Spanish

Friends and colleagues,

This month, decisions were made and crucial steps were taken for the conservation of nature in Latin America and the Caribbean.

During the Annual Conference, that took place in Cartagena, President Juan Manuel Santos announced that 5% of the country's carbon tax will help finance the Heritage Colombia program, to protect 20 million hectares. 

Also at the Conference, an indigenous leader from the Ecuadorian Amazon and an teen environmentalist advocating for the Belize reef received the WWF International President’s Youth award.

In Oceans, WWF-Chile celebrated the announcement of plastic bag ban throughout the country. And Ecuador, announced the entry into force of the resolution that will gradually restrict single use plastics in Galapagos.

Regarding Freshwater, a study published by WWF-Brasil revealed that 40% of the Pantanal’s tableland is under serious threat.

In relation to Wildlife, the mountain tapir's comeback is now depicted on the face side of the new Peruvian sol coin. In Argentina, Vida Silvestre signed an agreement with FAO to mitigate incidental mortality of the Franciscana dolphin.

In Climate & Energy, the Second National Forum on Adaptation to Climate Change provided key inputs for Mexico’s Adaptation Plan. And WWF and the Scout Association of Paraguay reinforced their commitment of working together. 

Enjoy this new edition,

Roberto Troya

Vice President & Regional Director

WWF-LAC

WWF Annual Conference in Cartagena, Colombia

The Annual Conference kicked off in Cartagena, Colombia, with regional teams coming to terms together. The conference sessions included expert guests who joined in to discuss policy opportunities to halt and reverse the loss of nature. The President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, gave an inspirational speech at the event, and Roberto Troya, Vice President, US Managed Program Offices and LAC Regional Director, welcomed the Network with the spirit of the region: “mi casa es su casa” (my house is your house).

Heritage Colombia has its first secured resources

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced during the WWF Annual Conference that 5% of the funds coming from the country's carbon tax will help to finance in perpetuity the Heritage Colombia program. 25% of the proceeds from this levy were already destined to environmental initiatives. Therefore, with this announcement the amount increased to 30%. This program, led by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and WWF, among other partner organizations, was created as an ambitious long-term finance strategy to ensure the improvement and protection of 20 million hectares, including national protected areas, as well as other complementary landscape-scale conservation approaches. The announcement brings hope, given the urgency of guaranteeing the conservation of our natural heritage, such as the high mountain grasslands, wetlands, tropical dry, humid forest ecosystems, oceans and coasts.

WWF recognises youth that are protecting the planet

Nina Gualinga, an indigenous woman leader of the Kichwa community of Sarayaku in the Ecuadorian Amazon, is the recipient of this year’s WWF International President’s Youth award. Nina has spent most of her childhood and all of her adult years advocating for better, stronger protection for the Ecuadorian Amazon and the wildlife and people who depend on it. Madison Pearl Edwards from Belize is another example of how youth around the world are stepping forward to help protect the planet. Recognized with a special mention at the awards ceremony, 12-year-old Madison has been advocating for the protection of the Belize Barrier Reef.

WWF-Chile celebrates the announcement of ban on plastic bags

The Chilean Government announced that an indication was sent to the Congress to ban plastic bags from shops all over the country. This measure was one of the proposals submitted by WWF-Chile to different candidates during the last presidential election, given that plastics pollution is a serious environmental threat, especially for marine ecosystems and their species.

Galapagos will be plastic free

On April 22, the Minister of the Government Council of Galapagos, Lorena Tapia, announced the entry into force of the resolution and regulations that will gradually restrict single use plastics in the insular region. This measure will be enforced in four phases: the restriction on plastic straws, single-use plastic bags, styrofoam containers and finally, the entry of disposable bottles for sodas and beers. WWF-Ecuador is part of the inter-institutional commission that actively works on the implementation of this historic measure in Galapagos.

WWF-Brazil warns that 40% of the Pantanal’s tableland is under serious threat

The results of the Ecological Risk Index study released by WWF-Brazil reveal that 40% of the tablelands in the Upper Paraguay River Basin are under serious threat. The threats include the intense conversion of areas of Cerrado vegetation into pasture land and crop fields; the construction of dams for energy supply; the inefficient use and degradation of agricultural areas and pastures; impacts caused by urban areas and a lack of basic sanitation (on average, less than 15% of sewage is treated, and the average rate of loss in water supply networks is 26%). The Pantanal’s tableland region is important as this is where its “water towers” – the water sources that generate the Pantanal wetland – are located.

The mountain tapir's comeback highlights the new Peruvian sol coin

Since 2014, WWF-Peru and the National Service of Natural Protected Areas by the State (SERNANP) have been working together to conserve this endangered species. This mammal - condemned to oblivion until recently - recovers prominence in the Peruvian coins of one sol. This achievement has been possible thanks to the multiple efforts made by both organizations to conserve the tapir.

Protecting the Franciscana dolphin

Vida Silvestre signed a letter of agreement with FAO (United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture for its acronym in Spanish) to promote the development and improvement of good fishing practices on board and mitigate incidental mortality of the Franciscana dolphin. It is one of the most enigmatic species of the Argentine sea and one of the most rare and threatened cetaceans in the world. The Franciscana is a species that is considered vulnerable to extinction, according to IUCN and can only be found in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

Forum on Climate Change gave key inputs for Mexico's Adaptation Plan

WWF, the UNDP, GIZ, the Senate and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, organized the Second edition of the National Adaptation Forum, whose results will help build the National Adaptation Plan. The Forum gave the opportunity to present and exchange information on the vulnerability of the population and ecosystems to climate change. The participants shared tools for decision-making, and experiences, challenges, opportunities and lessons learned on specific topics such as food security, water management, urban sustainability, ecosystem-based adaptation, synergies with the private sector, financing, gender and community participation.

WWF and the Scout reinforced their commitment of working together

WWF-Paraguay and the Scout Association of Paraguay representatives signed a cooperation agreement in order to implement joint actions and initiatives on environmental education and raising awareness in the country. As part of the commitment agreed under this partnership, Earth Hour is one of the most important environmental initiatives in which the collaboration of the Scouts and WWF is ratified and strengthened. In the same way, WWF will support the local Scout Association with technical assistance and exchange of experiences.