At the Summit on Climate Change, Alberto Fernández left a message to the IMF and asked for 'a debt swap' for environmental actions

09/08/2021 8:49 AM

• Clarín.com

• Economy

Updated 09/08/2021 12:44 PM

President Alberto Fernández led the virtual

opening of the Latin American Summit on Climate Change on

Wednesday

,

where he left a message for creditors and called for "debt swaps for climate action."

There, the president made reference to the

lessons learned in the pandemic

and brought into the discussion the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the need to apply

"lower rates under the current circumstances of sanitary and ecological stress

." 

"The lessons learned with vaccines in this pandemic have to be applied to the next pandemic that we already suffer from and that of

climate change," the president emphasized.

At the Summit "High-level Dialogue on Climate Action in the Americas", which is hosted by Argentina, Alberto Fernández stated: "We need to apply the issuance of special drawing rights of the IMF to a

great pact of environmental solidarity

that includes to low-income and middle-income countries and that it serves to

extend the terms and payments of the debt, 

and the application of lower rates under the current circumstances of sanitary and ecological stress ".

And he continued: "I admit that I mention it from

Argentina, a country affected by toxic and predatory indebtedness

, but it makes sense for the rest of the countries that have increased their debt exposure during the pandemic.

Climate shock and financial shock as a result of a widespread debt crisis are not compatible for a better world

. "

Along the same lines, the President raised in front of the rest of the representatives the need to implement "debt swaps for climate action" as a key to getting out of the crisis, and expanded: "Payment mechanisms for ecosystem services and

the concept of environmental debt

and the category of environmental creditors are other

keys to getting out of the crisis

".

"

We need to rethink the credit rating system so as not to punish vulnerable countries

that are already facing the consequences of climate change," he claimed. 

Facing the next G20 summit, Fernández raised from the Casa Rosada Bicentennial Museum: "We need to

deepen the debate on the new global minimum tax

so that it also favors emerging economies and contributes to a

deconcentration of wealth and greater environmental justice

".

"We must provide

creative solutions from a reality that is difficult

to refute," proposed the president who later criticized: "

The global governance system so far has not been effective

in mobilizing resources to developing countries. We have to promote more responses. agile and transparent, more daring.

We need environmental social justice

, which is the new name for development in our region. "

🖥️ "Today we are summoned by the urgency of climate action, the need to think of innovative mechanisms and strengthen cooperation ties to take care of our territories and communities."

President @alferdez at the Latin American Summit on Climate Change.

pic.twitter.com/SM1RICdhK0

- Alberto Fernández Prensa (@alferdezprensa) September 8, 2021

In another section of his speech, which was the first of the meeting, he quoted the Supreme Pontiff: "As Pope Francis says,

there is no ecological crisis alien to the social crisis

and alien to the needs of establishing the pillars of international financial architecture , we

need financing and new rules so that the transition is fair

and does not cover up forms of protectionism or huge gaps in well-being on our planet. "

"We cannot measure the growth of the world with the same yardstick as the polluting industrial era," Fernández remarked and asserted: "

The time to act is now

, the clock of planetary destruction is not going to stop unless we build a new paradigm. development, that's why this summit is so important. "

Before giving the floor to the special envoy for the United States Climate, John Kerry, Fernández pointed out: "

Together we can be the generation that tried to save our planet

, separated we will all fall dominated by global greed that was not able to prevent the destruction".

Also participating in the summit are the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres;

leaders of the region and authorities of international organizations, among other leaders and special guests.

The meeting, which

is held virtually

with the aim of collaborating in the design of innovative mechanisms that allow effective climate action on the continent and promote a post-pandemic economic recovery in a sustainable way.

This is the prelude to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 25) to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 to November 12.

Alberto Fernández was the first speaker at the Latin American Summit on Climate Change.

Argentina's goals

President Alberto Fernández explained in front of the panel that participates in the Summit on Climate Change the actions that the country has arranged for the next few years: 

"Argentina has decided to put climate and environmental action at the center of its priorities."

"We are summoned by the urgency of climate action,"

said the president and raised the need to "think of innovative mechanisms that allow us to rebuild" and "strengthen cooperation ties to take care of territories and communities."

"We prepared the national plan for climate change adaptation and research together with the provinces. We set up a

transition table for the promotion of renewable energies

and the development of a complex producer and exporter of clean and low-emission energies based on the hydrogen, "assured Fernández.

And he added: "We also promote the adoption of

technology to reduce emissions of methane

and other pollutants.

Sustainable transportation

is another priority to reduce emissions by boosting efficiency."

"We will adopt profound measures to

eradicate environmental deforestation, classifying it as an environmental crime,

" he concluded. 

AFG

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