Name: Jenifer Andrea Calderon Cintora
Position:International Cooperation Advisor
Organization: Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in Guatemala
My name is Jenifer Calderon and I am from Guatemala.
In my country, climate change is something we take very seriously. Guatemala is a country highly vulnerable to climate change and this has had a huge impact on the main policy instruments that have been created and implemented in the country. From this account, Guatemala has made progress in the policy and planning framework, as well as in the implementation of projects and programs that seek to counteract the effects of climate change.
When did you start working in climate action? I started working in climate action in 2013, when I started working at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Guatemala.This was the first time I worked directly with projects and programs that focused their objectives on climate action.
What motivated you? I have always been interested in climate action. However, it was not until I started working at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Guatemala that I got to be fully involved in the topic. Little by little I started learning more about climate action and about all the things we could do to improve the climate change reality not only in my country but around the world.
What will be your role at the COP26? To participate in the technical negotiation meetings for Capacity Building and Finance as part of the Guatemalan Delegation .
What are your expectations for COP26? This is a very expected and necessary meeting. We are at a point, where immediate action and commitment is required. I hope that the decisions taken during the COP will promote actions that minimize the effects of climate change around the world.
What outcomes would you consider important for a successful COP? For the COP to be considered successful I think some of the outcomes I would expect are: the establishment of the implementation Guidelines for the Paris Agreement; To achieve a consensus on the negotiations of Article 6 and the commitment of the developed countries in providing support for developing countries; and finally clear funding and defined support for developing countries under the capacity building standards and technology transfer.
Why is south-south cooperation important to you and your country?
South-South cooperation is one of the best ways for countries to learn from each other and from the experiences that they’ve had.
South- South cooperation is an incredible way to strengthen the capacity of developing countries and to help them identify and analyse together their main development issues and formulate the adequate strategies to address them, it also helps to strengthen existing technological capacities.