Central America develops technological solutions to face climate change
The countries of the region participate in a workshop to outline technological climate solutions with the support of UN Environment and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
Panama, October 19, 2017. - The countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic are identifying and defining technological projects to adapt to climate change and mitigate its effects, with the aim of channeling technical and financial support to four priority areas for the region: energy efficiency, electric mobility, water efficiency and coastal resilience.
The Central American region is geographically vulnerable to the effects of climate change and in recent years it has been impacted by intense seasons of rain and drought that threaten the lives and food security of millions of people and cause millionaire property damages every year.
"The water crisis, especially in the Central American dry corridor, affects agricultural production, the development of communities and energy sources. We estimate that Latin America will lose approximately 25 per cent of its hydroelectric generation due to lack of water by 2040, hence the importance of energy efficiency to maximize resource use and reduce consumption," stated UN Environment’s Climate Change Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, Gustavo Máñez.
With the vision of implementing initiatives in which technology can contribute to diminishing pollutant emissions and mitigating the effects of a changing climate, representatives of the governments of the region are working together with UN Environment and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) at the workshop “Climate Solutions through Technology and Financing in Central America,” from October 18 to 20, in Panama.
Potential projects may be assisted by the Climate Technology Center and Network (CTCN), one of the operational branches of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and receive the financial support of of the Green Climate Fund through the CABEI.
"We must consider climate in everything we do, and that is why the Bank has a strong commitment with sustainability. The Central American region has an environmental wealth that must be preserved for the generations to come," said CABEI’s representative in El Salvador Mr. Raúl Castaneda, at the workshop’s opening.
The CABEI has financed 38 per cent of Central America's installed energy capacity from renewable sources, and is also a regional pioneer in the issuance of green bonds. With its recent accreditation to the Green Climate Fund, the bank is ready to support its member countries in meeting their financial needs in order to cope with climate change.
The workshop on climate solutions is also an opportunity for countries to join forces and address several of their common challenges in a coordinated manner.
These work meetings will allow the member states of the Central American Integration System (SICA) to jointly implement technological initiatives and participate in knowledge exchanges with larger economies in the region, stated Manfredi Caltagirone, the liaison between UN Environment and the CTCN.
The workshop, which is also supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), includes technical panels in the four critical working areas, with the intervention of experts, cutting-edge private companies, such as Mabe and Volvo, and ministers from different portfolios, which will enable effective coordination of climate policies and objectives in the agendas of public infrastructure, finance, transportation or energy.
The event will end on next Friday, when the authorities will be able to attend bilateral meetings that will allow them to define their projects and roadmaps.
