The British Ambassador and Minister of Environment discussed opportunities to deepen the longstanding climate partnership between the UK and Guatemala.
Ambassador Juliana Correa visited Patricia Orantes, Minister of Environment, on 16 January to discuss this year's top priorities on our shared environmental agenda, including the preservation of forests, protection of biodiversity and tackling climate change.
To help with these objectives, Ambassador Correa announced that the UK has made available more than US$30 million for 40 countries, including Guatemala, to support governments in raising climate ambition, alongside funding for NDC implementation, technical advisory support and cross-ministerial coordination. The World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will mange these funds allocated to the NDC Partnership.
In addition, the Ambassador stressed that the UK continues to implement in Guatemala and Mesoamerica the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund, which will invest more than US$7 million from 2023 to 2029 in the Mayan Jungle in Peten and a forest reserve in Trifinio (Chiquimula), with the aim of protect biodiversity, improve communities' livelihoods and tackle the impacts of climate change.
Finally, Ambassador Correa and Minister Orantes agreed to explore the opportunities that environmentally friendly investments pose for the county, including on clean energies or waste management; that would create jobs while deepening the economic relationship between Guatemala and the UK.
