13:14 | Cusco (Cusco region), Oct. 22.
The city of Cusco in Peru will be the backdrop starting this Monday through Thursday for the
25th International Congress of the Network of Environmental Funds of Latin America and the Caribbean (RedLAC).
More than 350 experts are set to attend with the aim of promoting and introducing fresh ideas related to climate finance.
Anton Willems, the Executive Director of Profonanpe, told EFE that the primary "goal is for all allies and environmental funds from the 27 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss, share lessons learned, best practices, and common objectives." The hope is that these discussions will then be included in the conversations at COP-28.
Attending the Cusco congress are representatives from companies spearheading sustainability initiatives, renowned environmental trend-setting researchers and academics, decision-makers from ministries and public entities committed to their countries' sustainable development, and environmental fund specialists overseeing global impact projects, according to the organizing committee.
World's Three Crises
Willems emphasized that the world is currently experiencing three crises that experts term the "climate crisis, waste crisis, and the biodiversity loss crisis."
"Discussing these issues was once niche, limited to certain segments of society, but we see more and more that they have direct effects on people's daily lives," he said.
He further added that when these matters impact people's daily lives, "they must be made tangible, especially when it starts affecting their finances." He believes the financial impact occurs because "investments become pricier" or "already made ones are delayed."
This is where environmental finances come into play as they "translate, in monetary terms, the impacts felt by all or some stakeholders in society."
"We can now see the direct effects of these crises on citizens, and we need to integrate them into business models and financing accounts to make them visible and part of a structure's cost," Willems added.
He noted that the conversation goes beyond just environmental funds. This is evident from "the number of private organizations working on this issue globally, who also wish to participate financially."
Peru's Commitment
Meanwhile, the Executive President of the Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Export and Tourism (PromPeru) —with which EFE has a content distribution agreement—
Angelica Matsuda Matayoshi, confirmed PromPeru's participation in the RedLAC 2023 Congress. She reemphasized "
their dedication to seeking sustainable development alternatives."
"Tourism depends on nature. It's essential to work towards conserving the environment, offering our visitors a climate-responsive experience in line with the significant challenges of the tourism sector and the planet," she stated.
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Publicado: 22/10/2023