UNEP’s Bulletin Latin America and the Caribbean July - August 2011

GEO Titicaca

Final outcomes of the Project to Support Integrated and Participatory Water Management in the Titicaca Basin Government of Spain funding for the initiative

“ECCO Trujillo was The planet, our starting under a point and it magnifying will be part glass of our history” Analysis of the first draft César Acuña, mayor of Trujillo Field visit to Ccsacancha

of the report in Panama (Cotabambas, Apurímac). Joint Programme Peru Montserrat Valeiras Green carpet rolled out in Workshops Mexico Opening of FICMA- . Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) UNEP Film Festival, . Radiowaves for responding to climate change in Panama Mexico 2011 . Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing among local communities . Training course on drafting environmental legislation . Sustainable public procurement UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean Highlights

Caribbean - The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and the European Union (EU) Caricom - The New secretary-general of signed an agreement which includes the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mexico - The European Commission and an allocation of 8 million Euros to Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, assumed the Mexican Secretariat of Environment and support several CARIFORUM duties on Monday 15 August. Natural Resources of Mexico held high-level talks countries in meeting the challenges in July on Environment and Climate Change. The of climate change. aim was to follow up on bilateral work on green economy, climate change, biodiversity, among other environmental issues. Antigua and Barbuda - Antigua and Barbuda has become the tenth signatory of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing in the region, joining Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Uruguay.

Suriname - Suriname’s President, Desi Bouterse, installed the Climate Guatemala - Luis Zurita Tablada became Compatible Development Agency (CCDA), Guatemala’s new Environment Minister. which will be tasked with formulating He had served as Vice Minister of Government's climate change policies Environment from 2008. Guatemala’s and with leading the execution of the general elections will take place on country's Climate Compatible September 11th. Development Strategy.

Panama - Panama Vice-President, Juan Carlos Varela, announced that Panama would host the preparatory meetings for the UN Brazil – The wind power generation in climate change conference in South Brazil will increase by 600 percent over Africa at the end of the year. The the next three years, from the meetings in Panama City will take Peru – After defeating Keiko current1,000 megawatts to 7,000 place during the first week of Fujimori in June's second megawatts by 2014, driven among other October. electoral round, Ollanta Humala factos by the arrival of the largest foreign was sworn in as new Peruvian president in July, vowing to eradicate poverty in one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America. Physicist Ricardo Giesecke, was appointed Environment Minister.

Venezuela - Venezuela's crude oil Chile – Peaceful student protests demanding reform of the proven reserves surpassed those of Chilean government's education system, turned violent as Saudi Arabia in 2010, according to school and university students clashed with police. the Organization of Petroleum Protesters called for an end to for-profit educational Exporting Countries. According to institutions, lower interest rates for student loans, among OPEC, Venezuela's proven crude oil other measures. reserves had reached 296.5 billion barrels in 2010, higher than Saudi Arabia's 264.5 billion barrels.

2 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean

Panama readies itself for Rio+20 UNEP holds first informational workshop on Rio+20 process The date of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 is fast approaching. With Rio+20 less than a year away, the different countries are preparing for this global meeting that will take place in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Panama held its first Informational Workshop on the Rio+20 process in late July, ahead of the national consultation in The Director General of International Programme Officer of the United preparation for its country report. The Agencies and Conferences, Tomás National Development Programme workshop also provided a forum for Guardia, inaugurated the workshop, at (UNDP) in Panama and official in charge examining the participation of Panama in which the following persons took part as of issues related to sustainable the Regional Preparatory Meeting of the speakers: Margarita Astrálaga, Director development and the environment. Countries of Latin America and the and Regional Representative of the The meeting, held at the Ministry of Caribbean of the United Nations United Nations Environment Programme Foreign Affairs, was also attended by Conference on Sustainable Development, (UNEP); Silvano Vergara, General Deputy officials from several other ministries and scheduled for 7, 8 and 9 September, at Administrator of the National government agencies that take part in the headquarters of the Economic Environmental Authority (ANAM) of the design and implementation of Commission for Latin America and the Panama; Mara Murillo, Deputy Regional development policies for Panama. Caribbean (ECLAC), in Santiago, Chile. Director; as well as Gisele Didier, National

Green economy in the Brazilian The hearing was chaired by Senator She stressed that positive, concrete Cristovam Buarque, president of the results could be obtained by reallocating Senate Subcommittee. Participants included an investment equivalent to only 2% of Maria Amélia Enriquez, of the Brazilian global gross domestic product to a low- The UNEP Brazil office took part in a Society for an Ecological Economy; carbon, resource-efficient economy. public hearing on green economy Donald Sawyer, professor at the Centre promoted by the Brazilian Senate's The participants also addressed issues for Sustainable Development of the Standing Subcommittee to Support related to the increasing pressure on University of Brasilia; and Elisa Tonda, Rio+20. natural resources, population growth and head of the UNEP Brazil office. the importance of moving from Senator Buarque opened the unsustainable patterns of production and discussion by stressing that, in consumption to a scenario for more his opinion, green economy sustainable economic growth. was one of the most complex At the end of the session, Senator issues of Rio+20. Elisa Tonda Buarque thanked UNEP for its referred to the issue of green participation in the public hearing and economy in line with the stressed his willingness to continue contents of the UNEP Report working with this UN program in the run- on Green Economy. up to Rio+20.

