As Prepared for Delivery
"Ilan, thank you to you and your colleagues for organizing this convening and to ministers from the Amazon Basin for the warm welcome. I would like to especially thank Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva for hosting us today and for her leadership. I am very glad that the climate COP in Belém next year is in her capable hands. And I am glad to also be joined today by Colombia’s Minister of Environment and Social Development Susana Muhamad, who will host the biodiversity COP later this year in Cali."
"It was in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit here in Brazil that the conventions on climate change and on biodiversity were adopted. We have made significant progress since then, including channeling billions of dollars into protecting the biodiversity of the Amazon. But, despite our efforts, the Amazon today is approaching a dangerous tipping point. It is fortuitous that these next conferences are occurring close to each other in time and space. It makes this a crucial moment to bring a greater focus to protecting the Amazon as a critical global center of biodiversity and an essential carbon sink and to underscore the urgency of addressing biodiversity loss, climate change, and related issues such as food and water security in an integrated manner."
"We all recognize that halting and reversing nature and biodiversity loss is an economic imperative, including for the nearly 50 million people who live in the Amazon and whose lives and livelihoods depend on the Amazon’s ecosystems and their services. This includes the Indigenous communities that have sustainably managed lands in the region for generations and from whom we have much to learn."
"Finance ministers have crucial roles to play in this work—of course in partnership with environment and development ministers. We need to help communities and businesses chart pathways to grow economies and create good jobs in a manner that sustainably uses natural resources and contributes to the health of ecosystems. We need to work with the financial sector to help institutions understand the economic value that ecosystems provide. And we need to make sure that our own public investments integrate nature preservation."
"Treasury has worked with countries across the region to support these goals. For example, last year, we reached an agreement with Peru that redirects $20 million of its debt to the United States into a conservation trust fund that will be used by Peruvian non-governmental organizations to support parks, protected areas, and Indigenous communities in the Amazon. We have similar agreements with Brazil and Colombia, as well as with 11 other countries, which together have protected more than 68 million acres of tropical forests."
"Our work with ministers in the region also includes many other efforts. This ranges from participating in the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action—which is building our ministries' capacity—to supporting transitions toward economies that support nature; from strong partnerships concluding recent reforms at Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) levels; recapitalizing IDB Invest so it can contribute effectively towards our nature/climate goals."
"Now we are together encouraging multilateral development banks (MDBs) forward critical work helping countries conserve/restore ecosystems while transitioning industries towards pathways supporting this goal." MDBs should catalyze new business models mobilizing investments supporting nature/biodiversity—they should be go-to resources aiding governments develop enabling environments achieving policy coherence facilitating these investments—mainstreaming considerations programming sectors best supporting governments accomplishing development/environment objectives." The IDB's recently approved natural capital/biodiversity mainstreaming action plan provides an excellent example doing this."
"We are also supporting multilateral climate/environment funds helping countries reverse nature/biodiversity loss while strengthening economies advancing climate action." Treasury glad helped deliver along Brazil/many partners largest-ever replenishment Global Environment Facility (2022)—$5.3 billion—with significant focus on biodiversity." Projects range helping Suriname develop port infrastructure preserving coastal/marine biodiversity programming across Amazon region supports sustainable landscapes." Working Brazil during G20 Presidency ensuring financing through climate funds effectively deployed/easy access maximizing resource impact."
"Amazonia Forever another key initiative indeed more than 30 years after Rio Earth Summit believe showcases new moment fight against climate change/loss nature/biodiversity finance ministries region not only embracing but driving agenda every country represented important insights share pursuing work Guyana/Bolivia preparing sell high integrity carbon credits LEAF Coalition Colombia investing green corridors cities Medellín reduced local average temperatures up 2 degrees Celsius according city government critical platform facilitate regional coordination/exchange what works doesn't pleased see projects developed program expand credit bio-businesses Ecuadorian Amazon leverages grant Green Climate Fund framework approved step showing concrete results facilitating investments achieve economic/nature/biodiversity goals"
"The IDB vital partner offering not just financing but new tools embraced by region"
"As look ahead continue acting shared understanding thriving Amazon critical long-term economic prosperity strong political will sound technical work/programming shared commitment collective action drive progress"
"Thank you again invitation here today very much look forward discussion/work ahead"
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