The Secretariat for Integral

Development

• Climate Change constitutes a threat to

development in the Americas

• Climate change will very likely impede nations’

abilities to achieve sustainable development,

as measured for e.g as long-term progress

towards the MDGs

• Unsustainable development drives disaster risk by:

– Increasing hazards, i.e the frequency and intensity of weather-related hazards and expanding the range of disease vectors

– Increasing vulnerability and putting more people in harm’s way

– Reducing the capacity of the most vulnerable individuals, groups and communities to cope with future disasters

– Groups that face the challenge of coping with non-climatic stresses (poverty, resource scarcity, etc.) are the most vulnerable to climate-related risks

• Unsustainable development worsens the

effects of climate change

• Climate Change exaggerates the impacts of

unsustainable development

• Sustainable and inclusive development builds

capacity to adapt to climate change

• Helping to build :

– Adaptive, inclusive and sustainable development

• diversified and resilient economies social equity

• environmental sustainability

• sound governance anchored in effective institutions

and the rule of law

• supporting productivity, innovation, human/institutional capacity building

through the IA Competitiveness Network (RIAC)

• advancing social equity in the Americas (Social Charter and IASPN)

• supporting policy and program development in trade and micro, small and

medium-sized enterprises

• integrating CSR principles and guidelines into business strategies of

MSMEs

• supporting the work of the Committee on Migration and the review of the

IA program for the Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants (link to

climate-induced migration)

• supporting the advancement of the Pathways to Prosperity Initiative (with

ECLAC and IADB)

• Water Security

• Energy security

–Renewable energy

– Energy efficiency

• Sustainable communities

• Environmental governance

• Conceived and executed the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate change

project which catalyzed the establishment of the CCCCC

• Cooperative Agreement with the CCCCC in July April 2008

– Supported the preparation of the Caribbean Strategy and Implementation

Plan on climate Change and Sustainable Development

– Supported the implementation of the Mainstreaming adaptation to climate

change project

• Supported the planning and convening of First International Conference on

Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples in Alaska in April 2009

• Supporting the preparation of the 5th IPCC Report

• Supporting ECLAC in the execution of studies on the economic impact of climate

change in the Americas (Caribbean)

• Supporting the UNHCR on study of the links between climate change and

migration

Intergovernmental Coordinating Commission (CIC) created to oversee La Plata Basin development.

1967

La Plata Basin Treaty signed by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay

1969

Treaty for Amazonian Cooperation (TAC)

1978

1979

Bilateral Agreement on Amazonian Cooperation between Colombia & Ecuador

Colombia-Peru Treaty on Amazonian Cooperation

Cooperation & Friendship Treaty signed by Brazil & Peru

1981

Bilateral Agreement on Amazonian Cooperation signed by Brazil & Colombia

1986

OAS General Assembly passes resolution expressing commitment to wage war on extreme poverty.

1988

OAS General Assembly creates Inter-American System for Nature Conservation

1993

First Inter-American Dialogue on Water Management held in Miami.

OAS launches its Plan of Action for Sustainable Development Program in Argentina & Bolivia

1994

Inter-American Water Resources Network (IWRN) founded.

1995

Argentina & Brazil create Binational Commission for the Development of the Upper Basin of the Bermejo and Grande de Tarija Rivers

1996

Global Water Partnership Created

1996

OAS General Assembly passes resolution creating Inter-American Committee on Sustainable Development

1999

D3 held in Panama

Procuenca San Juan Project launched by UNEP & the OAS

2000

OAS & UNEP’s Sao Francisco River Basin Project initiated.

OAS & UNEP’s Pantanal & Upper Paraguay River Basin Project commences.

2001

The OAS General Assembly passes a resolution linking human rights and environmental protection.

D4 held in Foz de Iguazu.

2002

ISARM – Americas program founded.

2003

Guarani Aquifer system development project launched by the World Bank, OAS, & GEF.

DELTAmerica project& La Plata River Basin management project initiated by UNEP, OAS, & GEF.

2004

GEF & OAS initiate Gran Chaco sustainable management project.

2005

D5 held in Montego Bay

2006

The OAS’s Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) issues Declaration of Santa Cruz on sustainable development of water resources.

GEF initiates GloBallast Partnerships project.

Second Inter-American Dialogue (D2) on Water Management held in Buenos Aires.

2007

D6 held in Guatemala.

2009

Transboundary Waters Assessment Programme (TWAP) launched by GEF & UNEP

OAS & UNESCO launch Mesoamerica transboundary water management program.

2011

D7 held in Medellin

Water Water Water Water Management in the AmericasManagement in the AmericasManagement in the AmericasManagement in the Americas

• Contribution to the V IPCC Assessment Report on Climate Impacts,

Adaptation and Vulnerability

• 7 major water dialogues in collaboration with the IWRN

• Building a hemispheric vision and management of shared water resources

• Promoting a shared vision in key river basins (La Plata, Gran Chaco,

Bermejo, Grand de Tarija, Amazon, Pantanal, San Juan, Rio Negro, Rio

Bravo)

• Assessments of climate variability and climate change

• Development of strategic action plans

• Capacity building

– Water Diplomacy course with Tech Monterrey

– Water and Peace (with the Peace Fund)

• Integrated Shared Aquifer Resources Management (ISARM)

• Regional initiative presented by the IHP/UNESCO and

DSD/OAS during the XXXII Congress of the Latin-American

Association of Groundwater Hydrology for the Development,

and the International Association of Hydrogeology, in Mar

del Plata, October 2002.

