The British Embassy in Guatemala and the Ministry of Environment hosted a strategic workshop to prepare the Guatemalan delegation for COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
Key participants included Vice Minister Edwin Castellanos, head of the delegation; Igor De la Roca, Secretary of CONAP; Ambassador Rita Mishaan, Guatemala's Climate Change Special Envoy; and representatives from the British Embassy.
Discussions focused on enhancing Guatemala's climate ambition, particularly through the update of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which emphasize both mitigation and adaptation. Priority adaptation sectors include forests, water resources, agriculture, coastal areas, health, and infrastructure. Vice Minister Castellanos underscored the urgency of building resilience across these vulnerable areas.
Ambassador Mishaan reaffirmed Guatemala's commitment to constructive engagement at COP30, citing recent collaboration with the UK through the Cartagena Dialogue-a coalition of around 40 countries advocating for ambitious, low-carbon climate action. She also emphasized Guatemala's active role within AILAC, a regional alliance of eight Latin American and Caribbean nations with shared climate priorities.
The workshop also addressed shared goals such as advancing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), tracking progress on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), scaling adaptation finance, and operationalizing the loss and damage fund. The UK reiterated its support for a high-ambition outcome at COP30 through close cooperation with Brazil and regional partners.
