On June 18 2012, at the Rio Centre facilities, Rio de Janeiro-Brazil, Honduras was hosting a parallel event in order to offer participants at the United Nations Conference for Sustainable Development Rio+20 a clearer scenario of what we are developing as a country and as a block within the framework of the development effectiveness processes. Furthermore, we considered their connection with issues such as climate change and the mechanisms that we have implemented to acquire positive experiences from other countries and reproduce them, thereby better ensuring integral and sustainable development. We also discussed how all these processes are seen and participated in by international public and private sector actors.
During this event, representatives of the OECD, Green Peace, private companies and government authorities participated who, among other things, exchanged experiences with the opportunities and mechanisms they are pushing forward in development effectiveness issues and how this has impacted in a positive way the access to financial resources and the development of capabilities.
In this regard, the OECD representatives gave the participants an explanation of the “Building block” operational mechanism and of how this group of countries has benefited from the exchange of knowledge, and how common objectives have been set to achieve development. One such case is the establishment of a platform for dialogue and the consolidation of clear public policies in Uganda through the establishment of the climate change issue as a transversal axis for the whole government apparatus. This has strengthened the country according to the Executive Director of its National Environment Authority.
Another successful case that has brought together a number of countries with common interests was the first Latin American and Caribbean Dialogue on Climate Change finance held in the Republic of Honduras, attended by international experts on the issue, and included the exchange of experiences of the region’s countries that attended the event. This was the first event held in this country and has demonstrated significant leadership.
With these types of events, it is intended not only to exchange experiences through a range of activities that demonstrate the progress of the participants on issues of climate change, but also to enable a broader knowledge on the windows of opportunity relating to financial matters that exist to combat the effects of climate change, and the struggle, as a block, for this finance to be more just and equitable.
Another example of the integral nature of the actors is the increasingly active participation of civil society in these types of processes. Thus it has been demonstrated that environmental problems are not just the responsibility of government but all society is affected by it, therefore everybody must take part in the search for solutions. Civil society plays an important role in decision making; its more active involvement has been part of the success that also contributes to more transparent processes in the implementation of projects and establishment of national financing mechanisms.
Finally, through these experiences, the participants welcomed the activities that these countries were carrying out. However, it was emphasised that the challenge still exists for our countries, which have medium development levels and a high degree of vulnerability, to be able to have a more open and just access.
We are attempting - as far as is possible - to reduce the barriers of language, procedures and justice until they are removed, which are still in place in the assignment of financial resources to combat the adverse effects of climate change. We continue to hope that we are on the right road and that the only mechanism to achieve these objectives is to work as a block in the search for the fairest and most integral solution for a more effective development.
Information by: Irina Helena Pineda Aguilar, Director of Cooperation and Resource Mobilisation, Secretary for Natural Resource and the Environment, Honduras.