Posted on septiembre, 27 2019

Colombia and eight other countries in the region presented an ambitious plan during the Climate Action Summit in order to contribute directly to the global goal of mitigating climate change and its effects. The plan aims to increase our renewable energies’ capacities by 2030.
 
The science has been clear enough. If countries do not limit the temperature rise to 1.5 ° C by the end of the century, the consequences for our lives will be devastating. The goal has been set, but efforts to achieve it have not been ambitious enough. Changing this situation will depend on the countries commitment to incorporate sustainable energy systems and low in carbon, as well as minimize costs and in impacts on environmental and social resources.
 
In order to contribute to this global objective, Colombia asked Latin America and the Caribbean countries to commit in a specific goal. Thus, they will need to increase the installed capacity of renewable energies by 2030 to achieve the Paris Agreement and prevent the planet's temperature from rising.
 
Thus, eight countries besides Colombia (Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Chile, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Peru) - with the support of WWF - work together to reach at least 70% of installed capacity of Renewable Energies and produce their electricity in 2030. The plan should contemplate sources such as solar and wind energy.
 
In recent years, the costs of renewable technologies such as wind and solar, as well as batteries, have declined. As a result of that, two thirds of the world’s electricity came from renewable sources, in 2018, mainly the previously mentioned.
 
One of the reasons to invest in this type of energy instead of new dam’s constructions is the reduction in negative river damage such as fragmentation and loss of connectivity. This is important because only 37% of the world's 264 longest rivers flow freely due to reservoirs and hydroelectric plants, as highlighted by a recent study by Nature magazine, WWF and other institutions.
 
Vice president of WWF-US country offices and regional director for WWF-Latin America, Roberto Troya said “this declaration is one step more for the region to reach 100% renewable energy by 2050. We reinforce the call to Latin America and the Caribbean countries for the purpose of transitioning towards clean energy systems, work that needs to be done together with non-state actors such as the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academia, and local communities”.