24 February 2022 - The Latin American and the Caribbean Circular Economy Coalition launched its document "Circular economy in Latin America and the Caribbean: a shared vision". The paper presents a vision of what a circular economy should look like in the region with the intent to create alignment and cooperation among countries, as well as guide future projects
This document is an important milestone of the Coalition that was launched in 2021. The Coalition aims to implement a circular economy approach through collaborative work between governments, businesses, and society as a whole. In the process of building this vision, dozens of government officials from the region, as well as a wide range of representatives from relevant international institutions, businesses, and academia were consulted to collectively imagine the future of the region based on a circular economy functioning at scale.
"There is a strong relationship between the circular economy framework, our climate commitments at an international level, and the economic recovery. The circular economy can help us lower our carbon emissions and the impact on natural resources, as well as generate qualified jobs. We see great potential for the region to implement the circular economy if we work together, and this vision presents the direction towards all countries in the region should aim to." Rolando Castro-Córdoba, Vice Minister of Energy and Environmental Quality for Costa Rica.
According to the document, Latin America and the Caribbean should have a circular economy that is developed by and for the region. It should be tailored to its characteristics and challenges to foster a resilient recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The next era of development should move away from linear and extractive economic models that have caused massive environmental degradation, focus on being inclusive to its people, and draw on the region's unique characteristics and cultures.
According to UNEP's regional director, Jacqueline Álvarez, this initiative "responds to the request of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean to develop a common regional vision on SCP and circular economy, so that governments, businesses, and other stakeholders in the region are aligned and can cooperate successfully towards a common goal”.
Some numbers from the region showcase the dimensions of the problems and the opportunities. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 127 million tonnes of food (more than one third of what is produced) is lost and wasted every year, whilst approximately 47 million people suffer from hunger in the region. When we look at Latin America and the Caribbean's biodiversity, we see it is one of the richest in the world, accounting for 40% of the earth’s biodiversity, and 60% of global terrestrial life. However, it has observed a 94% decline since 1975, which is greater than in any other in the world. The region also has 9 of the 24 global deforestation fronts, which are mainly driven by agriculture, livestock production, mining, transport infrastructure, and fires.
The circular economy is built on three principles driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials at their highest level, and regenerate nature. This framework presents a way to provide long-term prosperity while addressing some of the biggest challenges faced by our society, such as climate change and biodiversity loss. It is, therefore, an opportunity for the region to position itself as a key player and become a leader in the global transition to a low-carbon, SDG-aligned economy.
"This shared vision of a circular economy for Latin America and the Caribbean recognizes the importance of leveraging the biodiversity in the region and addressing social inclusion. Both of these aspects are very unique to the region and much needed in a new era of economic development." Milagros de Camps, Deputy Minister of International Cooperation for the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Dominican Republic.
It is now the time to bring this vision to life with the help of all actors. The Coalition recognizes that it is impossible for any actor to effect a transition on their own and all actors have a role to play: from businesses of all sizes to governments and policymakers, citizens, customers, and financial institutions. With the help of this vision, they will be able to understand their role, work collaboratively across borders, and aim for the same outcomes.
About the Latin America and the Caribbean Circular Economy Coalition
The Latin America and the Caribbean Circular Economy Coalition was formed in 2021 to serve as a platform for exchanging best circular economy practices and promoting cooperation between governments, businesses and society in the region. It is coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), led by a steering committee composed of four high-level government representatives on a rotating basis, starting with Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Perú for the 2021-2022 period, and brings together eight strategic partners: the Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN), the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the World Economic Forum (WEF) and UNEP.