3 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean GEO Titicaca

New challenges for the sacred lake of the Incas

Final outcomes of the Project to Support Integrated and Participatory Water Management in the Titicaca Basin Legend has it that was born Government of Spain funding for the The city of hosted the of the tears shed by the Sun, the god of initiative presentation of the final outcomes of the the Incas, over the death of its children. project at a binational meeting held on 7 From its vantage point in the central The Government of Spain's Ministry of and 8 July. The event was attended by , at between 3,600 and 6,500 the Environment and Rural and Marine more than 70 representatives of national, metres above sea level, this sacred place Affairs has contributed US$1.6 million to regional and local authorities from Peru has marked the life of the countless finance this initiative. UNEP has and , of the Lake Titicaca inhabitants and cultures that have been encouraged the Governments of Bolivia Binational Authority and of other blessed by the fertility of its waters. and Peru, which share the basin, and the organizations and institutions. These same waters are now afflicted by Lake Titicaca Binational Authority, to join pollution, from various sources, and the forces. spread of invasive species. The need to preserve this unique environment, with its great wealth and diversity of flora and fauna, led to the creation of the “Project to Support Integrated and Participatory Water Management in the Titicaca- Desaguadero-Poopó-Salar de Coipasa (TDPS) Water System” of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

4 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean GEO Titicaca

The activities that were conducted by far the problems in the area and proposes exceeded initial expectations. The most concrete remediation measures. significant actions were focused on GEO Titicaca stresses the inalienable improving water quality in the basin responsibility of the three million through the creation of a monitoring inhabitants of the basin to preserve the network with more than two hundred local environment, which was home to a Activities conducted points, identifying polluting sources, responsibility that has already been improving the efficiency of wastewater shouldered by the Wankarani, Chiripa, by far exceed initial treatment plants and modernizing the Uru, Tiwanaku, Pukara, Aymara and Inca basin's thirteen laboratories, etc. expectations cultures, among others. With the decisive The tools this project leaves in the hands effort of all, the environment herethis of decision makers include the Ticicaca unique place will be enjoyed by many Global Environment Outlook (GEO). The peoples that have as yet to arrive here. report, prepared by UNEP with the participation of some fifty scientists and experts from Bolivia and Peru, analyses

5 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean GEO 5

GEO 5: The planet, under a magnifying glass

Antonio Perera

Analysis of the first draft of the report GEO 5 is being drafted with a The first draft of GEO-5 was completed in July in Panama participatory methodology, drawing on and underwent an extensive consultation contributions from different social process with governments and civil society. One of the most ambitious projects for sectors and domains, ranging from The group of lead authors of the regional analysing the environment just gained chapter on Latin America and the Caribbean government leaders and the scientific momentum in our region, in the run-up —some 15 experts— met in Panama City from world to the private sector. It consists of to the Rio+20 international meeting. We 8 to 10 August to discuss and agree on a compilation of [relevant scientific data] are referring to the fifth Global changes to the for each region —in our case, for Latin Environment Outlook report, or GEO 5. preliminary document, America and the Caribbean— making it and thus address the These GEO reports, coordinated by the possible to explore the interaction comments and United Nations Environment Programme between the environment, the economy observations received (UNEP), are published every five years. and human well-being. in the consultation The next one will be presented in process. Priorities for the region: climate February 2012, ahead of the United The second draft of change, biodiversity, environmental Nations Conference on Sustainable GEO-5 will go through a Development, better known as Rio+20. governance, seas and oceans, consultation process involving policy experts freshwater and land use. and scientists. Around mid-November, UNEP The purpose is none other than to assess hopes to produce the third and final draft of the environmental challenges facing the A September 2010 consultation with the the report, with which the main findings will different regions of the planet and to main regional stakeholders (including civil be extracted to prepare the Summary for provide decision makers with a range of society) allowed the six environmental Decision Makers, which is intended to be used solutions and alternatives for returning to priorities for the region to be identified: especially by policymakers. climate change, biodiversity, a path to sustainable development and a Finally, in February 2012, a few months green economy that respects the environmental governance, seas and before the Rio+20 conference, we will have environment whileand for making oceans, freshwater and land use. one of the most complete tools for protecting progress on eradicating poverty. Status of the GEO our planet, the GEO 5.

6 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean GEO 5

GEO 5, beyond the assessment Ernesto Guhl The participants in the meeting of lead authors of the regional chapter included Ernesto Guhl, former Deputy Minister of the Environment in Colombia and currently director of the Quinaxi Institute for Sustainable Development. Guhl stressed that, whereas previous GEOs “were very much focused on the assessment”, GEO-5 “has focused much more on submitting policy options in order for actions to be taken in a much more concrete and clear manner”. Guhl said that the new GEO contributes “experiences with policies related to different topics that have been discussed in different forums and by different countries, and makes them available to decision makers throughout the region, to see if they can be utilized, Antonio Perera through replication and adaptation to the different needs of the different countries”.

