The International Program for Urban Cooperation in Latin America (IUC-LAC) of the European Union supported Green Funding training, which is part of the course virtual Design and presentation of investment projects organized by the Argentine Network of Municipalities against Climate Change (RAMCC) and in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

The virtual course on Inversion Project Design and Planning provided tools both for project identification and production and for their analysis and presentation to various existing funding lines. The first five meetings, ministered by consultant Andrés Agosti, were destined to fulfil the guidelines for the assembly and presentation of projects. At the sixth and last meeting some of the existing international funding sources were presented.

With the support of the European Union, two experts in sustainable financing from the international company IDOM were selected to develop the basic concepts of green financing, the main sources available and their access requirements. “Subsequently, we will open up the knowledge to our focal points in the municipalities and thus have tools built in a participatory manner, which we believe will achieve greater ownership by the municipalities and their citizens,” said Isaac Buergo Almirón, National Coordinator of the Yvyjaryi Project.

At the end of the course, all participating municipalities designed and shared their project following a model. This training had no cost for the students, since the operational expenses were covered with the support of the Foundation Friedrich Ebert (FES), IUC-LAC and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM).

Evaluation research

After completing the course, RAMCC, which is one of the national coordinators of the GCoM-LAC in Argentina, applied a survey and found that 100% of governments participating sites approved the training, 60% of them classified it as “very good” and 40% as “timely and excellent”. In addition, they all expressed interest in continuing to work with the European Union through the IUC-LAC program, since they consider it extremely important to implement the actions of Local Climate Action Plans (PLACs).

RAMCC Executive Secretary Ricardo Bertolino emphasized the importance of supporting of the European Union to achieve the effect gas emission reduction targets greenhouse. “Our goal is that, by the year 2030, all the municipalities that make up the RAMCC can achieve a reduction in their emissions close to that which Argentina has has committed internationally. This requires the support of organisations multilaterals” he said.