Regions - Latin America & the Caribbean



:: Implementation Milestones

Regional Platform on SCP

On the first LAC SCP regional meeting in 2003, a Regional Platform was formed with aims to put into action Chapter III of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the Latin America and the Caribbean Initiative for Sustainable Development (ILAC). The Platform was developed in a very participative environment where the government experts interacted in working groups on a number of issues.

By the end of 2007, four regional meetings have been organized: Buenos Aires (Apr. 2003), Managua, Nicaragua (Oct.2003 and Aug.2005), Sao Paulo, Brazil (Oct.2007). National roundtable in Brazil was organized in Apr. 2007. SCP programmes are developed at national and local levels in a number of countries, including Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba and Jamaica.

Regional Strategy on SCP

As the outcome of the first SCP regional expert meeting in 2003, central policy elements for a national and regional strategy on sustainable consumption and production are recommended. The Regional Strategy on SCP was developed in 2005, with institutional support from Latina American Forum of Ministries of Environment, MERCOSUR, UNEP, and UN DESA. Key recommendations on SCP are made from Regional Strategy .

Regional Council of Government Experts on SCP

A Regional Council of Government Experts on Sustainable Consumption and Production was established to identify and propose efficient mechanisms for implementation of integrated policies, strategies and programmes that promote and facilitate the adoption of sustainable consumption and production patterns in societies.

National Cleaner Production Centers (NCPCs)

National Cleaner Production Centers (NCPCs), with the support of UNIDO have been established in Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Nicaragua. NCPCs provide national industries with the necessary tools that will help them fulfill the increasing demands of global markets and sub-contracting companies. It will thus facilitate their access to regional and global markets with environmentally sound products.

:: Key Projects and Initiatives

  • National Strategies on SCP in Argentina, implemented by UNEP, EC, Government of Nicaragua
  • National Roundtable on SCP in Brazil, implemented by UNEP, EC, Brazilian Ministry of Environment, CETESB
  • Waste management Systems Project in Nicaragua
  • SMEs projects in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago; Trade & Technology Fairs: El Salvador, Mexico
  • Sustainable Public Procurement pilot projects in Argentina and seminars by MERCOSUR, implemented by UNEP, Marrakech Task Force on Sustainable Public Procurement (led by Switzerland ), Governments of Argentina, MERCOSUR
  • Information on SCP: Information Centre in Panama
  • Pilot projects on sustainable lifestyles, coordinated by Marrakech Task Force on Sustainable Lifestyles (led by Sweden)
    • Brazil workshop on “Communicating Sustainability”, Creative Communities, implemented by International Association of Universities (IAU), IIIEE, UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development
    • Costa Rica Sister School Project (with USA and Mexico), implemented by ECO GLOBAL, ALCALA, Eco Global, New Earth, Harvard University
    • Colombia and Peru project on YouthXchange, implemented by Organización Juvenil Ambiental (Columbia)
  • Pilot projects on sustainable tourism, coordinated by Marrakech Task Force on Sustainable Tourism (led by France)
    • Green Passport Demo Project (Brazil)
    • Promoting Natural and Cultural Heritage as Assets for Sustainable Tourism Development, supported by SICA
    • Good Practice - Sustainable Tourism Program (project run by Rainforest Alliance), with active input from Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru

:: Regional priorities on SCP

Needs and priorities related to SCP have been identified in the meeting reports of regional consultative meetings organized under the Marrakech Process.