COP21: Protected Areas thriving at Paris Climate Conference.

Posted on December, 09 2015

“We are making history today. The REDPARQUES Declaration is one of the most positive policy initiatives for protected areas we have seen in the last 10 years. I would like to see joint statements by other countries and regions on Protected Areas and Climate Change”,

December 8, 2015. Paris, France – The Latin American Network for Technical Cooperation on Protected Areas -REDPARQUES- along with WWF’s Living Amazon Initiative held an event today at COP21 to highlight the role of protected areas in climate change adaptation and to discuss the integration of these areas in climate planning and financing strategies. At the event, the REDPARQUES Declaration (Read here the news: http://bit.ly/1NlsGO5) on Protected Areas and Climate Change, signed by 18 Latin American countries, was officially presented by Julia Miranda, Director of National Parks of Colombia, and Andes-Amazon REDPARQUES Coordinator.

“We are making history today. The REDPARQUES Declaration is one of the most positive policy initiatives for protected areas we have seen in the last 10 years. I would like to see joint statements by other countries and regions on Protected Areas and Climate Change”, said Nigel Dudley, International Expert on Protected Areas and Climate Change. Russell Mittermaier, Executive Vice-president of Conservation International highlighted the occasion as one of the most important events here in Paris and stressed that “protected areas need to be seen as a core for everything we do to address climate change”.

Inspired by the Declaration’s spirit of collective action, Pablo Viera, Vice Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia in alliance with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, WWF, the Trust Fund Patrimonio Natural, WCS and Conservation International signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) committing to strengthen the role of protected areas in addressing climate change. “Ensuring financial sustainability for protected areas is essential for integrating protected areas more effectively in global climate mitigation and adaptation strategies”, said Julia Miranda, Director of National Parks of Colombia.

This event was 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 Protected Areas, Natural Solutions to Climate Change (NASCC) project, click here: http://bit.ly/1F99ezO

For further information, please contact:

Luz Zuñiga, Communications Officer NASCC: lazuniga@wwf.org.co
Analiz Vergara, Policy Officer NASCC: analiz.vergara@wwf.org.ec
Julia Gorricho, Coordinator NASCC: jmgorricho@wwf.org.co

COP21: AMAZON VISION PANEL

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