GCoM and REN21 host regional dialogue on energy, equity and urban resilience in Latin America
The webinar, scheduled for July 9, will examine how renewable energy can help Latin American cities build more resilient, inclusive and sustainable territories
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) and REN21 will co-host a regional dialogue on July 9 titled “Energy as a vehicle for urban resilience in Latin America.” The online event will be held via Zoom, with simultaneous interpretation in Portuguese and Spanish.
The initiative will bring together local government representatives, energy experts, city networks and subnational climate leaders to examine how the transition to renewable energy can strengthen urban resilience, reduce energy poverty and generate tangible benefits for the region’s most vulnerable communities.
Why this conversation matters now
Cities are on the front line of a global energy crisis defined by rising costs, supply instability and unequal access to safe, sustainable and affordable energy. Urban centers also concentrate a significant share of energy demand and play a decisive role in decarbonization.
In Latin America, these pressures are compounded by rapid urbanization, growing exposure to extreme weather events and deep-rooted socioeconomic inequalities. The debate over energy in cities is therefore also a debate about equity, climate justice, urban planning, multilevel governance and the inclusion of vulnerable communities — particularly women and marginalized groups — in the energy transition.
About the organizers
REN21 is an international network dedicated to strengthening public policy for a renewable energy-based transition. The organization brings together governments, research institutions, international organizations, civil society and the private sector to promote knowledge exchange, data production, multisectoral coordination and joint action in support of a more sustainable global energy system.
The webinar is part of a series of dialogues promoted by GCoM and REN21 to place local governments at the center of the shift toward a renewable economy. The initiative goes beyond climate commitments to address, in practical terms, what municipalities need to translate targets into implementation.
The program is connected to GCoM’s Energy Access and Energy Poverty Pillar, which supports signatory cities in assessing needs, setting targets and reporting progress on access to clean, safe and affordable energy.
Speakers
The webinar will feature Rosilena Lindo, Senior Fellow at REN21 and former National Secretary of Energy of Panama, who will address cooperation between national and subnational governments and the challenges of advancing energy policy in centralized governance contexts.
Claudio Castro, mayor of Renca, Chile, and president of the GCoM Mayors Forum in Latin America, will contribute to the discussion on the role of local governments in driving a just, resilient energy transition grounded in the real needs of their territories.
Ana Paula Matos, deputy mayor of Salvador, Brazil, and a member of the GCoM Mayors Forum in Latin America, will also take part. Salvador has advanced initiatives linking renewable energy, urban mobility and energy efficiency — including the recent inauguration of a solar plant at Lapa Station, one of the city’s main transport terminals, as part of a broader public transport electrification agenda that includes support for electric bus charging infrastructure.
Key issues on the agenda
The dialogue will address a range of critical topics for the region, including coordination among national agencies, municipal networks and local projects; regulatory barriers that limit city-level action; and pathways to ensure that communities most exposed to energy poverty and climate risk are the first to benefit from clean energy solutions.
Additional themes include distributed generation, urban planning integrated with energy, the use of data to map local needs, cross-level government partnerships and examples of municipal initiatives that connect renewable energy, sustainable mobility, urban infrastructure and social inclusion.
Event details
Webinar: Energy as a vehicle for urban resilience in Latin America
Date: July 9
Time: 12:00–1:30 p.m., Brazil/Argentina
• 10:00–11:30 a.m., Peru/Colombia/Ecuador
• 09:00–10:30 a.m., Mexico/Costa Rica
Format: Online, via Zoom
Interpretation: Portuguese and Spanish
Target audience: Local governments, municipal technical teams, city networks, energy experts and stakeholders involved in the urban climate agenda
Organized by: Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) and REN21
Registration: https://c40.zoom.us/meeting/register/qRErI2MERmCabbeWDPPw3Q#/registration
