The Sixteenth Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean met from 27 January-1 February 2008, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The meeting was organized by the Government of the Dominican Republic through the State Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources and the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP/ROLAC), in its capacity of Secretariat of the Forum. A Preparatory Meeting of High Level Governmental Experts convened from 27-29 January, to elevate decision proposals to the Ministers and Heads of Delegation present at the Sixteenth Meeting of the Forum, which took place from 30 January-1 February. Issues addressed include the implications that future international environmental negotiations on climate change and biological diversity will have for the region, including in relation to initiatives to improve air quality and fuels. Participants also considered implementation of the decisions adopted by the Fifteenth Meeting of the Forum and the application of the Bali Strategic Plan for Capacity Building and Technology Support. Among the 20 decisions adopted by Ministers were agreements to: redouble regional, sub-regional and national efforts in applying the Latin American and Caribbean Initiative for Sustainable Development (ILAC); maintain the operation of the Interagency Technical Committee under the coordination of UNEP; urge further development and implementation of the Caribbean SIDS programme, and call on UNEP to maintain and further develop its technical programme for Caribbean SIDS and to continue its support to the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC); support the continuation of the Working Group on Environmental Indicators of the Forum; establish a regional network of authorities tasked with addressing atmospheric pollution; approve the Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production; promote capacity building of indigenous peoples; and request the Interagency Technical Committee and the Secretariat of the Forum to, in coordination with the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD, prepare a regional proposal, including specific actions and modalities to facilitate and increase the flow of financial resources for UNCCD implementation at national, subregional and regional levels, consistent with the UNCCD´s 10-years Strategy.
Links to further information
Meeting website
Final Report of the Preparatory Meeting of Experts