"Atlas" of Latin America and the Caribbean: 17 Sustainable Development Initiatives

Latin America may still have a long way to go on its path towards sustainable development – mining activities and deforestation remain problematic – but the region is at the forefront of environmental governance and justice issues.

The Escazú Agreement (Costa Rica), signed by 24 Latin American countries and so far ratified by 12, is just one example. One of its aims is to ensure that environmental activists are protected. It should also “ensure that all Latin American citizens are able to lodge legal complaints against projects that harm the environment,” says Olivier Dabène (see the video below), co-author of the Atlas and President of the Political Observatory of Latin America and the Caribbean (OPALC) at Sciences Po Paris.

Below we present 3 of the 17 initiatives linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) featured in the Atlas of Latin America and the Caribbean. They all showcase human and environmental progress achieved in the region in recent years.

Find out about all the 17 initiatives through maps and figures  (in French)

SDG 7 – AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

COSTA RICA: A REGIONAL LEADER IN RENEWABLE ENERGIES

A trailblazer in the fight against climate change, Costa Rica adopted an ambitious decarbonization plan in 2019, which targets carbon neutrality by 2050. AFD is assisting the country with the implementation of this plan. It has many objectives, including promoting low-carbon agricultural production systems, improving public transport and air quality in urban areas, and encouraging the restoration and protection of ecosystems with high potential for carbon capture.

In 2022, and for the 8th year in a row, the country produced more than 98% of renewable energy, through its 14 hydropower plants (which generate 70% of domestic electricity), its geothermal systems supplied by volcanic activity, and its wind turbines. The Los Santos wind farm, set up in 2010 to replace a non-renewable power plant project, supplies clean electricity to 50,000 Costa Ricans.  

Further reading: Costa Rica: Working Together Towards Carbon Neutrality

SDG 10 – REDUCED INEQUALITIES 

RECEPTION FACILITIES FOR VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS IN ECUADOR

Since 2012, the political and economic crisis in Venezuela has caused some 6.8 million people to flee to neighboring countries. 

How to cope with this massive migration and provide effective assistance to these people in vulnerable situations? In 2018, a Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela (R4V) was set up. Co-led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), it is pooling the efforts of governmental and non-governmental actors at international level and in 17 Latin American and Caribbean countries.  

Ecuador is one of the countries and has become a key actor in the R4V, with the reception of more than 11,000 Venezuelans between January and March 2023. The country has set up a Social and Economic Integration Working Group (GISE) which has established support networks and community spaces for refugees, promoting a peaceful and constructive dialogue with local communities.

The Haciendo Panas Foundation is one of the NGOs actively involved. Based in Cuenca, it offers Venezuelan migrants social spaces, prepares them for their integration into the labor market, and builds an intercultural dialogue.

Further reading: Protecting Biodiversity: The Key Role of Indigenous Communities

SDG 14 – LIFE BELOW WATER

CHILE: A PROACTIVE COUNTRY IN MARINE PROTECTION

While Costa Rica will be hosting a high-level ocean conference in June 2024, a year ahead of the third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, several Latin American countries are doing their utmost to improve the protection of marine and coastal areas. 

In 2010, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Aichi, Japan, set the target of safeguarding 10% of marine and coastal areas worldwide by 2020. In Latin America and the Caribbean, there was a fivefold increase in the size of the protected area between 2010 and 2019, with a total coverage of about 24%. This has been achieved through the joint work with NGOs and international institutions.  

Chile is one of the highest achievers, with 41% of marine and coastal areas protected, while fishing activities are a vital resource for the country’s economy and food security. Indeed, the country has managed to establish a close protection of both biodiversity and local economies, while promoting small-scale fishing practices. 

In Pisagua Bay, in the north of the country for example, research has shown that the bay plays an essential role in the South Pacific ecosystem, an area with a high concentration of micro-organisms and reproduction of species. But it has also highlighted the responsible management of natural resources by local fishermen.