Sustainable enterprises Ligia Castro de Doens But the goal is not merely to get government officials Effort of developed countries involved. Companies also have an important role to play in the field of environmental responsibility, as was Keith Nichols stressed by another coauthor of the GEO report in Latin Keith Nichols, head of the Environment and America and the Caribbean, Ligia Castro de Doens, Sustainable Development Unit of the Organization former Administrator of Eastern Caribbean States, said that he is was General of the hopeful that GEO-5 wouldill make it possible to National Environment change people's way of thinking, to “establish a Authority of Panama new paradigm, a new trend of thought, especially and currently the in countries that have the influence to decide who environmental director receives what and how much we receive, to help of the Development the world recover from the effects of climate Bank of Latin America. change”. Indeed, Nichols asked that the According to Castro, developed countries that have contributed the “there are very good most to climate change step up their efforts in examples of support of less-developed nations, such as the Antonio Perera companies that are islands of the Caribbean, which cannot cope with now doing this the devastating effects of a phenomenon to which successfully, which has allowed them to be more they have barely contributed because they are efficient, more competitive, [companies] that are doing countries with low pollution emissions. things right and that have good environmental management. These are the experiences that we are trying to recover for GEO 5, as case studies, but in addition we also have set out to continue to highlight them in upcoming activities, such as at the Rio+20 summit”. The successful small, medium and large enterprises whose experiences Castro pointed to include “poultry, pig or beef cattle *farms+, breweries and cement factories, that have developed a more efficient production model that at the same time is more environmentally friendly and makes it possible to recover the initial investment and reap significant profits”.

Antonio Perera

7 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean ECCO Trujillo

Interview with the Why did the [city's] institutions decide What are the greatest environmental to embark on this project? What did challenges faced by Trujillo, and what mayor of Trujillo they expect to achieve through ECCO steps do you plan to take to meet them? Trujillo? (Peru) -Having proper solid-waste disposal. We For the city's management, it is don't have a sanitary landfill; Interview with César Acuña, mayor of important to have a baseline against -Proper management of water resources Trujillo, after the presentation in August which to manage its development, and water treatment; of the UNEP report Outlooks for the constructed in a participatory manner EnvironmentEnvironment and Climate with its own local actors. It was expected -Efficient use of public transportation, Change Outlook in the Urban that this would provide reliable thereby improving air quality; Environment: Ecco Trujillo. The report information for decision-making with a -Having a province-wide strategy for examines the environmental and climate common view of the future. adapting to climate change and change challenges faced by the city and mitigating its impacts. puts forth solutions for moving towards sustainable development. Do you believe that civil society is sufficiently aware of the need to move In your opinion, what makes the city of forward towards a sustainable Trujillo? Trujillo so special, particularly in environmental terms? Trujillo has made progress in public awareness-raising; however, we must Its climate, which gives it its reputation as work hard on education, especially the city of eternal spring; even amid because the city faces very high changing climate patterns, when we immigration and this is difficult to change compare it to other cities, this means in the short term. We are taking up the that it has a benign and pleasant climate. challenge. In addition, its public green areas, its “ECCO Trujillo was our starting river and its stately houses, and beyond What do you believe Trujillo will be like this we have its history and its point and it will be part of our in twenty years? gastronomy. history” We trust that Trujillo will have laid the César Acuña, Mayor of Trujillo foundations for sustainable development, governance will have been Now that you have received the report, strengthened, public transport will make are you satisfied? the transition to mass transport and we citizens will be more responsible. Young Yes, because this is first document people with fresh ideas will lead the city. produced in my term [and] the A big step will have been taken, and we institutions took part by contributing will have a clear idea on the path for and discussing, and it has allowed us to constructing this common future. understand the aspects that we must improve. It therefore gives us the When future residents of Trujillo look possibility of moving forward, and this back, do you believe they will value the motivates us to continue analyzing and impulse given by ECCO Trujillo to evaluating... constructing new environmental issues? baselines. I think they will; this was our starting What information and what data do point and it will be part of our history… you believe will be especially useful for the sustainable management of the city? The information on water management and the vulnerability of this resource for Trujillo is useful in order to make a priority of establishing strategies for adapting to climate change. The data on the growth of the fleet of vehicles and their age, the use of water for public green areas, the growth of solid waste, among others, are also particularly useful.. 8 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean JP Peru Fighting climate change in the Peruvian Andes

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is participating in a joint programme in two Andean microbasins From 27 June to 1 July 2011, a field visit was conducted of the Joint Programme named “Integrated and Adaptive Environmental Resource Management to Minimize Vulnerabilities to Climate Change in Microbasins of the Andean Highlands - Peru”. The purpose of the field visit was to supervise communication activities in the intervention area. The programme is being carried out in two microbasins of the Andean highlands, Santo Tomás (province of Chumbivilcas, in the region of Cusco) and Challhuahuacho (province of Cotabambas, in the region of Apurímac), with a mostly rural population of some 85,000 residents. Four United Nations agencies (FAO, PAHO/ WHO, UNDP and UNEP) are taking part, along with the Ministry of the Environment, as the national counterpart. Within the programme, the specific mission of UNEP is to better enable local, provincial and regional governments to design and implement decentralized environmental management systems as well as to raise awareness among families and the general population on the effects of climate change. The communication activities and the field visit described in the following personal narrative focus on the latter objective.

