Posted on June, 15 2015

REDPARQUES, the Latin American network of protected areas system directors is making progress towards a global recognition of protected areas as nature-based solutions to climate change.

This month, the network’s President, Peru (SERNANP), informed all nineteen REDPARQUES members that the organization is getting ready to have their voice heard at the UN climate change conference COP 21 that will take place in Paris in December of this year.

Peru, together with the Andes-Amazon Regional Coordinator for REDPARQUES, Colombia (PNN), has asked countries for their views on the idea of delivering a joint message at the climate change conference and has started to work on a draft text.  Ecuador’s protected areas agency (Environment Ministry- DNB) is among the first to enthusiastically support the initiative, and has been working closely with Peru and Colombia as part of a regional consultation on this issue.

The idea of addressing countries at the UN climate conference in December is born out of the urgent need for protected areas to be included in global, regional and national climate change planning and finance. In Paris, governments from over 170 nations will get together to propose a new global agreement to curb temperature rise and safeguard the planet from the current and future impacts of climate change, and in that context protected areas must emerge as one of the main strategies to help the planet face this new challenge.
REDPARQUES members will get together in Lima, 12-14 August to discuss their strategy for the COP 21.Other important issues for furthering regional coordination of protected area systems in Latin America will also be discussed at the gathering.

The Amazon Vision project – “Protected Areas: Natural Solutions to Climate Change” implemented by WWF Living Amazon Initiative is supporting REDPARQUES during the process of discussion among the countries of the region by providing the technical and political arguments in favor of a statement on the importance of integrating protected areas in the UN climate negotiations as soon as possible.

This is another contribution to the Amazon Conservation Vision developed by the Amazon Countries under the CDB framework´s program related to Protected Areas (CBD – PoWPA).
To get more information about the Amazon Conservation Vision and NASCC project click here: http://bit.ly/1F99ezO