PRESS RELEASE : Guatemala and the UK partner to strengthen climate negotiation capabilities [August 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 August 2024.
The British Embassy and the Guatemalan Government are working together to upskill environmental capabilities of civil servants.
Nick Whittingham, British Ambassador to Guatemala, attended the inauguration of the training workshop: “The Art of the International Climate Negotiations 2024”. The project is sponsored by the UK Government and other donors; and was attended by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maria Luis Ramírez; the Vice Minister of Environment, Edwin Castellanos; Ambassador Rita Mishaan, Director of the workshop, and Carlos Cerezo, representative of the Foundation for Eco-development and Conservation (FUNDAECO) of Guatemala.
The workshop will consist of 17 sessions from August to October 2024 where participants will address a variety of issues, from understanding the Paris Agreement, addressing gender and climate change, prepare for upcoming critical global appointments such as the COP16 and COP29, transition to the use of clean energies and developing of local policies aligned with international commitments.
Climate experts, international consultants and university professors will deliver the lectures which will be available in a hybrid format -in person and online-. The workshop will provide participants with basic negotiation skills, understanding of core environmental topics, and the ability to learn from the experiences of international negotiators. More than 40 people are expected for each session.
Nick Whittingham, British Ambassador to Guatemala, said:
We continue to be working with Guatemala in many environmental priorities, including supporting the development of a water law, protecting biodiversity through our Biodiverse Landscapes Fund and other Darwin initiative projects. This training course will continue this spirit of mutual collaboration and shared benefits.
