What are the key issues that will be addressed, and how does Latin America fit into the debate alongside more developed countries? Dr. Juan Francisco Rosas, a research professor at ORT and a member of the Regional Network on Climate Change and Decision-Making, discussed this topic in the following interview.
Rosas holds a Ph.D. in Economics and is a research professor in the School of Management and Social Sciences at Universidad ORT Uruguay. He is also a member of the Regional Network on Climate Change and Decision-Making, which brings together the school, the SARAS Institute, the University of the Republic, and a group of Latin American universities and research centers focused on climate change.
It was this connection to the project that led him to participate in COP24, held in Poland in 2018, and in COP27 in Egypt.
Drawing on these experiences and his expertise on the subject, Rosas discussed in the following interview the importance of such forums, the key issues for this year, and the role Latin America plays in the debate.
Why are COPs important?
On the one hand, it is significant because it is the formal setting in which negotiations between countries on climate change issues take place, and it is the time and place where the interests and positions of each country converge.
At the same time, these forums also bring together countless public, private, and civil society organizations, which likewise voice their interests, concerns, and demands regarding the issues caused by climate change.
While the conference itself involves a great deal of negotiation, presentations, and lobbying, for example, there is also a very intense preparatory process that takes place in the months leading up to the event. As with any negotiation, it is at these types of events that certain resolutions—which have been under negotiation for months or even years in an effort to bridge the gaps between the positions of different countries—are approved and voted on. In addition to the negotiations carried out by each country’s official delegations, there is a vast network of corporate and academic activities that generally aim to publicize new advances and discoveries that have been made.
What will be the main topics discussed at COP28?
The main focus remains on securing commitments from countries—particularly those that are the largest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs)—to reduce their net emissions. This requires strong climate action and significant commitments to decarbonize their economies.
Another priority is to continue prioritizing climate change adaptation. For both of these goals, it is essential to continue joining forces to secure the climate finance needed to achieve them.
There is another objective related to the implementation of the so-called Global Stocktake. This refers to the systematic review, conducted every five years, of all efforts, actions, and policies undertaken by the various parties aimed at mitigating GHG emissions, building systems resilient to climate change, and securing the necessary financing to carry them out. It involves a commitment made in the Paris Agreement, and the Nationally Determined Contributions that each country reports to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change are a fundamental part of this assessment.
COP28 marks a milestone, as it concludes the first round of this global assessment. However, the preliminary report already released shows that greater climate action and commitment from the parties are needed to achieve the goal of limiting the temperature increase to below 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels.
In what areas is Latin America still "lagging behind" the wealthier countries when it comes to developing and implementing policies and measures related to climate change?
Generally speaking, and as a group of developing countries, the greatest need that has emerged is for climate finance; that is, funds to implement policies and actions aimed at mitigating GHG emissions and reducing the impacts of climate change on the economy, society, and the environment. Within the framework of what is known as common but differentiated responsibilities, our countries, like the rest of the developing world, have been calling for a greater commitment from the developed world to provide this type of financing.
With that in mind, how does Latin America fit into this type of conference? In other words, are the recommendations or proposals that emerge from the COPs applicable to the Latin American context?
There is no doubt that they are well received and have an impact. To begin with, in climate negotiations, we must not lose sight of the fact that each country has one vote regardless of its size, just as is the case in other areas of the United Nations system.
Furthermore, Latin American countries have played a leading role in placing climate change adaptation on the same level of importance as climate change mitigation.
It is of the utmost importance for our countries to adapt to the effects of climate variability and climate change itself—effects that are already being felt in our agricultural production, economy, cities, and so on.
This has made it possible to implement numerous initiatives and programs across all Latin American countries aimed at creating more climate-resilient production systems and cities.
In addition, agricultural issues (including crops, livestock, and forestry, among others) are typically negotiated as a bloc by a subgroup of Latin American countries with shared interests, and they play a fundamental role for our countries because, on the one hand, they form the backbone of a significant portion of these economies, but, on the other hand, they are at the center of the climate debate as one of the main factors contributing to climate change.
Having common, solid, science-based arguments is key to defending these positions.
In seven years, it will be time to assess whether we have succeeded in meeting, for example, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the UN included in its 2030 Agenda. What is the current situation, and what can we expect over the next seven years? Is there optimism regarding the achievement of Goal 13, which addresses the issue of climate change?
SDG 13, beyond its various specific targets, reflects the global community’s commitment to limiting the rise in global temperature to no more than 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. This goal is very ambitious to achieve, and so far, there has not been sufficient commitment at the various COPs to meet it—not even a less ambitious one, such as limiting the temperature increase to no more than 2.0 °C.