The Inter-American Development Bank will assist the Ministry of Environment on the progressive closing and remediation of the Duquesa landfill and in locating a new final disposal site for Greater Santo Domingo.
Environment Minister Orlando Jorge Mera made the announcement on 27 April 2022. He said the decision to work with the IDB is in line with the Integral Management and Co-processing of Solid Wastes Law 225-20.
The IDB agreement also calls for drafting a national plan for the management of solid waste management and a pilot program for the promotion of the circular economy through the IDB-Lab, the IDB Group’s innovation laboratory.
The agreement provides for working on the whole issue of recycling and the use of plastic for its second use, said Environment Minister Orlando Jorge Mera.
The IDB is assisting the Ministry of Environment in developing innovative green financial instruments, including thematic bonds and guarantees for debt-for-nature conversion.
Mauricio Claver-Carone, president of the IDB, says he is committed to ensure that as of this year, 100% of its programs for the Dominican Republic are aligned with compliance with the Paris Agreement, to fight climate change and accelerate and intensify the actions and investments necessary for a sustainable future with low carbon emissions.
Likewise, the country needs to advance in the transition of the energy matrix. Through the agreements reached, the IDB Group will be supporting the promotion of renewable energy and the conversion of obsolete technologies.
Deputy Minister of International Cooperation and Climate Change, Milagros De Camps adds: “The Dominican Republic in particular has received very little international financing to address climate change. We, because of our vulnerability to climate change, and the need to increase our resilience – since we are one of the most vulnerable countries and we share the island with a country that has a higher state of environmental degradation than ours – are making several efforts, such as our national climate finance strategy, which includes sectoral strategies, innovative financial instruments and a green development bank, among others.”
The bilateral meeting was also attended by Eduardo Julia, Vice Minister of Environmental Management; Richard Martinez, Vice President for Countries; Jessica Bedoya, Chief of Staff and Strategy Officer; Katharina Falkner Olmedo, IDB Group Representative in the Dominican Republic; Gilles Damais, Chief Operations Officer; Sergio Perez, Sector Specialist for Water and Sanitation; and Benoit Lefevre, Sector Specialist for Climate Change.
Read more in Spanish:
Ministry of Environment
IDB
Green Bond
28 April 2022