| Latin
America & the Caribbean
Latin America and Caribbean has been steadily moving towards
the implementation of SCP in the region.
There have been several regional consultations of the Marrakech
Process in Latin America and the Caribbean:
These regional consultations have identified the high priority
issues within the SCP framework for the region. Regional
priorities for Latin America are:
- Economic issues: competitiveness, trade and market access,
economic diversification, energy efficiency and cleaner
production, economic instruments and patterns in consumption
and production
- Vulnerability and sustainable cities: land-use planning,
areas affected by degradation processes, urban planning,
air pollution, water pollution, waste management, vulnerability
and risk management
- Water resources: watershed management, coasts and coastal
resources management, inland water quality and freshwater
supply
- Institutional issues: environmental education, training
and capacity building, social participation and empowerment,
promotion of public-private partnerships, inclusion of
the environmental dimension into economic and social processes,
evaluation and development of indicators
Main initiatives and accomplishments in the regioninclude:
The Regional Strategy on SCP
Within the framework of the Marrakech Process, Latin America
and Caribbean has developed its regional
SCP Strategy (PDF - 32 KB), which defines concrete actions
and specific pilot projects. The Strategy emphasises the
importance of strengthening the capacity of government institutions
as well as the capacity of the productive and financial
sectors to implement SCP-related polices and actives. The
regional strategy has been endorsed by the Forum
of Environmental Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean,
the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR),
UNEP and UN-DESA. In 2007, MERCOSUR joined the Marrakech
Process, and has launched its SCP Action Plan.
The Regional Council of Government
Experts on SCP
Another important outcome of the regional expert meetings
is the establishment of the Regional
Council of Government Experts on SCP (PDF - 28 KB),
which was recognised and supported by the Forum of Environmental
Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean. Its main objective
is to identify and propose efficient mechanisms to integrate
policies, strategies and programmes promoting SCP patterns.
The council consists of one government expert from each
country in the region, and meets on an annual basis.
The Regional Forum of Ministries of Environment (held in
Dominican Republic, 30th Jan. and 1st February/2008) identified
SCP as one of the eight main priorities, and most of the
recommendation prepared by the Regional Council on SCP were
approved.
The Sub Regional Action Plans
and Consultations
Two sub-regional consultations were held in Latin
America in 2008:
The 1st sub-regional meeting on SCP for Caribbean Countries
(Trinidad & Tobago August, 2008) had the objective to
identify the needs for capacity building on SCP and strengthen
SCP policies and activities in the region. Main outcomes
of the meeting include the launch of a sub-regional status
assessment on SCP process and initiatives and the creation
of an Adhoc Caribbean Working Group. A Draft Action
Plan on SCP for Caribbean countries is under preparation.
A Workshop on Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) for Mesoamérica
was held in Costa Rica (October 2008). Its goal was to train
public procurement government officials and the SCP focal
points for Central America on basic concepts, practices,
and methodologies of SPP. The workshop discussed and evaluated
the Mesoamerican SCP Action Plan and the first
draft of the 10YFP.
Latin America and the Caribbean Regional
Meetings
Fifth Latin American and
the Caribbean Regional Meeting on SCP in Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia (September 2009)
The 5th Latin American and the Caribbean Regional
Meeting on SCP took place in Cartagena, Colombia on 16-18
September 2009. The main objective was to report the progress
achieved on SCP in the region with regard to the priorities
identified by the Council of Experts and ratified by Decision
10 of the Forum of Ministers and to define the specific
contributions of the region to 10 YFP that will be presented
to the CSD in 2010. These inputs, which include priorities
and needs for the region, will also be recommended by the
Experts Council to the Forum of Ministers of Environment,
at the time of its next meeting in Mexico early next year.
The meeting involved 94 participants from 23 countries
from Latin America and the Caribbean including representatives
from subregional organizations, NGOs, business sector and
academia.
One of the main outcomes on SCP was the set of recommendations
to the Forum of Ministers of the Environment with a special
focus on National Plans and Strategies, Small and Medium
Enterprises, Sustainable Public Procurement and Sustainable
Lifestyles with a particular focus on youth.
See recommendations to the Forum of Ministers in
English and Spanish.
See meeting report in English
and Spanish
For more information, please visit http://www.redpycs.net/
Fourth Regional
Meeting on SCP in the Latin America and the Caribbean
São Paulo, Brazil (October 2007)
The Fourth Regional Meeting on SCP in the Latin America
and the Caribbean revised the regional SCP strategy identifying
sub-regional priorities. It also analysed the outline of
the 10YFP and identified key programmes according to the
regional priorities to be included in the 10YFP such as:
national action plans, sustainable public procurement, sustainable
products, education & sustainable lifestyles, small
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and supply chains, and
work on indicators and SCP information. Other outcomes of
the meeting are:
- Four sub-regional action plans were developed
- The Regional Council of Government Experts on SCP was
strengthened and new members were elected
- A
recommendation on SCP (PDF - 1 MB) was developed and
presented at the LAC Forum of Ministries of Environment
- The meeting also helped to strengthen the dialogue between
governments, civil society and industry
 |
| The 4th Regional Meeting
on SCP in the Latina America and the Caribbean strengthened
the dialogue between governments, civil society and
industry
|
Link
- Background Paper (Spanish
only) [PDF - 420 KB]
- Background Paper on Marrakech Process best practices
(English
only) [PDF - 212 KB]
- Meeting report (Spanish
English)
[PDF - 1 MB]
Third Meeting of
Government Experts on SCP in Latin America and the Caribbean
Managua, Nicaragua (August 2005)
The Third Meeting of Government Experts on SCP suggested
to create multi-stakeholder National Consultative Councils
on SCP that consist of representatives from the private
sector, the government, universities, consumer associations
and other civil society organizations for participatory
development of policies, strategies and action plans. It
also recommended the development of policies, national strategies
and action plans for SCP in every country of the region
and the inclusion of SCP in national and regional policies
for sustainable development and poverty reduction.
Links:
- Final report & recommandation (English
Spanish)
[PDF - 33 KB]
- Declaration 10 of the LAC Forum of Ministries of Environment
(Spanish
English)
[PDF - 18 KB]
Second Regional
Governments Expert Meeting for the Elaboration of a Regional
Strategy on SCP
Managua, Nicaragua (October 2003)
The Regional Council of Government Experts on SCP DOC was
established during the Second Regional Governments Expert
Meeting with the objective to identify and propose efficient
mechanisms for the implementation of integrated policies,
strategies and programmes that promote and facilitate the
adoption of SCP.
A regional strategy on SCP was developed and key elements
for the elaboration of national and regional strategies
on SCP were recommended to the Forum of Environment Ministers
of Latin America and the Caribbean. It was also identified
policy framework and instruments, main actors and means
of implementation for SCP strategies.
Link
First Meeting of
Government Experts on SCP in Latin America and the Caribbean
Buenos Aires, Argentina (April 2003)
The First Meeting of Government Experts on SCP identified
the national and regional priorities on SCP and the needs
of qualification and technical capacity and elaborated a
regional platform on SCP. It was also proposed a creation
of a Regional Council of Government Experts on SCP and recommended
key elements for regional and national SCP strategies.
Link
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