translated from Spanish: The dispute of Latin America by hosting the climate change Summit: Chile is in race

Decision Bolsonaro not celebrate in Brazil the climate summit COP25 opened the race, and Costa Rica, Guatemala and Chile offered to host it so that it is in Latin America. A report from Katowice.Hace two years, the ‘Trump effect’ marked climate negotiations in Marrakesh. This year, the election of Jair Bolsonaro, is also marking the COP24, that, since the past 2 until December 14, takes place in Katowice (Poland). And it is that issues of geographical rotation, South America and the Caribbean must accommodate the climate summit next year. That is why, following the resignation of Brazil, the Governments of Guatemala, Costa Rica and Chile expressed their willingness to be the organizers of the next COP25.
“We want to stay in the region,” he said to DW in Katowice Andrea Meza, Director of the Office of climate change in Costa Rica. “We think it is vital to make a good COP; We see it with a sense of responsibility,”he added, recalling the words of the President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, who advocates the abolition of the use of fossil fuels as a legacy for future generations.
This will “gives a boost to decarbonization plan until 2050” which is part of “an ambitious climate agenda”. Also, the hosting of the event would allow “continue promoting the country and its green image”. However, it acknowledged the logistical challenges and the need for resources to carry it out. “There is interest if there is support,” he said. “It is a small country, but with much ambition”, said. First opportunity for Central America? The announcement of Costa Rica, who met later at the Guatemala, opened the possibility of that Central America is home for the first time a climate summit, and surprised the representatives of civil society in these countries, present in Poland. “Not because we do not have the capacity to organize. I believe that we have the conditions in Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala. But because it is not something that has been prepared”, told DW Larry Paul, program manager in Guatemala of the HEIFER international organization.
Paul stressed the existence of a large number of organizations that would participate in the event, in the event that the country undertook the Summit. Also, “it could lift the issue in Guatemala. There people not talk about climate change; It is a ‘problem of the future’ “, he lamented. The joint work carried out by the various groups of Guatemalan society can be another strong point. “If the Government invited, we can help. There are several entrepreneurs who would come to support,”he told DW Alex Guerra, General Director of the private Research Institute climate change in Guatemala.
However, it was considered that the nomination is “difficult”, recalling the holding of elections, in June 2019. This fact could also be the cause for which Argentina has withdrawn from hosting the COP25. “The coming year is electoral, a difficult situation for any country”, coincided Enrique Maurtua Konstantinidis, regional coordinator of LatinoAdapta. Also, “involves many economic challenges of a country, which does not go unnoticed by its population,” he pointed out to DW, underlining that the organisation of a climate summit requires an investment of between 50 and 100 million dollars.
The great economic investment would mean a brake also the candidacy of Chile, which went unnoticed. “The current Government with a policy of austerity in all portfolios, with a budget is rather limited,” he told DW Jordan Harris, National Director of the Organization Adapt Chile. However, it proved favourable to the Latin American country to host the event, and hoped that, if it eventually happens, “Chile increase its commitment in terms of emission reductions, as well as the capacity of adaptation and generation of new types of mechanisms of” financing”. COP25: If there is no consensus, be held in Germany.
The diversity of applications may cause even more division in the region. “Unfortunately, in recent years, and unlike in Africa, Latin America is definitely fragmented in the climate debate”, said to DW Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, leader of WWF on climate change and one of the top architects of the COP20 of Lima. This is because “the different negotiating groups that exist”. However, he hopes that the event will serve to “reconcile a minimum points and cause Latin America display unit used to show in the past”. For the former Peruvian Environment Minister, “Latin America has a lot with what you contribute and explain to mobilize not only climate action, but increased financial resources”, said. The Group of countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) must agree on its decision in Katowice. Whatever the country chosen, this “you will receive the support of the countries who have already organized a COP, fundamentally, Argentina, Mexico and Peru, and to help all the COP25 will be a success,” said. In case that a consensus will not be achieved, or that another country is ran, the COP25 would be held again in Germany, host of the UN climate change framework Convention.

Original source in Spanish