Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is among the regions most challenged by extreme hydrometeorological events. Between 1998 and 2020, climate-related and geophysical events resulted in the loss of 312 000 lives and directly affected more than 277 million people. Extreme hydrometeorological events such as floods, storms, droughts, heat waves and related impacts accounted for 93% of all disasters that took place during that period.
The LAC Region faces, and will continue to face, severe socioeconomic crises due to these extreme hydrometeorological events. In recent times this has been exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-COVID-19 recovery will be challenging. One critical action to ensure recovery would be to further pursue Sustainable Development Goal 13 – “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts” – which according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has been decelerated in many countries of the region. One way of furthering this action is to further strengthen the capacities of national Early Warning Systems (EWS) and operational weather, climate and hydrological services to effectively support risk management and adaptation. In this respect, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) are key institutions to contribute at the national, subnational and local level.
This High-level Conference, jointly hosted by WMO Regional Associations III and IV and ECLAC, has been designed to share opportunities and challenges with development partners and other organizations in identifying feasible ways to join forces and coordinate actions for the benefit of the most vulnerable communities.
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Agenda
Session 1 - Fostering Climate Action: Launch of the Report on the State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2020
| TIme (UTC) | Agenda | Speaker |
| 14:00–14:05 | Introductory remarks | Mr. Paul Egerton, Director of Cabinet, WMO |
| 14:05–14:20 | Presentation of the Report on the State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2020 | Prof. Petteri Taalas, Secretary General, WMO |
| 14:20–14:30 | High-level Statement |
Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Jamaica
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| 14:30–14:40 | High-level Statement | Ms. Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) |
| 14:40–14:50 | High-level Statement | Ms. Alicia Barcena, Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) |
| 14:50–15:00 | Signature of MoU | WMO - ECLAC |
Session 2 - Strengthening Partnership for Weather, Water and Climate Resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean
Session Chair: Mr. Carlos Fuller, Ambassador and Permanant Representative to the United Nations, Belize
| TIme (UTC) | Agenda | Speaker |
| 15:00–15:05 | Opening Remarks | Mr. Carlos Fuller, Ambassador and Permanant Representative of Belize to the United Nations |
| 15:05–15:15 | Keynote Speech | Mr. Dario Soto-Abril, Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Global Water Partnership |
| 15:15–16:00 | Panel Discussion | Dr. Walton Webson, Chairperson, Alliance of the Small Island States (AOSIS), Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations |
| Mr. Gustavo Manrique, Minister of Environment, Water and Ecologic Transition, Ecuador | ||
| Ms. Cecilia Jones, President, Platform of Latin America and the Caribbean for Climate Action of Agriculture (PLACA), and Sustainability and Climate Change Coordinator, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Uruguay |
Session 3 - Improved Cooperation and Integration of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean
Session Chair: Dr. Allan Lavell, Programme Coordinator, FLACSO, Costa Rica
| TIme (UTC) | Agenda | Speaker |
| 16:00–16:05 | Opening Remarks | Dr. Allan Lavell, Programme Coordinator, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO), Costa Rica |
| 16:05–16:15 | Keynote Speech | Minister Joaquin Roa, National Emergency Secretary, Paraguay |
| 16:15–16:50 | Panel Discussion | Dr. Arlene Laing, Coordinating Director, Caribbean Meteorological Organization |
| Ms. Ligia Castro, Director of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment, Panama | ||
| Ms. Teresa Cristina, Minister of Agriculture, Brazil | ||
| Mr. Marcelo Nilo, Scientific Director, Permanent Commission of the South Eastern Pacific | ||
| 16:50–16:55 | Closing Remarks | Ms. Yolanda Gonzalez, Permanent Representative of Colombia with WMO and President, WMO Regional Association III |
| 16:55–17:00 | Closing Remarks | Mr. Evan Thompson, Permanent Representative of Jamaica with WMO and President, WMO Regional Association IV |
