The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) has announced that it is providing a US$120 million loan to Panama to support the country’s climate action, adaptation, resilience and mitigation policies.
The “Panama Support Programme for the National Climate Change Policy” aims to among other things, mitigate, contain and reverse the effects of climate change, helping Panama to achieve its long-term climate change commitments aligned with the Paris Agreement.
The OPEC Fund is partnering in the project with CAF – Development Bank of Latin America, which is supporting the programme with an additional US$320 million sovereign loan.
While Panama is considered a carbon-negative country with almost no contributions to global emissions, it is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Natural disasters and extreme weather events including floods, droughts, tropical cyclones, tsunamis and recurring tropical climate patterns in El Niño-La Niña have caused significant losses in recent years.
It is in response to this that Panama aims to accelerate the transition towards inclusive, sustainable, low-carbon and climate-resilient development.
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Responding to the move, OPEC Fund Director-General Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said, “We recognise Panama’s dedication and endorse its efforts to mitigate climate change risks and contribute to the global climate goals through public policies and instruments,”.
Speaking further, he said t”his will support Panama’s long-term sustainable socio-economic development and improve the livelihoods of its people. Our support is aligned with the OPEC Fund’s first dedicated Climate Action Plan, which increases the share of our climate financing to 40 per cent of all financing by 2030.”
He explained that the “Panama Support Programme for the National Climate Change Policy” is supporting three policy areas: climate action; adaptation and resilience and mitigation and It comprises a set of comprehensive policy actions and regulations.
“These include the implementation of a low-carbon development strategy and a national energy transition agenda, promotion of clean and renewable energy generation, programmes to increase climate resilience to extreme weather conditions and development of effective water management and promotion of low-carbon electric transportation systems in the country”he said.
Story was adapted from Zawya.