Montserrat Valeiras

Field visit to Ccsacancha One farmer explains to us that extreme The Andes is the area of Peru most (Cotabambas, Apurímac). climate phenomena, such as frosts or affected by climate change, and, at times, droughts, are increasingly frequent. its inhabitants' poor practices hinder Montserrat Valeiras Temperature changes have become adaptation to changing conditions. unpredictable, and at times extreme, Overgrazing, deforestation, water even within a single day. pollution and poor agricultural and It is a sun-drenched dawn in Peru. The mining techniques have increased the sky is clear, so clear that the clouds draw “Even the snow, the main nutrient negative impact on the soil, pasture and eccentric shapes against a blue canvas. of the glaciers, appears to have fauna, triggering a process of accelerated The golden colours of these Andean forgotten these mountains” soil degradation and desertification. highlands extend endlessly in all Many people have had to move directions. I gaze in search of the It is summertime, which is the dry period, elsewhere in search of better living greenness of fertile land, but I can see but the rain patterns have changed and it conditions. nothing but dry pasture. is more and more difficult to differentiate the seasons. The dry season is getting Not so in Ccsacancha. The residents of Blue and yellow are the hues of longer, and even the snow, the main this rural town participate in a joint and Ccasacancha, 4,500 metres above sea nutrient of the glaciers, appears to have coordinated manner in integrated and level. forgotten these mountains. sustainable natural resource I come from other altitudes and I am management. This society has become a Water, the engine of life, is becoming short on oxygen, but for the dwellers of reference point, a pilot and model scarce. Many springs are dry and the this community altitude is not a problem; community for the Joint Programme. >> volume of the rivers diminishes as they tell me, they face other problems: irreversibly. The lack of water affects poverty, lack of sanitation, access to human consumption, but it is also water for drinking or farming, and all of detrimental to agricultural production as these problems are exacerbated by well as livestock. The land and crops need climate change. water to grow, and so do we.

9 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean JP Peru

Radio: a tool for awareness-raising They think of themselves, but also of the future well-being of their children — The main —in fact, the only— form of "what are we going to leave them?”, they mass media in the area is radio. Thanks ask. And I think, “Is that not what we all to the different awareness-raising ask?” programmes that the Joint Programme — led by UNEP and UNDP— has promoted, The Joint Programme is not able, nor including for radio airtime in Quechua, does it attempt, to solve all of the residents can better understand the problems that beset these communities, threats of climate change and begin to but it is gratifying to see how, in a take actions to adapt to it. The common effort in which UNEP is taking Montserrat Valeiras population —indigenous Inca part, we have been able see residents communities—- has succeeded in here receive the technical consultancy — recovering ancient land management the tools of knowledge that are practices and in making the most of the generating a positive, tangible change, technical, financial and methodological contributing to transform these Andean support offered by the Joint Programme. villages into better places to live. I wander across the land, which at first I find arid, but I discover that it is hardly sterile. I am surrounded by potatoes, whose names I can barely remember, Montserrat Valeiras because the varieties seem endless, and I have a hard time understanding the Apurímac Regional Strategy on Climate Community leaders take a stance on differences among them. I try to keep up Change climate change with the athletic pace of these First Provincial Forum on Climate Change in stockbreeders and crop growers, and the Chumbivilcas, Peru effort is worth making: I discover areas reforested with native species and large More than 250 representatives and leaders of Andean highland communities in the province swaths of wetlands that have been of Chumbivilcas, department of Cusco, protected. This is their struggle—to examined the potential effects of climate rescue the species and the knowledge change on human health and on agricultural that already existed in these lands. activity during the First Provincial Forum on “All of a sudden, the landscape Climate Change, held on 28 July. changes before my eyes, and I These rural community leaders stressed the understand the incredible work that urgent need for the population and the this community is doing” authorities to address the challenges posed by climate change in the Andean highland In the distance, I observe the channels Peru's Apurímac region is continuing to take communities, where poverty, high and the entire rainwater retention and steps to acquire a fundamental tool for malnutrition levels and widespread soil storage system. All of a sudden, the mitigating and adapting to the effects of erosion leave families more vulnerable. landscape changes before my eyes, and I climate change. On 16 August 2011, the The event was organized by the Technical understand the incredible work that this presentation of the Apurímac Regional Panel on the Environment, composed of community is doing. The creation of the Strategy on Climate Change was given at the seat of the Apurímac regional government, different public and private institutions, different ecological strata, infiltration including the Chumbivilcas Province trenches to feed the springs, slow- with the participation of public and private institutions and civil society representatives. Municipality and the United Nations Joint forming terraces and many other Programme on Climate Change. experiments have been brought to life The strategy's sponsors include the Apurímac thanks to their desire and effort and the regional government, the Climate Change The Joint consultancy work of the Joint Adaptation Programme and UNEP, through Program is headed by the Programme's experts. the Peru Joint Programme. The latter programme has also sponsored the Cusco Ministry of the After a long walk at this altitude, and Regional Strategy on Climate Change. Environment despite visibly lacking oxygen, I am of Peru and pleased. The inhabitants of Ccsacancha Once the Apurímac strategy has been the United want better economic and social approved through a regional ordinance, the Nations Food opportunities. roadmap for its on - t h e - g r o u n d and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United implementation will be drawn up. Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Implementation will begin in the districts of United Nations Environment Programme the province of Cotabambas, in the subbasin (UNEP) and the World Health Organization/ of the Río Santo Tomás, benefitting 44,000 Pan American Health Organization United Nations Joint Programme on Climate residents. (WHO/PAHO). 1010 Change: www.pnuma.org/peru UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean Mexico

