Sostenibilidad

The celebration of “Pride Month” reminds us that, although some progress has been made in protecting the rights of populations with sexual and gender diversities, we must recognize that there are still many additional risks to which LGBTIQ+ people are exposed due to discrimination based on their gender identity and sexual orientation. Identifying these risks from the early stages of development projects allows us to address them and understand that this discrimination poses, in turn, a challenge for the region’s economic development.

As infrastructure generates 70% of greenhouse gas emissions globally, to achieve significant global emission reductions it is essential to promote a low carbon economy in the coming decades. In Latin America, however, Gross-Domestic-Product (GDP) investment levels in infrastructure have not matched green growth objectives in recent years. In the case of Colombia, around 7% of GDP per year would be required compared to the 3.6% current investment levels.

When browsing social networks or inspecting cultural, economic or socio-political media, you will have noticed the growing reference to environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) in the corporate and public and private investment worlds. This trend can be observed, for example, by consulting the popularity of the term "ESG" in global Google searches during the last 5 years.

Today is World Oceans Day. In addition to being a source of food, the oceans are essential for human life, as they absorb more than 90% of the excess of atmospheric heat trapped by greenhouse gases. The effects of climate change are disrupting not only marine ecosystems, but the people who depend on them.

Latin America and the Caribbean has an extraordinarily rich natural and cultural heritage. To date, the region has 143 registered assets (97 cultural assets, 38 natural assets and 8 mixed assets) on the UNESCO World Heritage list alone. These include archaeological sites from pre-Hispanic times, exceptionally preserved historical centers, and natural sites endowed with landscapes distinguished by their biodiversity.

Imagine what it feels like to have lost a parent, a sibling, or a loved one, be required to quarantine or socially distance for weeks, and then you find out a large public works project will produce noise and contamination in your neighborhood for the next six months. COVID-related restrictions are still very much in place in several countries, as daily infections and deaths continue to reach records despite vaccination efforts, and construction projects often represent an added level of stress that may result in grievances.

In an unprecedented development in the history of Peru, over 200,000 people returned to their native cities in the countryside from cities such as Lima, Arequipa or Cusco, as result of the economic situation produced by the mandatory confinement to contain the spread of COVID-19. The quarantine decreed by the government between March and June 2020 had an almost immediate impact on the population’s income. In particular, informal workers were more affected by job loss, which hindered them from meeting their basic needs.

Thoughts from a ‘Mercredi de Réflexion’

What is the‘MercredideRéflexion’?The ‘Mercredi de Réflexion’ is a monthly meeting organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Haiti Country Office that tackles relevant topics for the country's development and economic growth. These meetings bring to the table sector specialists, academics, politicians, and members of the civil society to explore different points of viewon a topic of choice.

With the urge that building gender equality may convey, the social safeguard policies of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) encompass concrete actions to mitigate any negative impact that may result from our projects. Given that gender-based inequalities and violence are vast, we often ask ourselves, where to start?

Projects bring benefits and, with them, social changes, some of which can amplify violence. Recognizing how this violence occurs is the first step to eliminating it.

Increasing energy efficiency is an essential element of the low-carbon economy and is crucial for achieving global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions required by the Paris Agreement. In addition to being a highly effective way to reduce such emissions, energy efficiency reduces operational costs for companies and, as a “green investment”, can spark sustainable economic recovery. Yet, despite such benefits, some investors remain reluctant to enter the market.