(HEMA) Initiative. - OAS

PREVIOUS DOCUMENTS From Ottawa to Mar del Plata
in North America. The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre promotes research on climate
variability issues. Andean region is developing a national climate change program to create
response to and training in vulnerability and adaptation to the effects of climate change. A dengue
and climate change study and the establishment of mosquito vector monitoring programs are other
areas being worked on in countries of the Americas. The Inter-American Institute for Global Change
Research is also contributing to research on health effects of climate variability. Collaborative
research efforts, and remaining vigilant in the maintenance and improvement of public health systems
and their response to changing climate, could ensure further progress on Goal K.
Goal L: To enhance efforts between UNEP, UNDP, PAHO and ECLAC in building a regiona proposal on the ethics
of sustainable development to be taken to the World Summit on Sustanabe Development
Goal L is completed.
In sum, countries have endorsed HEMA goals with action but performance is yet to be optimized.
Some countries may need special support to achieve substantial progress. Limited technological
and financial resources, competing national priorities, increasing civil unrest and the
occurrence of disasters restrict such countries in making adequate investments to achieve HEMA
goals on their own 6 .
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION: THE KEY PRIORITY THEMES
The HEMA initiative has the full support of three “partner organizations”: PAHO, UNEP-ROLAC,
and OAS. With support from these organizations, Canada identified 15 selected activities projects
reflecting HEMA goals. The document was discussed at the Task Force meetings and later at the
HEMA information sessions for donors. Consequently, the 15 projects were revisited in order to
prioritize for action and discuss at the HEMA Working Group meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, in
March, 2004. Further discussion on HEMA priorities for hemispheric action were discussed at the
Working Group meeting in Buenos Aires, in October 2004 and March 2005. At these meetings,
while regions emphasized the need to customize projects and activities based on the needs of
their region and countries, there was a consensus on the importance of pursuing three themes as
priority areas for action at the hemispheric level. They are:
1. Integrated water resource and solid waste management
2. Sound management of chemicals and
3. Children’s environmental health 7
The OAS, UNEP 8 , and PAHO 9 developed detailed proposals on the above priority themes respectively.
They were discussed at the 3 rd Working Group meeting in Buenos Aires in March 2005. There
are potential for using these proposals for funding purposes.
THE HEMA INFORMATION SESSIONS OWNERSHIP AND FUNDING
In order to act on priority themes and follow-up actions, it is necessary to secure financial
resources. As a first step in this direction, Working Group members volunteered to discuss HEMA
at various international and regional forums to disseminate the HEMA message and influence
organizations into including HEMA projects in their workplans.
HEMA Information Session for Donors
The HEMA information sessions for donors were organized in Washington, USA and in Trinidad.
The purpose of such sessions was to:
14 | June 16 - 17, 2005 - Mar del Plata - Argentina