• Program is directed to promote knowledge of shared

groundwater resources in the Americas and collaboration

between countries that share the same resource.

Coordination Committee

• UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP)

• Organization of the American States (DSD/OAS) - Department of Sustainable

• Development

• National Coordinators of the Member States in:

– North America: Canada, United States of America, Mexico.

– Caribbean: Haiti, Dominican Republic.

– Central America: Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa

Rica, Panama.

– South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia , Ecuador, Paraguay,

Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname.

2003 – 2006 ISARM Americas Phases

Phase I

Inventory of Transboundary Aquifers

of the Americas

(2003 - 2006)

Information on hydrogeology, present

uses of aquifers, expected future

demand and scenarios

• 1st Publication

• Case Studies

Results – Phase I

Identification of 68

transboundary aquifers

2006 – 2009 ISARM Americas Phases

Phase II

Institutional and legal issues (2006 - 2007), socio-economic and

environmental aspects (2008-2009)

Analysis of institutional and legal frameworks in

countries

Analysis on socio-economic,

environmental and climatic aspects

• 2nd Publication

• 3rd Publication

• Case Studies

2009 – 2013 ISARM Americas Phases

SEDI Approach…

Transformation of Energy markets to be more favorable for Sustainable Energy

POLICY FRAMEWORK IMPLEMENTATION

Market Reform Actions

POLICY FRAMEWORK Development of National

Energy Policy and Sustainable Energy Action Plan

18

Snapshot of Energy in the Americas:

• Nearly 100% of the electricity and transportation is fueled by imported petroleum products (US, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Trinidad and Tobago are notable exceptions)

• High levels of indebtedness

• Some of the highest electricity prices in the world (Caribbean)

• Negative environmental impacts

• Limited competition among electric utilities

Energy Mix of Target Countries

Source: REEEGLE 2007-2011

20

OAS: Caribbean Technical Assistance

– Caribbean Sustainable Energy Program(CSEP) [EU supported]: National EnergyPolicies and Project Implementation(OECS countries and The Bahamas)

– ECPA Caribbean [USA DOS supported]:Pilot Projects; Interconnection studies;MDO dialogue; university partnerships;training

– US-Brazil Biofuels Partnership [USA DOSsupported]: Policy development and TA(Haiti, DR, St. Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica)

– Geo-Caraïbes: Geothermal development(Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis,plus SVG and Grenada)

– Solar water heater lending (Grenada andSt. Lucia)

St. Vincent and the

Grenadines (NEP 2009 and SEAP

2010)

Saint Lucia

(NEP 2011)

Grenada (NEP

2011)

St. Kitts and Nevis (NEP and SEP 2011)

Antigua and

Barbuda (NEP 2011, EAP 2013?)

Dominica(NEP/EAP

2013?)

Bahamas(NEP

2013?)

Dominica (Legislation and Regulations for the Development of Alternative Energy 2010)

Saint Lucia (Final draft Geothermal Resource Develop. Bill 2012)

Grenada (Final draft Geothermal Resource Develop. Bill 2012)

St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Final draft Geothermal Resource Develop. Bill 2012)

Regulatory Development

St. Lucia Final stakeholder consultation on Geothermal bill. Oct. 2011.

Energy Desks

Utility managers

Ministries of Education

Financial institutions

Bureau of Standards

• 1st Eastern Caribbean Geothermal Conference (2009)

• Sustainable Energy Tour to Vienna and Brussels (Sep 2010)

• Policy dialogues through Energy Ministerials

• Caribbean Renewable Energy Forums (2009, 2010, 2011)

• Capacity building and awareness • Certified Energy Manager course (2012)

• Teaching Sustainable Energy for Caribbean Educators Workshop (2011 and 2012)

• Consultation and workshop for financiers: Financing Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (2012)

• Energy efficiency designs for office buildings (2013)

• Worksop for financiers

• Workshops for teachers and curriculum managers

• Regional Energy Auditing Workshop (2010)

Capacity Building and Awareness

Sustainable Communities and Risk Management

• Sustainable Communities

– Supporting efforts in the sustainable use of land and

ecosystems good and services through policies and

strategies that promote land use planning the sustainable

functions of cities and the protection of biodiversity

– Strengthening the capacity of governments and civil

society in Central America and the Caribbean to build

sustainable communities, in clean energy, waste

management and recycling, resilience to natural disasters

and sustainable transport

• Supporting the implementation of the Hyogo Framework of

Action as Regional coordinator for the UNISDR Americas

• Promoting the integration of gender and human rights

approaches to disaster risk reduction

• Developing an on-line monitoring and reporting system for

the 2012 Inter-American Plan for Disaster Prevention, and

Response Assistance

• Assessing disaster risk reduction capacity in the CARICOM and

SICA regions

• Supporting the development of Early Warning Systems

• Strengthening the capacity of the judiciary in the area of environmental

law in the context of the Declaration of Justice, Law and Governance for

Environmental Sustainability.

• Supporting the:

– advancement of the Pathways to Prosperity Initiative (with ECLAC and IADB)

– Strengthening of governance frameworks for sustainability and environmental

protection through the Inter-American Strategy for Public Participation in Sustainable

Development Decision-Making; access to justice, legal enforcement and dispute

resolution

– The implementation of Principe 10 of the Rio Declaration relating to access to

information