UK urges Guatemala to scale up ambitions and identify solutions to climate change
UK Government’s COP26 Regional Ambassador for Latin America, Fiona Clouder, visited Guatemala on 9-10 February.
Ambassador Clouder met with government, businesses, and civil society to scale up Guatemala’s ambition and identify solutions to the threat posed by climate change, following up on the commitments made at COP26 in Glasgow last year.
On November 2021, the COP26 delivered the historic Glasgow Climate Pact signed by almost 200 countries. States ensured promises on emissions reductions as to keep 1.5 degrees alive. Other commitments made included building adaptation frameworks for vulnerable countries, and get finance flowing to achieve these goals.
During her visit she met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mario Búcaro; the Secretary of the National Council of Protected Areas –CONAP-, Carlos Martínez; business organizations developing sustainable projects, and went on a city tour to explore electric/green mobility initiatives put in place by Guatemala’s Mayoralty.
Ambassador Clouder praised Guatemala’s participation at COP26 and urged the country to accelerate finance to tackle the climate crisis, continue expanding renewable power generation, combating illegal wildlife trade, transitioning to zero-emissions transportation, and ending deforestation.
The UK will continue working with Guatemala on deliver these climate objectives and this year will start implementing the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund. A US$20 million initiative that for seven years will help Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize to tackle the impact of climate change, protect biodiversity and reduce poverty.