United Nations Report: Is natural gas a good investment for LAC?

Name: United Nations Report: Is natural gas a good investment for LAC?
Start: 2022-10-25
End: 2022-10-25

25 October 2022

Overview

Agenda

Virtual launch of the report in Latin America and the Caribbean

Date: October 25, 2022

Time: 9:00 hs (GMT -5)

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JColWd1rCqw

A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reveals the consequences of the increase in the exploitation of natural gas in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region. It finds that an expansion of renewable energy sources instead of continuing a fossil fuel path, even with what has been promoted as “clean” natural gas, would be by far the best choice for the region in terms of costs, jobs, and greenhouse gas emission reductions, and therefore to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

The report finds that investing in renewable energy largely outweighs economic, social and climate benefits of natural gas for energy generation. The findings give reason to reconsider the argumentation some sectors have expressed in favor of natural gas as a transition technology.

Energy specialists, private sector representatives, and government officials will participate in the discussion panel which aims to contribute to the regional debate and provide critical information to decision-makers, amid the economic, climate and debt crises in the region.

Opening of session: UNEP representative

Opening remarks: Piedad Martin, Deputy Regional Director, UNEP LAC

Presentation of the report: Prof. Jairo Quirós-Tortós. Researcher and EPER-Lab Coordinator, School of Electrical Engineering, University of Costa Rica. PhD and lead author of the report, UNEP.

Panel discussion:

Miriam Bueno, Deputy Director General for Energy Forecast, Strategy and Regulation, Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Spain

Sandra Vilardy, Vice-Minister for Environmental Policy and Standardisation, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Colombia.

Siân Bradley, Head of Secretariat, Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, BOGA

Marcelo Mena, CEO Global Methane Hub

Maria Laura Rojas Vallejo, Executive Director, Transforma

Joseluís Samaniego, Director, Human Settlements and Sustainable Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

Closing remarks:

Gustau Máñez, Deputy Regional Director (a.i.) and head of Climate Change, UNEP