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Within the framework of the United Nations Climate Conference, COP27, the presidents of Colombia and Venezuela called this Tuesday, November 8, to establish a “great Amazonian alliance”, an ambitious proposal to protect the largest region of tropical forest on the planet. Meanwhile, the UN indicated that it seeks to draw a red line against ‘greenwashing’ or green washing.
Colombia and Venezuela propose an alliance to “revitalize” the Amazon jungle.
In the middle of the third day of the United Nations Climate Conference, COP27, the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro, pointed out that the pact is necessary to “give an important victory to humanity in the fight against climate change”.
“If we South Americans have any responsibility, it is to stop the destruction of the Amazon and start a coordinated, efficient, conscious recovery process,” Maduro assured.
From Egypt, in Regional Dialogue: ‘Amazon as a pillar of climate and life balance’ in the #COP27the President @PetroGustavo with the presidents of VEN. @NicolasMaduro and from Suriname: Chan Santhoki, said: the Amazon requires at least contributions for 2 decades to revitalize it. pic.twitter.com/G2WMxWj2kJ
– Colombia Presidency 🇨🇴 (@infopresidencia) November 8, 2022
Although the presidents did not explain in their speech how the plan would be executed, the first step to meet the objective is to open a fund that would have a budget from both countries and “the contribution of global private companies and the States of the world,” as indicated by Petro from Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, where the summit is taking place.
In this sense, the Colombian leader recalled the announcement made by his country a day earlier, in which he promised to deliver 200 million dollars a year for 20 years for the conservation of the Amazon.
The Amazon region, the largest extension of tropical forest on the planet and which covers part of the territory of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, has suffered great impacts, especially in recent years.
Marked by deforestation and fires in the last two decades, the Amazon has begun to emit more CO2 than it absorbs, according to what was indicated. a study in the journal ‘Nature’, published in 2021.
Faced with the climate emergency, the Colombian president also pointed out on Monday, November 7 during the summit that the solution lies in a world without oil or coal.
A huge challenge to balance the climatic and economic benefits, especially in countries like Colombia that depend largely on the hydrocarbon sector, since it is their largest export product.
The proposal by the Amazon is pending to be presented to other leaders. Petro hopes to set a meeting on the matter with the countries of the Amazon basin in early 2023.
The UN calls to end the “toxic deception” of large corporations
Put an end to the so-called ‘greenwashing’ or green washing is one of the most important issues in which the United Nations Organization has put the magnifying glass.
The UN seeks to draw a red line to prevent companies, cities, banks and corporations in general from continuing an ecological whitewashing through promises of net zero emissions of polluting gases that lack solidity.
In his speech this Tuesday, the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, appealed to end the “toxic deception”.
His statements came just after the report on this matter by a group of experts, appointed by Guterres in 2021 after COP26, was published at the summit.
The work chaired by former Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna found that “too many of these net-zero promises are little more than empty slogans and hype.”
As a result of the investigation, the report sets new standards for tougher CO2 emissions claims. All in order to set limits on “false claims of progress” in the fight against global warming that can confuse investors and policymakers.
“False zero net claims increase the cost that everyone will ultimately pay,” the document noted.
To do this, the experts provided a list of recommendations that companies and other non-state actors must follow to ensure that their claims are credible. For example, a company cannot claim to be net zero if it continues to build or invest in new fossil fuel infrastructure or deforestation.
“We need to be clear that most net zero targets are not on the right track,” said Thomas Hale, a global public policy researcher at the University of Oxford and co-director of Net Zero.
The report’s recommendations hope to close any loopholes and misstatements about climate achievements.
“Corporations have long hidden behind net-zero emissions announcements and carbon offset initiatives, with little intention of actually doing the hard work of transforming and reducing emissions,” said Teresa Anderson, world leader for climate justice in poverty eradication non-profit ActionAid International.
It is estimated that 80% of global polluting gases are currently the subject of promises to reach net zero emissions.
With AFP and Reuters
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