Varela proposes tropical forest management center

AN INTERNATIONAL center for the management of tropical forests and the fight against deforestation was proposed by President Juan Carlos Varela during his speech at the UN Summit on Climate Change in Paris.

“In our capacity as president of the coalition of nations with tropical forests, we propose the establishment of an international center that facilitates collaboration between public and private actors in the fight against deforestation, promoting a culture of sustainable forest management and international trade in carbon emissions reduction,” he said.

At the same time, he presented the advances and initiatives developed by Panama in the way of achieving a sustainable economy.

“We created and strengthened the Ministry of the Environment, which has allowed us to launch a national strategy against climate change, including global and local impact actions to promote sustainable development and make the transition of our country toward a green economy,” he said

He cited the case of the expansion project of the Panama Canal, which will mean a significant reduction of carbon emissions in the international maritime sector. He also lauded efforts at water security and basic sanitation, as well as improvements to public transport.