From 2 to 4 May 2012, representatives from 26 countries met in Tela, Honduras, to debate the best options for the effective management of climate finances. Supported by a large number of international organisations, the First Latin American and Caribbean Dialogue on Climate Finance and Development Effectiveness, convened by the Government of Honduras, brought together more than 100 experts and decision makers from different ministries from 4 continents and 26 countries with responsibility for the effective management of these financial resources.

In an exercise of exchange between peers, financing models already adopted or in progress in different countries were debated. Experiences were exchanged between the government experts on specific challenges such as the management of National Funds, coordination between ministries and the integration of climate change priorities in national budgets both in Latin America and the Caribbean, as in Asia and the Pacific.

Based on these practical lessons, the Dialogue concluded that the strengthening of national capabilities for managing climate finance is a priority that cannot be put off. “A significant quantity of funds available for climate change finance are not being used because the countries are unaware of the mechanisms for accessing these resources”, said Jimy Ferrer, Officer for Economic Affairs of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC, and researcher in the European Union’s EUROCLIMA programme with Latin America. In view of this, it was concluded that it is essential that principles of effectiveness of external cooperation are integrated into climate change finance and into national budgets and international cooperation actions. It is important to find ways to simplify access to national and international funds and implement the climate change policies with more impact.

Furthermore, the Dialogue offered an opportunity for us to get to know the advances we are making as developing countries through firm steps in public policies and in institutional strengthening necessary to respond to the enormous challenges of climate change. For example, inter-institutional committees have been formed and special units to deal with the issue of climate change in ministries across the region. The dialogue confirmed that the countries wish to take advantage of greener development, which is less intense in emissions and the use of carbon.

This first dialogue concluded with the plenary presentation of the Tela Conclusions, a document that contains the agreements included in this first meeting. One of the agreements indicates that a group of government experts will be formed that will work on the main challenges of public management of climate finance. Moreover, country studies will be produced that it is hoped will contribute to the development of institutional capabilities in this theme.

Furthermore, it was concluded that it is a matter of urgency to transfer the agenda for development cooperation effectiveness to climate change finance and thus ensure greater impact. It was also agreed to carry out a second Dialogue in 2013 given the success of the first. In this spirit, we left the Tela Dialogue with a lot of energy to further strengthen our capability to face climate change with increasingly robust responses. Given the importance of the exchange of experiences and knowledge during the first Dialogue, and in order to deepen their knowledge of the Tela Conclusions, the countries can visit the website: http://www.financiamientoalcambioclimatico.org