Barbados Environmental Sustainable Fund (BESF) CEO and Chairman Attend REDLAC 2023 in Cusco Peru

A BESF delegation comprising the CEO and the Chair attended the XXV International Congress of The Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLac), held in Cusco, Peru, from October 23 to October 26, 2023, under the theme “Environmental Finance for Biodiversity and Climate Change”. The event focused on the new trends in biodiversity and climate finance, particularly emphasising innovative financial mechanisms for biodiversity conservation. The Congress also highlighted the importance of conservation and biodiversity as part of our day-to-day lives and addressed the role of indigenous peoples and the value of traditional knowledge for biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation.

Some of the outcomes of the congress include:

• A forum for dialogue and exchange of ideas and solutions to address the environmental challenges of our time. Some of these challenges include restoration programmes for green protective landscapes and investing in sustainable agri- practices using soil and water conservation techniques.

• Networking and information sharing with representatives from Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean, which underlined the importance of transnational cooperation in the fight for sustainability.

• Interactions and presentations from major donors such as the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Adaptation Fund. In particular, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), emphasized the relevance of Environmental Funds in the current global scenario and as strategic entities to maintain the financial contributions and flow of funds to the environmental sector. He further noted that globally, environmental ministries have been affected by budget cuts, and Conservation Trust Funds (CTFs) have allowed the GEF to maintain continued investment in environmental projects to move towards sustainable development. He reaffirmed the GEF’s commitment to ‘sinking funds’ in the region while highlighting the importance of CTFs understanding how the GEF works.

• The role and importance of indigenous peoples and other community groups in conservation efforts featured prominently in the Congress. The contributions from panelists and representatives from these groups underscored the importance of considering their opinions and experiences in the decision-making and implementation of environmental projects. This perspective highlighted the need to recognize the rich cultural heritage and traditional knowledge of these communities, who have often lived in harmony with nature for generations.

The Conference represented an opportunity to connect with other national CTFs from the Caribbean region, throughout Latin America and Africa. It was announced that RedLAC 2024 would be held in the English-speaking Caribbean for the first time, on the island of Saint Lucia.