EU CELAC | The protection of our planet as a key aspect for the bi-regional agenda

Eight years since the last gathering, leaders from the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) met in Brussels for the third EU-CELAC summit.

At the summit, EU and CELAC leaders committed to renewing their long-standing partnership reaffirming their commitment to protect our planet and fight climate change.

The series of meetings started with the EU-LAC Business Round Table on Monday and President von der Leyen presented the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda (GGIA). With the spirit of making the fair green and digital transition a reality on both sides of the Atlantic, the GGIA includes more than 135 projects. These projects will be delivered through Team Europe initiatives to work together in public-private partnerships with the private sector.

During the summit, leaders reaffirmed their commitment to protect our planet and fight climate change, pursue efforts to keep the global 1.5°C global within reach, and lead the shift towards a sustainable economy.

They committed to cooperate to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and environmental degradation and to accelerate the implementation of agreements, conventions and treaties on:

Leaders further reaffirmed their strong joint commitment to tackle climate change by strengthening the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement, as well as with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

Moreover, representatives from the EU and LAC encouraged actions and commitments for the protection, conservation, restoration and sustainable use of the oceans and recognized that the issue of sargassum significantly impacts the economies, marine flora, fauna and fishing activities of the entire Greater Caribbean region. Understanding for this last issue that there is an urgent need to present this situation to the United Nations General Assembly, seeking its declaration as a regional emergency.

Commitments of the Declaration of the EU-CELAC Summit 2023.

EU-CELAC Summit: towards a closer, stronger and renewed partnership between both regions.