São Paulo, 1 Oct (EFE). – Experts gathered at the 2nd Latin American Green Economy Forum in São Paulo on Tuesday addressed some of Latin America’s pressing environmental challenges, including solid regulatory frameworks, proper waste management, and universal access to drinking water.
Regional authorities and environmental experts agreed that the planet is experiencing more frequent natural disasters, such as the severe drought in South America.
The environmental transition is thus becoming a complex challenge for the world’s most unequal region, which is under pressure to transform its economies, despite not having reached full development.
Food security has also become a pressing issue amid an increase in armed conflicts, such as the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, which has negatively impacted wheat supplies.
However, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America, Mario Lubetkin, said that “Latin America and the Caribbean has the potential to be a leader in sustainability”, pointing out that “the region can produce more nutritious food while protecting the planet and preserving natural resources.”
Utilizing crop residues
Chile’s Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, pointed out that Latin America is “far behind” in the reutilization of plant residues as fertilizer and that progress is needed in this area.
According to Valenzuela, less than 1% of this waste is converted into agricultural compost in Chile, compared to 40% in Europe.
“A just transition requires a redirection of resources, favoring actions and not just rhetoric; concrete results must be seen,” he said.
Legislation in favor of the Amazon
Eric Terena, a Brazilian communications specialist and indigenous DJ, stressed that the first thing Brazil and the rest of Latin America should do to preserve the Amazon is to “legislate” in a coordinated way to maintain certain regional standards.
According to him, Brazil has strong environmental legislation; however, it has been made more flexible by a parliament that has become more responsive to the interests of the country’s significant agribusiness industry than environmental demands.
“Every day, parliaments are trying to legalize deforestation and install new forms of extraction to export raw materials,” he criticized.
The president of the news agency EFE, organizer of the forum, Miguel Angel Oliver warned that “the over-exploitation of resources is leading us into a dead end” and called for the planet to be listened to and heeded.
“We have to take care of our home, and this is a humble way to do it, by asking you to speak and asking us, this great international agency that is EFE, to do our job: to listen and to spread the word,” Oliver added.
Access to drinking water
International and civil society organizations also stressed the importance of finding simple and innovative solutions to ensure access to drinking water in remote regions.
One such solution was presented by Cote Terre, Executive Director of the NGO WATERisLIFE, who presented a micro filter that traps bacteria and pollutants, turning dirty water from a bottle into a clear liquid.
On Wednesday, the second day of the Forum will feature debates on the challenges of energy transition and measures to improve the resilience of populations vulnerable to climate change.
The event is sponsored by ApexBrasil, Brazil’s export and investment promotion agency, and Norte Energia, operator of Belo Monte, the world’s fourth largest hydroelectric plant, and supported by Vivo and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Brazil. EFE
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Publish date : 2024-10-01 23:29:00
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