Mexico, Nicaragua, Cost Rica lead the region in low-carbon move
NEW REPORT: LIMA SUMMIT BRINGS FOCUS ON LATIN AMERICAN CLEAN ENERGY POTENTIAL
As nations gather in the Peruvian capital of Lima this week to hammer out the components of a global climate deal a new report from Christian Aid highlights the potential for Latin American countries to lead the world in harnessing the benefits of a low carbon economy.
The report, Low-Carbon Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, outlines how many countries in the region are both struggling with energy poverty whilst relying on extractive industries and agribusiness expansion which bring with them negative environment and social impacts. It argues that by harnessing the region’s underdeveloped clean energy resources countries could both improve energy access and reduce their carbon emissions.
Christian Aid’s Senior Climate Change Advisor, Mohamed Adow, who will be at the Lima talks said: “Latin America and the Caribbean has untapped low carbon energy resources such as hydro power, solar, wind, geothermal and biomass which can be used sustainably to deliver energy for all.
“Yet poverty and lack of energy access remains a significant problem. Inequality in Latin America is growing and the most vulnerable people, those living on $4 to $10 a day have increased from 35% in 2000 to 38% in 2012.
“By adopting a regional energy policy which enables access to sustainable forms of power it would be possible to reduce a family’s carbon footprint while improving their living conditions.
“What’s encouraging is that many countries in the region are already moving away from the dirty energy of the past and transitioning to a low carbon economy. Mexico has stated that a third of its power will come from renewables by 2018, Nicaragua said it is on track to meet its goal of generating 90% of its power from renewables by 2020 and Costa Rica stated it planned to generate 100% of its energy from renewables by 2016.”
The COP 20 summit will be the penultimate meeting before nations meet in Paris next year to sign a global climate pact. Following the lack of preparation which led to the failed talks in Copenhagen in 2009, negotiators will need to be aware of the importance of laying a firm foundation in Lima to secure a successful deal.
Latin America is a fitting host for such an important meeting as parts of it suffer disproportionality from climate change. The 2014 Global Climate Risk Index created by NGO Germanwatch listed Honduras as the country which had suffered the most from climate change between 1993 and 2012. Four other countries from Latin America and the Caribbean made up the rest of the top ten; Haiti (3rd), Nicaragua (4th), Dominican Republic (8th) and Guatemala (10th).
As negotiators arrive in Lima Christian Aid is calling for key elements to be put in place to ensure a flexible, ambitious and durable deal is secured in Paris.
Mr Adow added: “The global deal is like building a house to withstand a storm. If we want a house that will protect us, we need to make sure the foundations are solid.
“The cornerstone of a successful agreement is a deal built on equity, with each country’s contribution being assessed so rich and poor nations are doing their fair share.
“It also needs to include a regular five year review process to keep politicians, with their short term election cycles, accountable.
“To unlock action on emissions cuts from poor countries rich nations must commit to a credible pathway to deliver the $100 billion of climate finance promised in Copenhagen.
“The recent pledges to the Green Climate Fund provide positive momentum and developed countries should now seize it to secure more contributions to help pay for climate resilience and other green projects in the developing world.
“At the end of this fortnight in Lima we will have a good idea of whether the climate deal next year will be strong enough to protect us from present and future climate change or whether it will collapse like a badly built house in a typhoon.”
Mr Adow’s briefing on COP 20, Lima Climate Talks: the road to Paris, can be downloaded here: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/Images/time-for-climate-justice-lima-talks-november-2014.pdf
Ends
Low-Carbon Development in Latin America and the Caribbean can be accessed here:http://www.christianaid.org.uk/Images/Low-Carbon-Development-LAC-briefing-English-November-2014.pdf
Notes:
1. Christian Aid works in some of the world's poorest communities in around 50 countries at any one time. We act where there is great need, regardless of religion, helping people to live a full life, free from poverty. We provide urgent, practical and effective assistance in tackling the root causes of poverty as well as its effects.
2. Christian Aid’s core belief is that the world can and must be changed so that poverty is ended: this is what we stand for. Everything we do is about ending poverty and injustice: swiftly, effectively, sustainably. Our strategy document Partnership for Change (http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/partnership-for-change-summary.pdf) explains how we set about this task.
3. Christian Aid is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of more than 130 churches and church-related organisations that work together in humanitarian assistance, advocacy and development. Further details athttp://actalliance.org
4. Follow Christian Aid's newswire on Twitter: http://twitter.com/caid_newswire
5. For more information about the work of Christian Aid visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk
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