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Live stream available in English and in Spanish.

 

The Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean will mark its 40th anniversary with a special session in Costa Rica on January 27 and 28, 2022. The meeting will strengthen regional cooperation in the face of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

 

The special session, hosted in an hybrid format —virtually and in person— will be a space to discuss the future and the role of this regional political space, in the context of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), which acts as the Forum's Secretariat from its Regional Office in Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

The Forum of Ministers of the Environment is currently promoting solutions to important regional challenges: the progressive closure of dumpsites, the finance mechanisms for climate action and forests protection, the advancement of circularity, air-quality monitoring, among others.

 

The forthcoming session will address ways to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of post-COVID-19 economic and social recovery and will discuss how to strengthen partnerships and financing of environmental action.

 

“The Forum of Ministers has contributed to close the gap between regional and global environmental agendas. It has been key in elevating the voice of Latin American and Caribbean nations in global platforms and in translating scientific progress into concrete policies that have strengthened the environmental governance in the last 40 years,” said Jacqueline Álvarez, UNEP Regional Director in Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

The Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean is the oldest and most relevant cooperation body for environmental authorities in the region. Its first meeting took place in Mexico City in 1982 and since 1985 it has held biennial meetings, each chaired by a country from the region. The Government of Costa Rica holds the current presidency of the body.

 

The special session will also provide the opportunity to review regional perspectives to contribute to the resumed session of the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2), which will take place from February 28 to March 2, 2022 in Nairobi, Kenya.

 

A live broadcast of the event will be available on the YouTube channels of the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica and the Forum of Ministers of Environment.

 

To join the meeting, please register here.

 

For details on the meetings and to coordinate the participation of your country, please contact the Forum Secretariat at unep-rolac-forumofministers@un.org.

 

To review the full schedule , click here: [English] [Español]

Day One: 27 January 2022

(All times are GMT-6)

9.00 –9.45: Inauguration   Ceremony

  • Welcome Remarks by UNEP Executive Director, Inger Andersen.
  • Remarks by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Costa Rica.
  • Remarks by Special Guest Rt Hon. Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister for the Pacific and the International Environment of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
  • Welcome Remarks by the President of the XXIII Forum of Minister of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Honorable Andrea Meza, Minister of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica.           

10.00 -10.15: Opening of the Meeting

  • Introductory remarks by Mrs. Jacqueline Álvarez, Director and Representative of UNEP in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  • Adoption of the agenda and housekeeping rules, Chair of the Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, Minister Andrea Meza, Costa Rica.

10.15 - 10.30: Coffee Break

10.30 – 10.35: Keynote speaker: Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

10.35 – 12.30: High-Level Dialogue 1: Challenges and opportunities for the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements including synergies in resource mobilization, partnerships and means of implementation

Speakers:                       

  1. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC
  2. Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary, United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification, UNCCD
  3. Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary, United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD
  4. Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, BRS
  5. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO, Global Environment Facility, GEF
  6. Yannick Glemarec, CEO Green Climate Fund

Open dialogue.

12.30 - 14.00: Lunch

14.00 – 15.30: High-Level Dialogue 2: The role of science in the decision-making processes and achieving sustainability in the 2030 Agenda

Video presentation.

Speakers:

  1. Julia Carabías, Professor, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Scientific Advisory Group member of “Making Peace with Nature”.
  2. Cristian Samper, President and CEO, Wildlife Conservation Society.
  3. Enric Sala, Explorer in Residence, National Geographic.
  4. Donald Rojas, Indigenous Representative.

Open dialogue

16.30 - 16.45: Coffee Break

16.45 - 17.45:  High-Level Dialogue 3: Preparations for the Second session of the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly UNEA 5.2 and UNEP@50

Speakers:

  1. Hon. Espen Barth Eide, President of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5), Minister of Environment and Climate of Norway
  2. Giovanna Valverde, Ambassador of Costa Rica in Nairobi- presencial
  3. Lorena Terrazas, Message of the Regional Facilitators of Major Groups and Stakeholders
  4. Vania Olmos, Regional Facilitator of UNEP’s Major Groups for Children and Youth

Open dialogue

17.45 - 18.00: Close of Day One: the Chair of the Forum of Ministers will provide a recap of main findings of the first day.

Day Two:  28 January

7.00 - 8:00: Breakfast with the Ministers offered by Mrs. Jacqueline Álvarez, UNEP Director and Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean

8.00 -10:00: High-Level Dialogue 4: Accelerating Action

Speakers:                                      

  1. Monica Araya, Distinguished Fellow, ClimateWorks Foundation
  1. Juan Pablo Bonilla, Manager Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector, Interamerican Development Bank, IDB
  2. María Alexandra Moreira, Secretary General, Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, OTCA
  3. Julián Suárez, Vice-President Sustainable Development, Latin American Development Bank, CAF
  4. Valerie Hickey, Practice Manger for Environment, Natural Resources & the Blue Economy, LAC, World Bank

Open dialogue.