Measures to avoid deforestation in the Yucatán peninsula

Green Economy, in Mexico Visit by Pavan Sukhdev Pavan Sukhdev, UNEP advisor and study program and the Green Economy leader of the report on “The Economics Initiative, with representatives of the of Ecosystems and Biodiversity” (TEEB), political, academic and financial world as arrived in Mexico on 22 August for a two- well as with international donors and day visit and with an agenda that was NGOs. more than full. In addition to meeting The public, private and academic sectors Introductory workshop on reducing with authorities of the Ministry of the showed much interest in launching a emissions from deforestation and forest Environment and Natural Resources and “Green Economy Scoping Study” in degradation (REDD+) the country's leading media outlets, he Mexico. also found time to take part in several The Yucatán peninsula and the State of presentations and dialogues on the TEEB Chiapas account for 60% of all deforestation and degradation in Mexico. At a global level, deforestation and forest degradation, whether from the conversion of forests into pasture or agricultural land, the building of infrastructure or uncontrolled logging, account for 20% of greenhouse gas Green carpet rolled out emissions. in Mexico To promote a reduction of deforestation and degradation, UNEP, in collaboration with the The inauguration was attended by Carlos Inter-American Development Bank, Mexico's Opening of FICMA-UNEP Film Lozano de la Torre, governor of the State National Forest Commission (CONAFOR) and Festival, Mexico 2011 of Aguascalientes; Lorena Martínez, the Yucatán State government, held an mayor of the city of Aguascalientes; The Barcelona International Introductory Workshop on REDD+, in the city Mario Andrade, director of the University Environmental Film Festival, with the of Mérida, from 10-12 August. support of UNEP, has just burst onto the of Aguascalientes; and Dolores The purpose of the Reducing Emissions from scene in Mexico. The first of the 15 Barrientos, UNEP representative in Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) projections planned for throughout the Mexico. programme is to assign a financial value to country took place in the city of During the festival, the authorities and the carbon stored in forests, offering Aguascalientes. Some 700 people saw the UNEP began talks on the possibility of incentives for developing countries to avoid documentaries that make up the festival drafting an Environment and Climate deforestation. REDD+ goes one step further, and which address a broad range of Change Outlook (ECCO) report for by also addressing sustainable forest environmental issues. Aguascalientes. They also examined the management. possibility of conducting a technology transfer project for the manufacture of The workshop provided authorities, solar water heaters, with UNEP members of the academic sector and non- collaboration. governmental organizations with the expertise and tools needed to design and In addition to Mexico, the FICMA execute a REDD+ mechanism in the Yucatán documentaries will also be shown soon in peninsula. Bolivia and other countries of the región.

