Environment and Energy

Climate Change Interventions in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region

Use of SURF networks for knowledge transfer and validation of adaptation and climate change strategies: The climate change programme at BDP made extensive use of the SURF-LAC and RBLAC email networks to provide updated information and obtain constructive feedback reflecting the needs of the region on climate change issues. Documents such as Poverty and Climate Change: Reducing the Vulnerability of the Poor through Adaptation and the UNDP CDM Manual were circulated to RBLAC environment and energy focal points through various SURF networks, thus enriching the knowledge base of the country offices in the region on climate change topics, creating a forum for obtaining substantive feedback on such documents, and in general ensuring that the demands and interest of the region on adaptation and mitigation are adequately reflected.

Regional Workshop on Financing Sustainable Development in The Caribbean - RBLAC in collaboration with participation COs and support from BDP - Guyana, 24-26 September 2003 - The objective of this workshop was to provide a discussion forum on the viability of financing mechanisms for sustainable development, including CDM, in the Caribbean region. BDP worked with the CO in Guyana in identifying a resource person to represent BDP at the meeting, and determining the agenda of the presentation.

Substantive Input and Financial Support of CDM component of Sub-regional Workshop on Environmental Management, "Creating new partnerships for environment in the Eastern Caribbean SIDS" - RBLAC in collaboration with participating COs and support from BDP - Bridgetown, Barbados: 14-16 August 2003 - One of the components of this sub-regional workshop consisted of a session on innovative financial mechanisms for environmental management, including debt swaps and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). BDP coordinated with RBLAC and the UNDP Trinidad and Tobago for the latter to represent BDP at the meeting and funded travel costs and per diem for a Programme Officer from the Trinidad and Tobago CO to make the CDM presentation.

Participation and support at the "International Policy Dialogue on Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change: Towards a Common Agenda for Developing Countries" - BDP in collaboration with RBLAC, UNDP Mexico, and Government of Mexico - 17-18 June 2003: Zacatecas, Mexico - EEG attended the meeting and provided substantive input and support to the discussions on reducing the vulnerability of the poor through a common agenda of adaptation. This event demonstrated that there is an important agenda for collaboration among developing countries in this area for which UNDP's leadership is sought.

Climate Change Capacity Development Workshop for RBLAC region - BDP in partnership with RBLAC and participating COs in the region - San Jose, Costa Rica: 20 November 2002 - This 1-day regional workshop on climate change adaptation and mitigation was part of the UNDP Energy and Environment Practice Area Workshop for Country Office (CO) Programme Officers in the RBLAC region. The workshop aimed to strengthen awareness of climate change as a cross-cutting issue of sustainable development, provide updated information on climate change negotiations and mechanisms, and to engage Energy and Environment focal points in brainstorming appropriate adaptation and mitigation strategies that would meet the demand and interest of the region.

Support Services Provided to Country Offices in the Region

Project on Environmental Synergies of Multilateral Environmental Conventions (MEA) - Possible start in Nicaragua - Initial stages - The Resident Representative of UNDP Nicaragua has expressed interest in initiating a project on synergy of prominent MEAs from the livelihood perspective. BDP is currently developing a strategy to address the need.

CDM Designated National Authority (DNA) Speakers Event at CoP-9 - BDP in collaboration with UNFCCC and UNDP Country Offices in Costa Rica, Peru, Uruguay (confirmed) and Brazil, Nicaragua (possible) - early December 2003: Milan, Italy - The proposed CDM DNA speakers corner plans to feature speakers from selected Annex I and non Annex I countries to make a brief presentation on experiences and lessons learned from the establishment, structure and function of the designated national authority (DNA) for CDM activities in respective countries. The selected countries from LAC region represent a spectrum of experiences and lessons as some of them are currently in the process of establishing a DNA. This sharing of lessons aims to be significantly beneficial to all countries and particularly to the countries that are currently in the process of conceptualizing or implementing the DNA.

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Lessons Learned Studies - initial stages in Brazil - The climate change programme at BDP is currently engaged in the documentation of experiences and lessons learned from past and ongoing CDM-related activities through UNDP interventions in select countries. CDM lessons from Brazil will constitute a chapter of this overall document. BDP and UNDP Brazil have been working closely in finalizing the terms of the reference and selecting a national consultant to carry out the country-level analysis. These national studies will provide comprehensive documentation on CDM-related activities to date, insight into the relationships between national governments, private sector, and civil society particularly on issues of capacity development, governance, transaction costs, and financing of CDM, as well as future steps for efficient CDM operations in the country. This document will hopefully enable COs to obtain a clear picture of the needs and opportunities for CDM and allow them to effectively mobilize resources and establish public-private partnerships on CDM capacity development.

CDM Learning by Doing Capacity Development Project in Selected Countries - Jointly funded by BDP, RBLAC, UNDP COs of Nicaragua, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago, and partnership with EcoSecurities - Nicaragua (started in August 2003), Peru and Trinidad and Tobago (project activities to be initiated in the last trimester of 2003 - This project will assist in creating an enabling environment for efficient CDM operations in the host countries of Nicaragua, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago. BDP, RBLAC, and the UNDP COs in each country will collaborate in implementing this project through the development of partnerships with government counterparts, civil society and the private sector in each country. The strategy will emphasize a learning-by-doing approach to develop an investment-grade, bankable CDM project in each of the selected countries with assistance from EcoSecurities.

United Nations Foundation project, "Engaging the Private Sector in CDM" implemented in Brazil - Interagency project with collaboration between BDP, UNDP Brazil, UNCTAD, UNIDO, WBCSD - 1999 - mid 2003: Pilot countries of Brazil and South Africa - The objectives of the project were to facilitate understanding about the CDM and encourage dialogue between various stakeholders, specifically to strengthen the engagement of the private sector in CDM activities. UNDP Brazil expressed interest in undertaking pilot project activities in the country. Project Development Forums (PDFs), stakeholder meetings, and individual consultations allowed diverse stakeholders from national government, private sector and civil society to meet and learn from each other and set up a process for developing a pipeline of potential investment grade CDM projects. A sugar cane biomass cogeneration project was developed through assistance to Bioenergia and a rural solar project was developed in collaboration with WBCSD and British Petroleum. The experiences and lessons learned from the pilot project activities in the two countries were shared with other prospective private sector representatives in each country in a "learning-by-sharing" strategy. This strategy was successful in identifying private sector champions who are critical to leading CDM in the host countries and engaging prospective project developers to consider CDM activities.