The solution to the climate crisis inevitably leads through Latin America and the Caribbean. This statement may surprise some (we are not used to the region being the protagonist of major global trends), but it is necessary to take it into account to determine our role in the sustainability of the planet.
On the one hand, natural ecosystems such as the Amazon, the Caribbean, the Argentine and Chilean moors, Patagonia, the Atlantic Forest, the Tumbes forests in Chocó and Magdalena in Colombia, the Humboldt Current or the Gran Chaco, to name just a few examples. They play a decisive role Role in mitigating extreme weather events, regulating climate and sequestering carbon. It is estimated that a third of the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions required over the next decade could be achieved by improving nature’s ability to absorb emissions.
In parallel, we have undeniable climate potential: we have 25% of the world’s forests, 70% of biodiversity, a third of fresh water, we provide 14% of global food production and are home to 33% of mammals, 35% of reptiles, 41% of birds and 50% of amphibians.
These natural advantages demonstrate why the region is a region of climate change solutions and have implications for areas such as energy transition, adaptation, food security, nature-based solutions or biodiversity protection.
This is exactly the message we need to spread at the Dubai Climate Summit (COP28) to ensure that our voice, approaches and solutions are better represented in the climate negotiations. First, at CAF – Development Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean – we announce an investment of $15,000 million by 2030 to promote adaptation measures and risk management during natural disasters. This amount triples the institution’s investments in this area over the last five years, confirming it as a leading player in regional climate action.
In addition, for the first time in the history of the climate summits, we set up a pavilion to articulate the region’s interests. This platform will forge new alliances to drive action on climate and biodiversity and, most importantly, remind the rest of the world that we are a region of solutions.
The LAC Pavilion is a space for meetings, debates and analysis on the region’s most pressing climate issues and is available to Latin American and Caribbean delegations, media, NGOs, community leaders, indigenous communities and Afro-Colombian peoples. and civil society.
In this section we will analyze the region’s added value on the different fronts of climate change. For example, at the agricultural level, a sector already suffering from the effects of global warming in the form of land degradation (14% of which occurs in the region), a decline in desired crops or the spread of weeds and pests, Latin America and the Caribbean has enviable potential. According to the FAO, we have the highest proportion of arable land (28%) and by 2050 the world will demand 60% more food.
Latin America and the Caribbean also have a lot to say in the energy transition, which is essential to limiting global warming in line with the Paris Agreement. To achieve a rapid transition and achieve global carbon neutrality by 2050, we must sustainably use the region’s water, biomass and mineral resources. While this transition must be rapid, it must also be fair and inclusive, ensuring that accessible, continuous and secure energy is available to all.
In the vision of Latin America and the Caribbean as a region of solutions, it is important to include the voice of local communities, especially Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities, who offer their own perspective on the relationship with nature. These solutions must take into account the perspectives and strengths of specific contexts.
COP28 is an ideal framework to affirm the role of Latin America and the Caribbean in solving the climate crisis. Clear commitments are expected in Dubai (particularly from the most polluting countries) to reduce emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, but also more resources for adaptation measures, which are urgently needed in developing countries and, paradoxically, have contributed little to climate change . , but she will experience its worst effects.
Latin America and the Caribbean’s leadership in global climate action represents a major opportunity for the region, but also a necessity for the planet. Our climate solutions, our natural resources and our strategic ecosystems are critical to achieving a sustainable economy and living in a fairer, more livable and sustainable world.