11 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean JP Panama

last week of July in the Chucunaque and Tabasará river basins, in Panama. First, from among community promoters in the area —who previously received training through the Joint Programme in Human Development, Environmental Legislation and Climate Change— a group of community leaders of the Guna, Emberá, Radiowaves for responding Ngäbe, Buglé and Wounaan ethnic groups was selected, in addition to José Bacorizo: Community promoter and to climate change in Panama campesinos farmers and local residents. radio announcer in the Chucunaque From community leaders to These persons have been taking part in river basin in Panama communicators promoter training workshops in order to “I have always considered radio a magical become communicators and produce Information is vital for coping with the invention”, says José Bacorizo, Wounaan radio materials in their respective local effects of climate change. But equally on his father's side and Emberá on his languages, and to allow themso that, important is the flow of that information mother's side and born 52 years ago in from the perspective of their own and ensuring that it be received by all Arimae, province of Darién, Panama. José worldview, to they can share the inhabitants, no matter how isolated recalls that the sound of the radio, expertise they have acquired in the they are, and that it be delivered in always present in his childhood, was workshops with the members of the language that they speak. shrouded in mystery. their communities. Ensuring the effective dissemination In early September, at the end of “Indigenous peoples, by being aware of of relevant messages is one the eight planned workshops, their ancestral values and preserving objective of the Joint Programme participants will have prepared eight their natural wealth, will make the “Inclusion of Climate Change radio spots and four radio journals future possible” Adaptation and Mitigation on issues related to adapting to and Measures in Natural Resource mitigating climate change. All of these Management in Two Priority Watersheds José is one of the 40 community products will be recorded in five in Panama”. In addition to UNEP, other promoters in the Chucunaque river basin indigenous languages in addition to United Nations agencies (FAO, UNDP, trained by the UNEP. The case of José Spanish. More importantly, however, PAHO/WHO) are also participating in the would be not be unusual if it were not for these persons will have acquired the Joint Programme along with various the fact that, in addition to being a theoretical and technological expertise to Panamanian institutions, including the promoter, he is also an avowed continue disseminating, over the radio, National Environmental Authority. environmentalist with his own radio the information that will allow their show. “Dadji drua” (Our land/Our Thanks to this programme, a novel communities to better respond to territory) is the programme in the experiment has been underway since the climate change. Emberá language that for the last 18 years he has hosted every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, from 17:30 to Joint Programme to finance small 18:00, on the “Voice without Borders” climate change adaptation projects in radio station. The programme examines issues related to preserving indigenous Panama peoples' cultural and natural heritage. Within the framework of the Joint Programme on On the basis of his experience, José Climate Change, carried out by the United Nations (FAO, Bacorizo has been able to act as a UNDP, UNEP and PAHO), together with the Government of Panama, the “Fund to facilitator and to train some of his fellow Finance Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Projects in the Tabasará River promoters in the Community Watershed” has been launched. The fund aims to reduce vulnerability to climate change Communicator Training Workshops of in the area. the UNEP. For José, the value of The small projects to be financed will be classified into different areas: management indigenous-language radio recordings is and recovery of degraded areas; education to reduce vulnerability to climate change; that “native language gives strength and natural resource management; and local risk management, among others. value to a people; if the language is lost, rights are lost: culture, identity, heritage Selection criteria will be based on projects' contribution to the environment, and territory disappear. Indigenous participation of vulnerable groups, gender equality, etc. peoples, by being aware of their The minimum amount of funding to be received by the projects will be US$3,000.00 and ancestral values and preserving their the maximum will be US$15,000.00, and they must be executed and completed within natural wealth, will make the future six months. possible”. 12 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean Ecosystem Management

The genes of nature: shared wealth

Kick-off in Panama of a regional workshop on Access to Genetic “Strengthening the Implementation of Resources and Benefit-Sharing among local communities Regimes on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) in Latin America and the Caribbean” is a regional project that has emerged in response to The adoption of the Nagoya Protocol, in the framework of the Convention on some of these challenges. It is being Biological Diversity (CBD), poses considerable challenges for countries that have implemented by UNEP and the already signed it (including 10 in Latin America and the Caribbean) and for those International Union for the Conservation that plan to ratify it. of Nature (IUCN), with the support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The project seeks to provide the different countries with expertise and skills for negotiating contracts and agreements on ABS, so as to allow the providers of genetic resources to reap the benefits derived from the use of those resources.

Traditional fishermen returning to port

in the Arcadins Islands, Haití

Photo: Antonio Pereira

As a first activity towards that goal, a Regional Induction Workshop for the project, with 20 participants, including national authorities and regional experts, was held from 30 August to 2 September.

The regional encounter represented a unique occasion to address crucial issues: how is the great wealth of genetic resources in our region to be valued and protected? What challenges and opportunities does bioprospecting entail? How is the traditional knowledge of our local communities and indigenous peoples being respected and applied?

Dendrobates Auratus, (green and black poisonous frog ) in the Panama Canal forest

Photo: Laurencio Martínez 13 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean Ecosystem Management

