The cities of Recife (Brazil), Cantón de Belén (Costa Rica) and Bogotá (Colombia) participated today in the first day of the event Connection for Climate, 2nd Latin American Business Fair for Climate and Summit Climate Ventures, organized by CDP, The World We Want and Climate Ventures . The member cities of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) presented their advances in local solutions for climate resilience, implementing adaptation and mitigation actions to climate change.
The Coordinator of the Global Compact of Mayors for the Americas (GCoM), Jordan Harris mediated the meeting. Jordan highlighted that the Latin American region is one of the most vulnerable to climate change in the world and that the GCoM works to strengthen the capacities of cities in the region to access financing and advance their climate actions.
The city of Recife, through its Director of Environment and Sustainability, Carlos Ribeiro, highlighted the “Canal do Cavouco Filtering Garden” project, a nature-based solution for waste treatment, which incorporates the design of a park and promotes biodiversity from the Cavouco River to the Capibaribe River. Gardens represent a great aid to environmental resilience as they increase water oxygenation.
The Canton of Belén, with the participation of the representative of the Environmental Unit, Dulcehé Jiménez Espinoza, presented the project “Payment for environmental services for the preservation of water resources.” During her presentation Dulcehé highlighted the climate risks present in Belén, such as extreme rainfall, floods, landslides and contamination of water resources. To overcome these difficulties and guarantee ecosystem benefits, the municipality has developed a land purchase matrix near the springs, conducted a study of the city’s footprint, and completed a financing and monitoring plan.
In Bogotá, the project highlighted by the District Director of International Relations of the City of Bogotá, Luz Amparo Medina Gerena, proposes that the municipality advance in the following climate actions: climate emergency declaration, the development of a climate action plan for adaptation, the planting of more than 800 thousand new trees and the project “Women who re-green”, an initiative to strengthen the capacities of women in conditions of vulnerability in matters of conservation, protection and recovery of the natural ecosystems of the city. The project includes restoration and maintenance, gardening, propagation of plant individuals and agroecological gardens.
Marco Aurélio Lobo, the Coordinator of the Center for Management and Strategic Studies (CGEE), linked to the Ministry of Science and Technology of Brazil, stressed that cities will have to transform and that government networks and beyond are essential for this transformation. “The possibility of transforming sustainability in cities around the world is in our hands,” said Marco.
The event continues until October 28. Access more information: https://hybri.online/conexaopeloclima/lobby
