contribute to more sustainable and resilient agriculture across the region.
Date: November 15
Time: 10:30 – 12:00 h
Location: Sustainable Agriculture of the Americas Pavilion, Blue Zone
Speakers
- José Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture (Belize)
- Ignacio Lorenzo, Director of Technical Advisory on Biodiversity and Climate, CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (TBC)
- Elizabeth Yee, Rockefeller Foundation
- Grazielle Parenti, Syngenta Group
Evolution of Green Finance Tracking: Principles, Taxonomies and Areas for Future Growth
Rigorous standards of consistency, transparency, and accountability in green finance tracking are essential for IDFC members as they seek to expand their green investments. As members aim to increase financing in mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity, several options are available to aid in the classification, tracking, and reporting of these investments. This event will cover the following topics: (i) What does green finance tracking look like today? (ii) the role of jurisdictional green taxonomies; and (iii) what is the future of climate finance tracking?
Date: November 18
Time: 14:00 – 15:00 h
Location: IDFC Pavilion, Blue Zone - Stadium Ground Floor - Number 21
Speakers
- Climate Policy Initiative, CPI
- Brazilian Development Bank – BNDES
- CAF Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
- Development Bank of Southern Africa, DBSA
Event with livestream https://www.idfc.org/cop29idfc/
Financing for Adaptation at the Basin Level: The Potential of Incubation to Drive Project Development
The objective of this webinar is to present tools and resources developed by International Financial Institutions to facilitate access to climate financing for adaptation projects in lake, river, and aquifer basins. The session will explore ways to accelerate the development of these projects, which are key to addressing the impacts of climate change affecting societies through the water cycle, such as floods, droughts, and precipitation variability.
Date: November 19
Time: 15:00 – 16:45 h
Speakers
- Lionel Goujon, Head of Water and Sanitation, French Development Agency (AFD)
- Franz Rojas, Head of the Water and Sanitation Division, Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF)
- Mtchera Johannes Chirwa, Acting Director, Water Development and Sanitation Department, African Development Bank
- Anders Jagerskog, Program Manager, “Cooperation for International Waters in Africa” (CIWA), World Bank
- Anders Guillermo Blanco Blanco, Principal Economics Specialist, Water and Sanitation, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
From Cali To Belém. Latin American and Caribbean Leadership and Priorities in Climate Action and Positive Biodiversity
The event highlights CAF's commitment as the Green Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean, aiming for 40% green financing by 2026. With a focus on regional integration and natural capital conservation, CAF supports strategies aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement. In this context, the upcoming COPs in the region (COP16 in Cali and COP30 in Belém) emphasize Latin America's role as a solutions region. CAF seeks to facilitate coordinated action in these instances, using COP29 as a key space to reflect and define a common regional agenda towards Belém.
Date: November 19
Time: 19:30 – 22:00 h
Location: Hilton Hotel (closed event)
Speakers
- Alicia Montalvo, Manager of Climate Action and Positive Biodiversity, CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
- Delegate from the Government of Colombia
- Delegate from the Government of Brazil
Integrating Biodiversity into Climate Action: Strategies and Benefits for a More Sustainable and Resilient Future
This side event addresses the interdependence between biodiversity and climate change, highlighting how biodiversity conservation and restoration can be effective mitigation and adaptation strategies, essential for a climate-resilient future. Nature-based solutions emerge as a key approach to address both issues in an integrated manner. Strategies to integrate biodiversity conservation into climate initiatives and policies will be discussed, with an emphasis on the benefits of this integration.
Date: November 20
Time: 10:00 – 11:00 h
Location: Spain Pavilion
Speakers
- International Union for Conservation of Nature – IUCN
- The Nature Conservancy – TNC
- Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain
- CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
Nature and Adaptation to Climate Change in Public Development Banks
The event will explore how public development banks (PDBs) can play a crucial role in financing and supporting nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate change adaptation. Panelists from PDBs will discuss the parallels between financing NbS and climate change adaptation, as well as strategies to align financial flows with Article 2.1(c) of the Paris Agreement. Participants will also identify and discuss enabling factors that can scale up investments in NbS for climate resilience, such as policy adjustments that enhance the role of PDBs and public-private partnerships.
Date: November 21
Time: 16:00 – 17:30 h
Location: IDFC Pavilion, Blue Zone - Stadium Ground Floor - Number 21
Speakers
- CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
Event with livestream https://www.idfc.org/cop29idfc/
