5 December 2014: The European Commission’s (EC) Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation (EuropeAid) hosted a side event titled ‘EUROCLIMA: Joint Latin America-European Union (EU) Regional Responses to Climate Change Challenges’ on the sidelines of the Lima Climate Change Conference. The event focused on key results of regional responses to climate change challenges and opportunities for collaboration with Latin America through programmes such as EUROCLIMA.

Luis Miguel Galindo, UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC), presented on the paradoxes and challenges of sustainable development in relation to the economics of climate change in Latin America, noting that public policies need to address climate impacts for the present and for 2050.

Margarita Astrálaga, UN Environment Programme Regional Office of Latin America and the Caribbean (UNEP-ROLAC), recommended incorporating climate legislation into the judiciary systems. Victor Ingrassia, La Nación, highlighted a programme to expose journalists from the region to climate change issues.

Jan Karremans, EUROCLIMA, reported on six studies within Latin America on combining climate change’s science and policy dimensions. He said the policy dialogue, both within the EU and Latin America, has been enriched and strengthened through regional meetings, interactive debates, research and networking. Still, many at the event stressed the need for even greater collaboration, such as through exchanging experiences and best practices; consolidating regional capability to address climate change; and reinforcing adaptation capacity in forestry, agriculture and water management.

Several presenters highlighted agriculture’s capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate change and the opportunities it presents for research, training and modeling through climate change scenarios in areas such as drought and desertification. Speakers called for strengthening regional cooperation and training, citing examples of virtual courses and workshops on risk management; modeling additional crop varieties; and promoting dialogue with decision makers.

Participants discussed: modeling deforestation practices and the region’s water tables for use by the agricultural sector; utilizing alliances within the region; and creating opportunities for open dialogue between the environmental and agricultural sectors to “iron out” historical conflicts. [IISD RS ENBOTS Coverage] [IISD RS ENBOTS Video Coverage of Side Event] [IISD RS Coverage of Lima Climate Change Conference] [EUROCLIMA Website] [EuropeAid Website]