Tela, Honduras, 3 May, 2012. “Regional meetings, facilitated by the EUROCLIMA programme, are vital to ease access to the information that countries need to design and implement public policies that address the urgent challenges of climate change”, said Ms Catherine Ghyoot, Directorate General for Development and Cooperation - EuropeAid of the European Commission.

Compared to pre-industrial levels, the planet’s average temperature has increased by about 0.8ºC, which scientific studies indicate is causing more extreme and frequent weather events. According to Mr Stefan Agne of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Climate Action, it is urgent and crucial to lower greenhouse emissions to curb this trend.

“Limiting the global temperature increase to 2°C requires taking a different path to development. Mobilising additional resources for adaptation and mitigation and establishing incentives to promote clean technologies are some of the key measures that we should pursue”, according to Mr Agne. To achieve this goal, good cooperation between the countries that wish to advance climate change issues is essential.

To enhance communication and the exchange of information, the group of Latin American specialists who attended the Second Regional EUROCLIMA Coordination workshop noted that one of the major achievements of the programme is the close relationship developed between country focal points. To consolidate these relationships, the participants agreed to schedule meetings and to emphasise online meetings between the programme’s actors where countries can present their experience which can serve as lessons learnt and as a form of South-South cooperation.

”What we seek is more contact. Having, for example, first-hand knowledge of climate change events in the countries, reporting on funding opportunities for adaptation and mitigation projects, and even facilitating links with EUROCLIMA network experts to clarify any urgent concerns”, described Jan Karremans, Director of Technical Support for EUROCLIMA.

Another item on the agenda was the culmination of EUROCLIMA in early 2013. For this reason, during the workshop the participants assessed the programme and discussed the main actions leading to an eventual extension.

Amongst other concerns, the representatives of the countries that met stressed the need to involve all Latin American institutions in the formulation and execution of studies designed to solve specific problems and be immediately applicable to specific public policies. In addition, participants considered crucial to involve consultants and experts from within the region on research funded by the programme, and emphasised the importance of continuing to strengthen the exchange of information and knowledge between Latin American governments participating in EUROCLIMA.

The next EUROCLIMA event is scheduled for October 2012, when a regional assessment of the programme will be presented. In addition, results from the socio-economic and biophysical components will be shared as will thematic studies currently under development. The next EUROCLIMA event will be a key moment in the process of continuous political dialogue between Latin America and the EU on the issue of climate change, with a view to the next EU-LAC Summit in Santiago, Chile in January 2013.