Posted on August, 17 2015
After approving the REDPARQUES Declaration on climate change and protected areas, to be delivered during the Conference of the Parties - COP 21 (of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) event in Paris, the Latin American Technical Cooperation on National Parks and Other Protected Areas, Wild Fauna and Flora (REDPARQUES) went on August 13 with its Board meeting, during the second day of the event. Directors of the official organizations in charge of the national protected area systems from 16 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean participated in this meeting.
Representatives from Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Colombia, Peru, France, Guyana, Panama, Venezuela, Uruguay and Guatemala analyzed the statement document, which will also be presented at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), scheduled to take place in Mexico, in 2016.
Through this statement, REDPARQUES emphasized how important it is that the international community acknowledge the protected areas contribution to the national strategies to fight climate change effects. The statement also stressed the need for greater technical, technological and financial assistance in the approach of a more effective management of protected areas, to insure the strengthening of national systems based on climate change criteria.
REDPARQUES is committed to strengthen the national protected areas systems according to a management based on climate change adaptation and mitigation criteria, while promoting the participation of local communities and indigenous peoples in the biodiversity sustainable management.
The REDPARQUES Board meeting also updates the 2016-2020 Action Plan, which is an important working paper establishing the goals and development lines to be adopted by the protected area systems in the19 countries composing this Latin American network.
The meeting finished on August 13 with a discussion of the successful initiatives developed in Peru, such as the participatory management and administration contracts encouraged by REDD+ (Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) projects in four protected areas in this country.
Lima, August 13, 20105
SERNANP Communications
