San Diego Business Journal

PARTNERSHIPS: Institute of the Americas at UC San Diego teams up with Development Bank of Latin America to bu

NONPROFIT: Focus on Sustainability

■ By JENNIFER KASTNER

San Diego’s Institute of the Americas (IOA) and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) are uniting in support of a green future.

Located on the UC San Diego campus in La Jolla, the IOA is a non-partisan, independent

nonprofit organization working to improve the economic and social well-being of the Latin American population through development, with an emphasis on the role of the private sector.

Its new partner – Venezuelan development bank CAF – offers advice and financial support to the public and private sectors of its shareholder countries throughout of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), a region that includes more than 652 million people.

During April's Cities Summit of the Americas in Denver, the IOA and the CAF signed an agreement to promote sustainable development in LAC and encourage greater cooperation between the West Coast of the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean in attaining green goals.

Both CAF and IOA plan to jointly develop research and publications, training courses, conferences, events, seminars, meetings and a series of site and field visits during future gatherings of the Cities Summit of the Americas.

Supported projects include acceleration of energy transition and decarbonization, sustainable mobility, regional integration, the fight against climate change, sustainable urban development, trade and economic inclusion.

“Historically, CAF has worked closely with several U.S. research institutions based in Washington, D.C., such as the Brookings Institution, the Council of Americas and the Inter-American Dialogue, to promote expanded engagement and cooperation between U.S. policymakers and [LAC],” said IOA President and CEO Richard Kiy. “That said, today across LAC, there is a growing recognition that the jobs of the future are tied to innovation and increasingly to the digital, creative, green and circular economies, where California is a global leader.”

“This agreement with the IOA will help create new bridges of cooperation between [LAC] and the United States which will provide our countries with more tools to face the great global challenges of the coming decades such as climate change, migration, urban development, energy transition and social inclusion,” said Sergio Díaz-Granados, executive president of CAF.

IOA and CAF have collaborated in the past. Earlier this year, they brought seven mayors and other subnational leaders from Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay to San Diego to learn about e-mobility and sustainable transportation best practices.The event included meetings with state and local policymakers and regional business, civic and academic leaders and innovators from across San Diego and Tijuana.

“Within 30 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, IOA is uniquely positioned to serve as a strategic bridge and connector for

CAF in the Golden State and the Cali-Baja region – one of the most dynamic and truly bicultural regions in the hemisphere where innovation is part of its core,” added Kiy.

Some of the LAC region's greatest emerging sustainability challenges are now concentrated in its major urban centers where more than 80% of people live. Kiy cited rising sea levels, waste management and transportation-related emissions as key issues. “Here, new approaches to addressing the region's emerging challenges are critically needed, including financing opportunities,” he added. “Absent that, in future years, the United States could face greater pressures stemming from expanded human migration from countries across LAC.”

IOA reports that LAC's rapid urbanization coupled with the region's economic hardships and the growing threat of climate change have been exacerbated by other challenges, including an under-investment in urban planning, inadequate public transportation options leading to a lack of mobility, environmental degradation and an increased vulnerability to urban disasters.

Natural resources are also at risk. Kiy said around 60% of the global terrestrial life, diverse freshwater and marine species can be found in LAC – the Amazon alone houses 10% of the world's biodiversity. Beyond that, the Tropical Andes range is a biodiversity hot spot under threat of illegal logging, ‘slash and burn' clear-cutting for agriculture and informal urban development.

Kiy maintains that as the IOA expands its collaboration with CAF, there will be growing opportunities for sustainability-focused San Diego-area businesses to foster relationships with businesses and governments across LAC that are seeking innovative solutions to emerging challenges.

“Here, IOA can serve as an important connector and conduit for San Diego area businesses seeking to expand their market presence in LAC,” he added.

In addition to our recently forged partnership with CAF, IOA has recently joined forces with ICLEI and Resilient Cities Catalyst to form a collaborative partnership with the U.S. State Department to launch the Cities Forward Initiative. The Initiative (which was announced by U.S. Secretary Anthony Blinken at the Cities Summit of the Americas in Denver last month) will provide peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, capacity building and diplomatic engagement, all focused on implementing projects in Latin America and the Caribbean with the goal of solving critical urban challenges around sustainability, inclusivity, and climate resiliency working together with U.S. cities. Here, 12 LAC cities will be selected to be part of the program and paired with 12 corresponding U.S. cities. The goal is to help participating cities implement solutions and projects that advance investments in urban services to promote sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience in under-served neighborhoods and communities across LAC. Cities Forward will help build partnerships with local leaders as well as subject matter experts in the United States. In addition, the initiative will facilitate opportunities for LAC cities to seek investments and financing to implement their plans. Additional details can be found at: https://icleiusa.org/cities-forward/ ■

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2023-05-29T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-05-29T07:00:00.0000000Z

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