Eleven institutions in the Caribbean were The project is being carried out on a pilot represented at the virtual sessions of a -project basis in Volcano Barú National course titled The Economics of Park, in Panama, and the La Montañona Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), Conservation Area, in El Salvador. For intended to train environmental the execution of the project, in July, economists from the Caribbean. The UNEP signed agreements with three non- training focused, for the most part, on governmental organizations: in Panama, methodologies to estimate the economic with Ancón and Fundiccep, and in El Laurencio Martínez benefits of biodiversity and the costs of a Salvador, with Prisma. loss of biodiversity. It is hoped that the Through a participatory process, based training will be implemented at the on a valuation of each area's ecosystem country level. The initiative received services, the intention is to lay the European Union and UNEP funding. foundations for the development of legal or financial instruments, policies and mechanisms that will factor in the What is the value of a economic and social value of the services provided by biodiversity. These Laurencio Martínez volcano, a mountain or instruments should contribute to the a protected area? management and conservation of the protected areas and to the sustainable Extending the benefits Agreements signed for the execution development of local populations. The of the UNEP-Spain Lifeweb project in project also attempts to promote better of a course, virtually El Salvador and Panama fire prevention and agricultural practices as a strategy to preserve the biodiversity Virtual sessions for following up on There are many ways to protect and the ecosystems of the pilot courses on TEEB and Forest biodiversity. UNEP and the Government protected areas and raise the income of In response to requests from the of Spain have joined forces to bet on one local communities. countries, UNEP has promoted follow-up of those ways—one that offers benefits not only for biological diversity but also The UNEP-Spain Lifeweb global activities in order to apply the knowledge partnership supports creating new acquired and to prolong the benefits of for local communities and indigenous populations linked to protected areas. protected areas and expanding current two of its courses. Virtual sessions held ones, as well establishing and in July and August have made it possible That is the philosophy that provides the implementing management plans and to follow up on and prolong the exchange base for the “Project to Support the disseminating knowledge based on of experiences with the participants of Protected Areas of Mesoamerica: lessons learned. two on-site capacity-building workshops Development of Legal and Economic that had been held previously. Mechanisms and Instruments to Improve Representatives of nine institutions in Protected Area Management, including Latin America participated in the virtual Sustainable Agricultural Practices as a sessions of the third Regional Course on Fire Prevention Strategy”. Forests. The course promotes training, as well as the exchange of experiences and knowledge, on management and conservation strategies related to forest resources and biodiversity, hydrological- forest restoration, the fight against erosion-desertification and torrential Alex Pires flooding. The initiative is being funded by Spain's Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs.

Carmen Schloeder 14 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean Resource Efficiency

The work methodology is composed of a sequence of steps that include: evaluating the current status, analysing the legal framework and analysing market preparation, framing the reference policy and the related implementation plan as well as developing national capacities for its application. The methodology was implemented and validated through the global project in Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Lebanon, Mauritius, Tunisia and Uruguay. In addition to representatives of the countries that carried out the pilot projects in Latin America, representatives of institutions from other countries of the region interested in the initiative also participated in the workshop (Argentina, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Buying responsibly... The workshop Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru). with everyone's The “Regional workshop on sustainable public procurement” was held between Future actions money 11 and 13 July, in Panama City, as the The workshop made it possible to assess conclusion of the first stage of the project the progress of pilot project Regional Workshop on “Strengthening Capacities for Sustainable implementation and to share the lessons Sustainable Public Procurement Public Procurement”, led by the UNEP learned as well as to begin discussing the and financed by the European Union, the scope of a second phase of the project, Government of Switzerland and the from 2011-2015, so as to support International Organization of the Given that government spending on sustainable public procurement in the Francophonie. average accounts for 8%-30% of a region. Starting this year, the UNEP, country's gross domestic product, it is The workshop was sponsored by and rather than the Marrakech Task Force, easy to conclude that purchases by public coordinated with the Organization of will lead the programme. institutions are enormously important, American States (OAS), and was thus In 2012, UNEP plans to expand the scope and not only for the economy. Each consistent with the agenda of the Inter- of the project, giving support to 20 purchase is an opportunity to push American Government Procurement countries worldwide in implementing markets towards innovation and Network (IGPN). Professionals and SPP. It is hoped that Latin America will sustainability. Through sustainable public experts from the UNEP Regional Office continue to play a leading role, with at procurement (SPP), governments can for Latin America and the Caribbean least four more countries participating. lead with their example and attain key (ROLAC) and from the Paris-based political objectives. Division of Technology, Industry and The purpose of this effort is to ensure What is sustainable public procurement? Economics collaborated to ensure the that more and more institutions consider Sustainable public procurement is the success of this event. The National not only short-term savings, but also the process by which institutions meet their Environmental Authority (ANAM) of long-term reduction of their needs for goods, works and services, Panama also participated, as the host environmental and social impacts, when including those provided by public entity. making purchases. utilities, so as to attain high social and Methodology of the Marrakech Task environmental performance during the Force Pilot countries that implemented the SPP project entire life cycle. This translates into (Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Lebanon, Mauritius, benefits not only for the institution but UNEP has been actively promoting Tunisia and Uruguay). also for society and the economy, sustainable public procurement through reducing the harm to the environment. an initiative to support pilot projects in the application of the methodology of

the Marrakech Task Force (MTF).

1515 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean Environmental Governance

Legislating green in the The noteworthy achievements of the workshop, co-funded by UNEP and the Caribbean European Union, include establishing, for This may be one of the workshops with the first time, a space for lawyers who greatest potential for having a practical work for environmental departments and impact and with the greatest those who focus on legal writing (“legal transcendence in the regulatory work of drafters") to learn from each other; the UNEP in the region, given the importance clarification of concepts related to the of laws to regulate all social processes application of environmental law in civil- and activities. The workshop in question law countries (Cuba and Haiti) and in is the Intensive training course on common-law countries; and the writing drafting environmental legislation with a of a draft law, as an initial contribution to specific emphasis on multilateral a process of drafting model legislation. environmental agreements for the The participants, who indicated an member states of interest in taking part in new workshops, CARIFORUM. found the legal-drafting practical The course was given in exercises particularly valuable as well as Georgetown, Guyana, from 2 UNEP’s presentations on multilateral to 5 August, with 17 environmental agreements and their participants (14 women and 3 scope of transformation in national men) from ten countries of legislation. the Caribbean. Participants The ambassador of the European Union were selected from among to Guyana, Geert Heikens, attended the persons in charge of drafting workshop's closing ceremony and regulations and legal-affairs officials of expressed his satisfaction with the environmental entities. initiative.

