Anna Júlia Lopes*
On Monday (25), IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) took part in the Ministerial Meeting of Latin America and the Caribbean for the Implementation of Regional Climate Action, held in Mexico City. The meeting brought together authorities to strengthen regional leadership around joint climate action in preparation for COP30 (30th United Nations Climate Change Conference) in November in Belém.
The event, which took place a few days after the launch of the Global Ethical Balance for South America, Central America and the Caribbean, was attended by Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico; environment ministers from the participating countries; Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, president of COP30; and four COP special envoys:
- André Guimarães, executive director of IPAM and special envoy for civil society;
- Denis Minev, special envoy for the Amazonian private sector;
- Frederico Assis, special envoy for information integrity; and
- Patricia Espinosa, special envoy for Latin America and the Caribbean.
For André Guimarães, the alignment between the participating countries is “impressive”. During the discussions, the executive director said he had heard on more than one occasion that COP30 will be the “COP of Latin America” and that the countries of the region have to be together and negotiate as a bloc. “This is the moment for the Global South to show the North how to do things,” he said.
One of the objectives of the meeting is precisely to consolidate a shared vision to support the negotiations at COP30 – taking into account that Latin America and the Caribbean are some of the regions most affected by climate change, due to geographical and socio-economic factors.
The impacts of the climate crisis in the region are already being felt with hurricanes, droughts and floods, which increase social and economic vulnerability and hinder sustainable development. However, despite the challenges, the region is home to a wide repertoire of solutions based on its natural wealth and cultural diversity, with the potential to accelerate the global transition towards a low-carbon future.
In this sense, the ministers and representatives present seek to protect and strengthen the multilateral climate regime, linked to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), the Paris Agreement, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, considered fundamental to addressing the region’s vulnerabilities.
The meeting also highlights the importance of expanding access to international climate finance and facilitating technology transfer, essential elements to ensure that climate action is connected to people’s daily lives.
As a representative of civil society, Guimarães argued that, during the discussions that will take place at the conference, one of Latin America’s obligations is to address the issue of fossil fuels and show the importance of tropical forests – both for mitigating climate change and for food production. The executive director also added that, in addition to defining the points that will be defended by the bloc, the meeting is the right moment for Brazil to consolidate its leadership in the socio-environmental agenda.
*IPAM journalist, anna.rodrigues@ipam.org.br