Speaking at the Forum of Ministers and Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean (ALC) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, recently-named Dominican Environment Minister Paino Henríquez urged regional leaders to agree on a common stance ahead of the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP). He emphasized the need for a permanent technical working group to develop objective, clear, and measurable proposals that the region can present as a bloc.
A key focus of Henríquez’s address was the need for improved environmental financing. Questioning the effectiveness of current funding mechanisms due to excessive bureaucracy and delays, he proposed that the region collectively demand reforms. “If we know that financing mechanisms are not working, why don’t we unite and present a formal proposal on this issue?” he asked.
Henríquez also stressed the importance of public engagement, saying: “Once we have agreed on these points, we involve our citizens, organizations, and political class to transform these goals into a cause. There is nothing more powerful than citizen empowerment.”
Reflecting on the 1992 Earth Summit, Henríquez expressed nostalgia for the global commitment to environmental action that emerged from that event. He called on his fellow ministers to turn aspirations into reality, warning against repeating the same discussions and laments year after year.
The UN Environment Programme convened the special session of the ALC Forum to foster dialogue on climate action, biodiversity, and land degradation in the region. With the COP29 Climate Change Conference, COP16 Biodiversity Conference, and COP16 Desertification Conference on the horizon, Latin America and the Caribbean, which is highly vulnerable to climate change and rich in biodiversity, has a significant stake in the outcomes of these negotiations.
The Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean (the Forum) is the region’s longest-standing and most important space for political dialogue and collaboration on environmental matters. It was established in 1982. The Forum has been composed of the 33 countries of the region since its creation.
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Ministry of Environment
United Nations Environmental Programme
16 September 2024