When we picture the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, much of what we envisage is a luxurious sun, sea and sand getaway, especially since the country has one of the highest GDPs in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. Given this imagery, it easy to assume that there are little to no challenges faced by a population of less than 400,000 people.
Hace un año los miembros de la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas para el Cambio Climático firmaron el ambicioso Acuerdo de París. Este acuerdo tiene el objetivo de evitar que el aumento en la temperatura media en el mundo supere los 1,5°C (y que en todo caso se mantenga “muy por debajo de 2 °C”) con respecto a los niveles del siglo XIX. Asimismo, busca que los flujos de financiamiento sean compatibles con este objetivo.
In our previous blog of this 3-part blog series, we learned that safeguard policies are instrumental in facilitating sustainability in IDB projects. In this blog, we provide findings demonstrating how earlier safeguards involvement in project cycles contributes to improved sustainability performance.
En la última década, hemos sido testigos del aumento en la oferta de modelos de carros eléctricos alrededor del mundo, tanto híbridos como eléctricos. Esta tecnología ofrece un beneficio neto en cuanto a reducción de CO2 comparada con los motores alimentados con gas natural, Diésel o de gasolina. Sin embargo, no es enteramente libre de emisiones como uno se pudiese imaginar.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) defines the term “Safeguards” as a “set of policies to ensure protection against environmental and social harm, improve development value for stakeholders, and enable countries and clients to meet best international practices.” In relation to sustainability, the purpose of implementing safeguards is to develop projects that maximize positive environmental and social outcomes while minimizing risks and negative impacts on people and natural capital.
This is the standard phase we hear or say after seeing the results of a river’s strong swell. Floods that affect cities, forcing thousands of families out of their homes, floods in which they lose the majority of their belongings, floods in which economic activity is suspended and, as a result, income is diminished: These effects all form part of the dynamic of ecosystems, and are a significant influence on the evolution and maintenance of biodiversity.
There are several tools available to manage environmental and social impacts and risks in projects. These tools include Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Environmental and Social Management Frameworks, Environmental and Social Management Systems and Risk-based Assessments.What do all of those tools have in common? They define specific indicators to track and manage environmental and social performance of projects over time.
