The Second Regional Exchange and Practitioners Dialogue Forum, organized by the Ministry of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment of Uruguay (MVOTMA) and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety of Germany (BMUB), and supported by members of the Inter-institutional Working Group on Green and Inclusive Economy, took place on April 26th and 27th in Montevideo, Uruguay. The forum was entitled “Putting Inclusive Green Economy into Practice in Latin America and the Caribbean” and gathered representatives from over 140 relevant public institutions, academia, the private sector, civil society, and 9 regional countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru.
The forum opened with words from the Uruguayan Minister of Housing, Eneida de León, and the Uruguayan Minister of Labour, Ernesto Murro, who underscored the importance of collaboration and coordination in support of inclusive green economy. The forum provided a space for dialogue and knowledge-exchange regarding economic transformation and its potential to bring sustainability to sectors such as tourism, products and services, waste and resource management, industry and innovation, consumption and renewable resources.
Addressing transformation paths in the light of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement, Professor Peter Poschen introduced green and inclusive jobs as a means to work towards the SDGs. Additionally, Professor Lucia Reisch, member of the German Council for Sustainable Development, introduced the use of behavioral economics to nudge policy makers towards a green and inclusive economy.
One highlight of the forum was the Ministerial Reception, where the Uruguayan Minister for Energy, Carolina Cosse, Viceminister for Housing, Jorge Rucks, and National Director of Employment, Eduardo Pereyra, jointly announced the start of Uruguay’s partnership with PAGE. At the reception there was a clear indication of strong cross Ministerial support for the work of PAGE. Building on the green economy work completed under an earlier UN Environment project, the key ministries have a clear vision for Uruguay’s need to innovate and create value around its bioeconomy.
The event demonstrated that the concept of green economy has become more and more embraced in Latin America and the Caribbean since the first Regional Forum in 2013, with discussions focusing on the implementation of green economy measures rather than a debate over the concept itself. Furthermore, attendees expressed interest in cooperation and collaboration, such as through joining PAGE, and celebrated the increasing dedication towards a green and inclusive economy across the region.