 10:00-10.15: Coffee Break

10.15 - 12.00: High-Level Dialogue 5: Accelerating Finance

Keynote speaker: Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.  virtual

 Speakers (5 min):                                     

  1. Sonia Muñoz Division Chief in the Caribbean, Division of the Western Hemisphere Department, IMF
  2. Andrew Steer, President and CEO, Bezos Foundation
  3. Rafael Mateo, CEO of ACCIONA
  4. Eric Usher, Director, UNEP Finance Initiative
  5. Fiona Clouder, Climate Change Ambassador of the UK for Latin America and the Caribbean

Open dialogue.

12.00 - 13.30: Lunch offered by H. E. President Carlos Alvarado of Costa Rica

13.30-15.00 High-Level Dialogue 6: Strengthening Partnerships

Speakers:                                                    

  1. Felice Zaccheo, Head of Unit, Regional Operations, Latin America and the Caribbean, DG International Partnerships, European Commission
  2. Sebastian Navarro, Secretary General CC35
  3. Pablo Vieira, Director, NDC Partnership
  4. Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Managing Director GIZ
  5. Brian O´Donell, Director, Campaign for Nature
  6. Juliette Grundman, Regional Director for Mexico, Central America and Cuba of the French Agency for Development (FAD)

Open dialogue.

15.30 - 15:45: Coffee Break

15:45 - 16:15: Chair Summary of the Special Session of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, January 2022.

  • Reading by Minister Andrea Meza of the Chair Summary of the Special Session of the Forum of Ministers of Environment, of January 2022.

Following the Chair Summary will commence Celebration of the  40 years of the Forum and Rio@30 and the closing ceremony of the Special Session of the Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Day 1, first part

Day 1, second part

Day 2, first part

Day 2, second part

Work Documents

  • Agenda. [Espanol] [English]
  • Agenda with calendar of sessions. [Español] [English]
  • Annotated Agenda. [Español] [English]
  • Bios of the panelists.
  • Concept Note for High-Level Dialogue 1: Challenges and Opportunities for the Implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) including synergies of MEAs Resource Mobilization, Partnerships and other Modalities. [Español] [English]
  • Consultation document: The three Rio Conventions: promoting synergies for sustainable development: A proposal for attention by the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean. [Español[English]
  • Concept Note for High-Level Dialogue 2: The role of science in the decision-making processes and achieving sustainability in the 2030 Agenda.  [Español] [English]
  • Concept Note for High-Level Dialogue 3: Preparations for the Second Session of the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly UNEA-5.2 and UNEP@50. [Español] [English]
  • Regional Youth Consultation for the Construction of Environmental Peace. [Español]
  • Concept Notes for High Level Dialoges 4, 5 and 6. [Español] [English]

Information Documents

Logistics

Speeches

Inauguration Ceremony

  • Rt Hon. Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister for the Pacific and the International Environment of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. [English][Español]

High Level Dialogue 1

  • Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. [English]

High Level Dialogue 2

  • Donald Rojas, Advancing the science-policy interface for informing better policy and decision-making to achieve the 2030 Agenda, National Indigenous Board of Costa Rica [Español]

High Level Dialogue 3

  • Lorena Terrazas, Civil Society Regional Facilitator. [Español]

High Level Dialogue 4

  • Alicia Bárcena, Accelerating Action, ECLAC Executive Secretary, How to Finance Sustainable Development: Recovering from the Effects of COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean. [Español]

Presentation (PPT) CEPAL

Speech OTCA

Speech Lorena Terrazas

Speech ACCIONA Energía

Speech Lord Zack Goldsmith

Speech Pablo Vieira

Session audio

Day 1

Day 2

Final reports Special session — 40º anniversary of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean

Inglés PDF:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xn7PzkfLM6rXdmnd1Ymo-8QWNSljDH9j/view?usp=sharing

Word:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IyAa4kkXHvgzUAMql9MTWjZyu4KnTBea/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110984096336162998628&rtpof=true&sd=true

 

Media advisoryEnvironment Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean to gather in Costa Rica and strengthen cooperation.

Press releaseMinisters of Latin America and the Caribbean strengthen cooperation in the face of a triple planetary crisis

Speeches can be found in the Documents section.

 

For details on media coverage and interviews, please contact:

Karla Alfaro, Director of the Department of Institutional Communication, Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica: kalfaro@minae.go.cr