Why is the »green economy« relevant to Latin America and the Caribbean? What is the role of renewable energies and energy efficiency?
These questions were discussed at the first »Green Quality Dialog« session on 4 November 2016. The event took place within the framework of the Latin American QI Expert Week.
Tilman Altenburg from the German Institute for Development Policy (DIE) supplied answers to these questions: He explained that a transition to a sustainable economic policy in the sense of a »green economy« is urgently needed. To limit global warming to two degrees Celsius, industrialized countries must reduce their emissions by 80% to 95% by 2050. For the economies of Latin America, this global change to a »green economy« and to renewable energies holds considerable potential, according to Altenburg. It is not only a chance to keep pace with global technological trends, but also an investment in future growth.
The half-day dialog session was opened by Christoph Rauh, Head of the South America Unit at the BMZ. Francisco Boshell (IRENA) highlighted trends in renewable energies and emphasized the great growth potential in the region. Romy Acosta of SolarWorld, a German photovoltaic manufacturer, stressed the importance of quality aspects in the production and installation of photovoltaic modules. As a representative of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Xing Zhang reported on challenges in the fight against climate change and presented the key elements of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Karl-Christian Göthner and Verónica García, two consultants at PTB, emphasized the importance and development potential of the quality infrastructure in both areas.
The direct exchange between PTB staff and experts, on the one hand, and the main contractor BMZ, on the other hand, as well as research facilities, international organizations and private-sector industrial firms, was very enriching. For the Latin American and German PTB consultants, this exchange presented a rare opportunity to learn more about technical cooperation projects and their relation to the current state of development research.
All the participants agreed that a green transformation is necessary – and not only in Latin America. Those who may have initially been sceptical about the relevance of quality infrastructure for this joint goal had been won over before the coffee break.
The event was organized jointly by the »Latin America and the Caribbean« Working Group of PTB’s Technical Cooperation Department and the International Renewable Energy Organization (IRENA).
The slides for the lectures can be found at: https://www.ptb.de/lac/index.php?id=7523
