United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Southern Cone Sub-Regional Office is part of the UNEP Regional Office in Latin America and Caribbean (ROLAC) and was established in February 2016 under one of the resolutions of Rio+20. From Montevideo, Uruguay, it coordinates and reports on activities of UNEP and works in close partnership with all Divisions, UN Country Teams (UNCT) and external partners. The office leads UNEP’s collaboration with other UN agencies, research institutions and NGOs in the Southern Cone, towards achieving internationally agreed targets.
Such coordination and sub-regional presence enhances programmes and projects aimed at addressing global and regional issues efficiently and effectively, including support to countries in managing their environmental priorities, engaging civil society in the UNEP environmental campaigns, such as the work carried out in the coast of Uruguay with Clean Seas.
The office currently works with the following Southern Cone countries: Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Initiatives and projects:
- Support to the Strengthening of the GHG Inventory Transparency System, climate mitigation and financing monitoring in Argentina.
- Preparation of integrated low-carbon investments and conservation in Argentine cities.
- Support to the Ministry of Environment of Chile in the development of its National Strategy for organic waste and in the elaboration of a Roadmap in Circular Economy.
- Development of a “Policy Brief” on water resources in Chile with the participation of the agencies of the United Nations System in Chile.
- Ecosystem-based Adaptation Project: collaboration between the Ministry of the Environment of Paraguay and UNEP to reduce the vulnerability of food security in communities of the Chaco region in Paraguay
- Sustainable finance: the UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), together with other United Nations agencies, bilateral cooperation organizations, and private entities and civil society in Paraguay, continue to carry out actions to strengthen the financial sector, such as key actor for the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development goals.
- Contribution to Paraguay’s local efforts and initiatives to disengage deforestation from the commodities production chains and actions to natural resources restoration.
- Cooperation with Paraguay’s Environmental Ministry to the implementation of the Forestry Strategy for the Sustainable Growth, as part of REDD+ payment for results.
- Design of a set of environmental indicators for Uruguay within the framework of support work for the country's UNCT and its document analyzing the country's situation.
Contact: 25 de mayo, 745, Montevideo, Uruguay
e-mail address: unep-latinamerica-montevideo@un.org
