Tegucigalpa, November 19, 2021.- Vulnerability to climate change in Central America was again evident in 2020 after the meteorological events of Eta and Iota, which caused loss and damage of approximately US $ 3,663.5 million, with the largest impact on Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, three of the most vulnerable countries in the world according to the German Watch Climate Risk Index (CRI).

In the same year, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) responded to the emergency with non-repayable financial cooperation of up to US $ 3.5 million to help the population affected by hurricanes in Central America, Belize, in Panama and Colombia. In 2021, he supported those affected by Tropical Storm Laura in the Dominican Republic with $ 500,000 and the Republic of Haiti with $ 1.0 million to help earthquake victims.

Some of the initiatives have been carried out jointly with strategic allies such as the Green Climate Fund (GFC), among which: the Dry Corridor and Arid Zones Project in Central America in the Dominican Republic, which aims to benefit nearly 3.8 million people, strengthening their adaptive capacity, including small and commercial farmers, as well as entrepreneurs in rural communities.

In addition, the CAMBio II program, which plans to benefit 69,720 people by increasing the resilience of MSMEs to climate change, removing barriers to accessing financial and non-financial resources; as well as Costa Rica’s electric passenger train, which will reach nearly 1.5 million residents of the greater metropolitan area.

In addition, the Bio-CLIMA project aims to promote the conservation and restoration of forests in the Bosawás Nature Reserve and in the San Juan River Biosphere in Nicaragua, reducing CO2 emissions by 47.3 million tonnes and increasing making 665,821 people more resilient to climate change.

Impacts of the region’s Green Bank

CABEI has also been able to develop the Central America Resilient Reconstruction Program, which has been approved as an immediate response to the damage caused and is intended to provide resources to countries to fund projects aimed at coping and preventing Natural disasters. It consists of six components: emergency aid, technical assistance and preparation of investment projects, public and private investment programs, green bonds, ESG and thematic, and knowledge development.

In Honduras, 29,500 vulnerable families affected by weather phenomena will benefit from the Resilient Housing Reconstruction Program, with an investment of US $ 50 million for the acquisition, reconstruction or rehabilitation of housing. It will also finance 26 sub-projects which include mitigation works, reconstruction of neighborhoods, basic services and improved shelter in four departments in the north and west of the country. In addition, more than 165,000 people will receive a voucher for basic needs.

Other initiatives are also being developed in Honduras, related to the feasibility studies for the execution of the national program of land dams and to the technical and economic pre-feasibility study for the infrastructures in the lower basin of the Choluteca river. All of these projects for the benefit of Central Americans will contribute to adaptation to climate change and, consequently, to greater social inclusion and a better quality of life, which is in line with CABEI’s 2020-2024 institutional strategy and objectives. of Sustainable Development (SDGs) 2030.