From 21 until 23 September, two events of the EU’s climate change cooperation with Latin America took place in San José, Costa Rica: the EUROCLIMA+ Seminar, which prepared the upcoming cooperation programme between the two continents to meet the challenges of climate change and environmental sustainability; and the 4th EUROCLIMA Seminar, which analysed the results of the programme that started in 2010.
The European Commission approved a first allocation of 40 million euros for the new EUROCLIMA+ programme in order to cooperate with Latin America to mitigate and adapt to climate change. EUROCLIMA+ will focus in particular on the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The meeting will also serve to prepare a second allocation of funds to EUROCLIMA+ for the fight against climate change.
During three days, the results of the current regional climate change cooperation were discussed in the seminars. EUROCLIMA has so far provided capacity buildings to more than 3000 officials from national and local governments and other experts and has implemented over 100 studies to facilitate government decisions. Best practice exchange and knowledge sharing has been strengthened between the countries in the region and support is being provided to access international climate finance.
On the other hand, the priorities of the Latin American countries for the coming years were discussed: "climate smart" cities, disaster risk management, forests and biodiversity, urban water management, energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as resilient food production.
More than 75 representatives from 18 Latin American countries participated. In addition, there were participants from the European Union, EUROCLIMA implementing partners, European cooperation agencies that will implement EUROCLIMA+, and other organisations that are involved in the fight against climate change in the region.
The opening of the EUROCLIMA and EUROCLIMA+ seminars was attended by the Vice Minister of Energy of Costa Rica, Irene Cañas Diaz; the Ambassador of the European Union in Costa Rica, Pelayo Castro; the Director General of IICA, Victor Villalobos; and the Director General of CATIE, Muhammad Ibrahim.