Latin America and the Caribbean sign the Bridgetown Declaration

On February 2, 2021, the environment ministers of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean met at the XXII Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean in order to sign the Declaration of Bridgetown, which has as an objective "to integrate the environmental dimension at the center of the COVID-19 recovery plans and promote a reactivation based on social inclusion, resilient and low-carbon economies, and conservation and sustainable use of natural resources."

The decisions proposed in this event, which was made virtually due to health restrictions due to Covid-19, were made taking into account the ministerial declaration "Towards a planet without pollution", which was adopted at the Third Session of the Assembly of the United Nations on the Environment; the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development Goals; the social, economic and health impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic brought and the importance of the capacity to respond to it.

Among the most important decisions are the following:

1. The adoption of the Action Plan for regional cooperation in the management of chemicals and waste 2021-2024
2. Double efforts to reduce waste through the implementation of environmental policies and responsible consumption practices, such as the circular economy.
3. Calling governments' attention to marine litter, microplastics and the dangers they pose to marine life and humans
4. Reaffirm the commitment of the Latin American and Caribbean region to the UN 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals
5. Accelerate regional policies and measures to "address unsustainable consumption and production patterns that have additional adverse effects on the three environmental crises we face today: climate change, pollution, and loss of biodiversity, which affect our well-being ".
6. Develop with UN funds and programs a report on the environmental state of the region, this in order to strengthen the "science-policy interface" in Latin America and the Caribbean.
7. Promote the recognition of women in the region who are contributing to the fight for the environment and sustainable development. This point in particular addresses  gender equity, as it also seeks to draw attention to the disparities in access to natural resources and the negative consequences that the unsustainable exploitation of these resources can have on women and girls.

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In addition, there was an event at the forum that stood out: the region's environment ministers decided to form the Circular Economy Coalition for Latin America and the Caribbean, which will be directed by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP ) and its objective is to define the common regional vision on sustainable development from production and consumption.