The sustainability revolution requires interaction and collaboration among various actors to generate the transformational changes needed to address the impacts of climate change. That is why the public and private sectors, civil society and academia must join forces to drive strategies and action towards a carbon-free and climate-resilient economy. The climate change crisis … [Read more...] about Six Lessons on the Sustainability Revolution from “One Region, One Commitment”
Esperanza González-Mahecha
Esperanza is a Senior Specialist in Climate Change and Sustainability at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in the Panama Country Office. Between 2018 and 2021, from IDB headquarters in Washington, D.C., she supported multiple sectors and ten governments in Latin America and the Caribbean in integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation measures during project preparation. Esperanza has served as a Consultant for the World Bank, KfW, and Climate Finance Advisors, a member of WSP, covering renewable energy and climate change in Africa and South America. She was also part of the Center for Energy Economics and Environmental Studies (CENERGIA) in Rio de Janeiro, where she worked on projects for the Government of Brazil, UN Environment, and the British Embassy. Additionally, Esperanza was an advisor to the Potable Water Regulatory Agency in her home country of Colombia and contributed to Fundación Bariloche on projects for the Ministry of Energy and Ecopetrol. Esperanza holds a degree in Economics from the National University of Colombia, as well as a Master’s and a Ph.D. in Energy Planning from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
How is climate ambition progressing at the municipal level?
National governments are not the only ones increasing their climate action in Latin America and the Caribbean. News at the subnational level is also quite encouraging. Multiple local governments have joined in increasing their climate ambition, recognizing that they are key actors for the implementation of climate change policies and that cities play a leading role in the … [Read more...] about How is climate ambition progressing at the municipal level?
Greening hospitals is a commitment to sustainability in the health sector
Climate change is a fact and we see its consequences everyday through heat and cold waves, droughts, an increase in the frequency and intensity of rains, rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity, among others, which directly impact the health of the population and particularly the most vulnerable. The building sector not only contributes to aggravating this phenomenon but is … [Read more...] about Greening hospitals is a commitment to sustainability in the health sector
Green Building Certification is Increasingly Accessible in Latin America and the Caribbean
In order to respond to the environmental challenges we face, the building sector has stepped up and has responded with an increase in green or environmentally sustainable buildings. In the current market, there are many systems that assess the environmental conditions of buildings and that, for those that meet certain criteria, make them eligible for recognition through … [Read more...] about Green Building Certification is Increasingly Accessible in Latin America and the Caribbean
Is there too much natural gas to meet the Paris Agreement’s objectives?
Latin America and the Caribbean has the cleanest electricity in the world, thanks to the dominant role of hydroelectricity in our region. But the Paris Agreement should still matter to the region's energy ministers. Fossil power plants, particularly those burning natural gas, could be incompatible with the agreement’s goals. We recently published an article in Environmental … [Read more...] about Is there too much natural gas to meet the Paris Agreement’s objectives?