Your Excellency, Madam President of the Republic of Peru,
Excellencies, esteemed colleagues, distinguished guests
It is my great honour and pleasure to address this vital Forum.
I wish to begin by conveying, on behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme, our deepest gratitude to Your Excellency for gracing this opening session with your presence. Your participation is a powerful testament to the commitment of Peru to environmental stewardship and regional cooperation.
Peru, a nation of extraordinary cultural heritage and unparalleled natural wealth from the majestic Andes to the Amazon rainforest embodies the very richness of nature that we gather here to protect. Your leadership, Madam President, reminds us of the vital role that countries of this region play in shaping a sustainable future for all.
Let me extend as well heartfelt thanks to His Excellency, Minister Juan Carlos Vargas, for his leadership in chairing the Bureau of this Forum. His untiring dedication, particularly as President and host of this Ministerial Meeting, has been pivotal in guiding us to this moment.
I also wish to acknowledge His Excellency Bin Ali Al-Amri, President of the UN Environment Assembly, for his unceasing commitment to UNEAs inclusive, ambitious, and remarkable work.
I would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the Executive Secretaries and Deputy Executive Secretaries of the Conventions, the members of the Inter-agency Technical Committee, the representatives of major groups, as well as our partners from international organizations, development banks, academia, and civil society. Your invaluable support makes this Forum a success and strengthens our collective efforts.
And warm welcome to all the Ministers, Vice-Ministers, and high-level representatives from the Caribbean and Latin American countries joining us today.
At this point, I would like to take a moment to reflect upon the recent sad news of the passing of our colleague, the Honourable Vaughn Peterson Miller, Minister of the Environment & Natural Resources in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Minister Miller was a dedicated politician, a veteran Broadcaster, Pastor, a former Trade Unionist, Social Activist, and businessman. At the Special Session of the LAC Forum of Environment Ministers, held last year in Rio de Janeiro, I was fortunate to meet and interact with him. He was a committed and accessible minister, with a kind, affable personality, and genuine commitment to the environment. He will be missed in this region and beyond. May his soul rest in peace.
Friends
Today, October 1st, is designated as the Tree day in Bolivia, when communities plant saplings and celebrate the life-giving trees around them. And tomorrow, October 2nd, is National Environment Day in Chile.
I am reminded of the words of the Chilean poet, Pablo Naruda: When the earth blooms, the people breathe freedom, the poets sing and show the way.
And this Forum is showing the way, by taking a leading role on the global environmental stage, as reaffirmed in last years meeting in Rio. This commitment is echoed in UNEA Resolution 6/6, which recognises the Regional Forums of Ministers of the Environment as crucial platforms for international cooperation to address pressing environmental challenges.
After an intense period of collaboration, we meet again in this historic city of Lima to honor those commitments, strengthen political dialogue, and continue the search for regional solutions that will contribute to advancing global environmental action.
This meeting is an opportunity to reflect on the progress weve made since the 2024 Special Session on a coordinated approach to the linked crises of climate change, desertification and biodiversity loss. It will allow us to chart the way forward for regional collaboration. It also provides a crucial moment for preparing strong contributions to UNEA-7 and other multilateral environmental processes.
One year after the Special Session, we can clearly see that this has been a period of profound change, challenge, and opportunity for multilateralism.
Through initiatives like the Pact for the Future, the region has consistently emphasised the environment as the foundation of prosperity. At the One Health Summit, our voices highlighted the inseparable connections between health, the environment, and inequality.
The CBD COP16 in Cali last year marked a historic milestone with agreements such as the creation of the Cali Fund, which advances fair benefit-sharing from genetic resources. The recognition of Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendant communities continues to be a cause championed by this region.
When it comes to climate action, our negotiators have played a key role in defining the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance. Caribbean countries, in particular, have raised the urgency for scaling up adaptation finance for vulnerable economies.
The Punta del Este Milestone, which saw the establishment of the Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution in Uruguay, is yet another example of the leadership of this region.
Moreover, several Latin American states ratified the BBNJ Agreement, contributing to its entry into force. And in the fight against plastic pollution, this region has been among the most vocal in calling for an ambitious treaty to end this crisis. Whether it is the Caribbeans marine ecosystems or South American rivers, the urgency is felt first-hand in the region.
And we at UNEP are by your side. We look forward to your continued engagement as we work on the new Medium-Term Strategy, 20262029, ensuring that regional priorities are fully reflected and integrated into our work.
This Forum will also address critical areas for action, such as advancing biodiversity and climate action through the Regional Action Plan for Ecosystem Restoration for Water Resilience.
We will tackle the challenges of pollution and waste, including regional cooperation on methane reduction and landfill closures. We will also focus on scaling up access to environmental financing, with the active participation of both regional and global financial institutions.
Looking ahead, UNEA-7, which will be held in Nairobi from 8 to 12 December 2025 under the theme Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet, will be a defining moment for all of us.
This Forum plays a central role in shaping regional inputs and ensuring that the priorities of Latin America and the Caribbean are strongly represented at UNEA-7. Its leadership will be critical to ensuring that global solutions are not only ambitious but also just, science-based, and responsive to the realities of this region.
In the coming months, this Forum will also guide regional contributions to the UNFCCC COP30 in Brazil and other multilateral environmental agreements, such, as CITES, Minamata Convention, to mention but some: all will provide opportunities to reinforce Latin America and the Caribbeans role as a key factor in global negotiations.
Friends
Latin America and the Caribbean hold immense biodiversity, cultural richness, and innovative solutions that the world urgently needs. UNEA and this Forum stand as living proof that multilateralism is the pathway to cooperation, peace, and prosperity.
Let us seize this moment, through this Regional Forum and at UNEA-7, to advance sustainable solutions and strengthen environmental resilience.
UNEP is proud to serve as the Secretariat of this Regional Ministerial Forum, and we remain fully committed to supporting the region in finding, promoting, and implementing solutions for a more prosperous, equitable, and resilient planet.
Thank you.