framework for action in those countries. reduce the risk of disasters caused by it. Environmental This agreement takes the form of a There were 34 participants from the ten document, the United Nations sustainability: a countries of the region, in addition to a Development Assistance Framework representative of Equatorial Guinea as crosscutting principle of (UNDAF). well as members of the UNDAF Processes United Nations A workshop was held in Panama from 11 Regional Support Group. The benefits of to 15 July for representatives of different incorporating the topics of environmental programming United Nations agencies working in sustainability into the efforts of the Regional Training Workshop on several countries of the region that will United Nations and the governments in Mainstreaming of Environmental be developing UNDAFs in 2011 and 2012. order to achieve the Millennium Sustainability, Climate Change and the Support was provided to the attendees in Development Goals and other national Reduction of the Risk of Disasters in the the task of transversalizing one of the five development goals were shared with UNDAF-Panama, 11-15 July 2011 programming principles: environmental everyone. sustainability. The idea is for The United Nations Development Group Every four or five years, the United environmental sustainability to be (UNDG) Task Team on Environmental Nations Organization agrees with the included in the different steps of drafting Sustainability, Climate Change and governments of developing nations on its the UNDAFs. Rio+20, in collaboration with the United Participants received technical training National System Staff College (UNSSC) on the UNDAF and the tools for effective and the Capacity for Disaster Risk mainstreaming, and they acquired basic Reduction Initiative (CADRI) oversaw the knowledge on multilateral environmental organization of this regional workshop. agreements (MEAs), sources of The activity was made possible through environmental information and the the support and funding received from Rio+20 process, among other topics. The CADRI, UNDP, UNITAR, ISDR, UNSSC, workshop examined the challenges posed UNESCO and UNEP. by climate change and measures to

16 UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean

Coming soon

Regional Consultation Meeting in preparation for Regional consultation for Latin America and the the Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum Caribbean ahead of the third session of the (GMGSF), Santiago, Chile, 5 September 2011, and Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to training session on the topics of the Sustainable prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Development Conference, 6 September. Mercury, Panama City, 19‑23 September 2011.

Workshop on Socio-Environmental Conflicts, Kickoff Workshop on organized by PRODIALOGO. Activity 1.4.6 of the REDD+ Costs and Options Joint Programme on Millennium Development Analysis in Panama City, Goals-F PERU: “Integrated and Adaptive 1‑2 September, Holiday Inn City of Knowledge. Environmental Resource Management to Minimize Climate Change Vulnerabilities in Andean Highland Microbasins”, Cuzco, Peru, 12‑16 September 2011. Consultation, interchange and learning meeting for University Leaders on the Environment for Sustainability of the Global Universities Partnership Ministerial Meeting on short-life climate forcers, on Environment and Sustainability (GUPES), Mexico, 12‑13 September 2011. Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile, 5‑6 September 2011. Third Training Workshop and presentation of results of pilot projects consistent with the “Sustainable Regional Workshop of the Biosafety Clearing Resource Management Capacity Development” Housing Project (BCH), at which training will be regional project, Santa Fe, Argentina, 14‑15 offered on accessing and using the BCH, Universidad September 2011. Tecnológica de Panamá, Panama City, 5‑9 September 2011. Fourth International Congress on Sustainable Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Workshop for Journalists: “Environmental 26‑30 September 2011. journalism on integrated water and coastal area http://www.sustentavel.org.br/?lang=en management”, Panama City, 14‑16 September 2011.

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UNEP’s Bulletin - Latin America and the Caribbean

First Meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Intersessional Meeting of the Forum of “Integrated Management of Coastal Areas and Environmental Ministers of Latin America and the Mangrove Swamps in Guatemala, Honduras and Caribbean, Panama City, 6 October 2011. Nicaragua” project, Bluefields, Nicaragua, 22 September 2011. Tenth International Meeting on Environmental Law, organized by the Global League of Environmental Second Meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Lawyers, Asuncion, Paraguay, 5‑7 October 2011. “Integrated Management of Coastal Areas and Mangrove Swamps in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua” project, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 27 Third Meeting of Magistrates of the Andean September 2011. Community and MERCOSUR, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 4‑6 October 2011.

Latin American Carbon Forum, San José, Costa Rica, 27‑29 September, 2011. www.latincarbon.com.

Meeting with the IDB on the 2014 World Cup in Manaus, Brazil, 28‑29 September 2011. Third REDD Partnership Meeting and Workshop, Panama City, 28‑30 September 2011.

United Nations Climate Change Conference, Panama City, 1‑7 October 2011.

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