Colombia: Climate Change
(asked on 3rd June 2020) - View Source
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding they have provided to climate change initiatives in the region of Chocó in Colombia; and which projects they are supporting in that region.
Answered by
Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Her Majesty's Government provides official development assistance (ODA) to climate change initiatives in the region of Chocó in Colombia through two programmes delivered through the UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF), UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) and Partnerships for Forests (P4F). These projects aim to tackle deforestation in Colombia by fostering sustainable alternative livelihoods and the development of the bioeconomy in order to reduce CO2 emissions.
UK PACT is providing over £700,000 grant funding to a ‘Community-Based Sustainable Tourism Enhancing Project’ which supports activity in 38 municipalities in Colombia including the Choco region. The project aims to build the capacity for commercialising sustainable tourism opportunities, in collaboration with the local communities, by using enhanced technological approach and designing a novel scientific-based tourism business model.
P4F is providing over £1.5 million in grant funding to two projects which have activities in the Choco region: ‘Colombia Pacific Acai’ and ‘Sustainable Heart of Palm’. P4F supports these innovative projects to grow and secure new private investment by improving the business models and building the capabilities of local actors across the value chain.
In addition, the Newton-Caldas Fund, through UKRI and the British Council, has funded activity related to biodiversity in the Chocó region as part of the Colombia Bio programme. Colombia Bio aims to protect the unique biodiversity of Colombia through improving our understanding of ecosystems, their response to environmental- including climate change, and support sustainable and socially inclusive development. Activities include UK funding of over £300,000 to a project improving data on the Atrato River.