28 October 2010: The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) launched a public consultation process on the draft of its Integrated Strategy for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, and Sustainable and Renewable Energy, including a series of workshops to be held in several countries in the region.

This public consultation includes a 90-day online forum in addition to meetings with representatives of civil society, including non-governmental organizations. The consultation is a critical step toward the adoption of a new climate change strategy. The draft strategy document identifies climate change as one of the top priorities of the Bank. Further to IDB’s Ninth General Capital Increase, the Bank could lend as much as US$4 billion a year in climate change related projects.

In situ consultations are planned for: Quito, Ecuador (5 November 2010), Lima, Peru (10 November 2010), Guatemala City, Guatemala (16 November 2010), Sao Paulo, Brazil (December 2010), Santiago, Chile (December 2010), Caribbean (January 2011), Washington, DC (January 2011). [IDB Press Release, Draft Climate Change Strategy]