SUSTAINABILITY

Climate change. On January 9, within the framework of Mexico’s assumption of the pro tempore presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard introduced a roadmap that will guide the work of the bloc during the 2020-2021 period. Among the proposals of the Work Plan, which includes 14 areas, the development of positive incentives and financial mechanisms for sustainability and resilience to climate change and the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance stand out. A regional work agenda is expected to be developed over the coming months for submission to the United Nations General Assembly.

After the handover ceremony, led by President Andrés López Obrador, the Mexican government announced to the representatives of the other member countries the agenda of proposals to be implemented during the next two years at CELAC. According to the plan, the idea for the future is to guarantee, through international cooperation, financial mechanisms for the protection and restoration of important blue carbon ecosystems, the region’s resilience in the face of climate change and the sustainable management of marine and coastal resources.

In addition, the bloc will seek to create a platform for monitoring the agreements of the WHO Global Plan of Action on Antimicrobial Resistance. To this end, national and international surveillance programmes will be promoted, while facilitating technology transfer for the identification, control and elimination of antibiotic-resistant viruses and bacteria.

Next steps

As part of the celebration of Mexico’s assumption of the pro tempore presidency of CELAC, the Mexican Foreign Minister stressed that the process of ‘dialogue and friendship’ of the bloc must serve to unite the region, and assured that a joint working agenda will be presented at the next United Nations General Assembly, scheduled for September. Thus, the expectation is that in the coming months member countries will work together to coordinate the process of implementing policies on sustainability and antimicrobials.