Climate Change in Latin America - European Commission

The UCC is the KP Designated National Authority
for (i) preparing methodologies for identifying and
evaluating CDMs; (ii) identifying the priority sectors
for mitigation (iii) promoting the CDMs (iv) approving
CDM projects in conjunction with a specific COTAMA
mixed Working Group.
COTAMA - The Commission's functions are: (i) to
work with the executive authority to define the
national environment policy; (ii) to cooperate with
the formulation, implementation and evaluation of
national environment plans; (iii) act as a body for
inter-institutional coordination on the subject of
environmental protection.
National Coordination
The UCC coordinates directs actions with the
Ministries for the Economy, Foreign Relations,
Industry and Energy and Agriculture as well as other
governmental institutions. The UCC has held several
CDM promotion events, with links for key industrial
sectors. The UCC also coordinates its activities with
the private production sector, the academic world
and civil society. In this sense, it runs awareness
campaigns for civil society, with an emphasis on
environmental education in schools.
Studies and publications
Human resources
4 staff.
The staff has received technical support, training
and economic resources from FMAM, the UNDP,
the Canadian Government and the World Bank.
Programme of General Measures for Climate Change
Mitigation and Adaptation in Uruguay (PMEGEMA),
2004; Second National Communication, 2004;
Proposal for the Study of Mitigation Measures, GHG
Inventories (1994, 1998, 2000, 2002); GEO-Uruguay,
Energy Sector Mitigation Study (1999).
National Climate Change Strategy
1) Programme of General Measures for Climate
Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Uruguay
(PMEGEMA), 2004. The document presents a
series of Climate Change mitigation and adaptation
measures in the most important sectors of the
national economy and in a form consistent with
the country's development plans. It also estimates
the necessary investment costs in these sectors.
The PMEGEMA has been declared an item of
ministerial interest.
2) National action plan 2010 – 2015 in the framework
of the SNRCC. In 2009 a plan of action was created
at the national level which addresses three work
areas: (a) Creation of the Map of Vulnerability of
Uruguay by district, town and typology (based on
the identified problems); (b) Identification of existing
Capacities (human, economic and institutional
resources); (c) Updating the PMEGEMA. In this
Plan the following specific aspects are included:
(a) Creation of scenarios; (b) Determination of
impacts in each sector; (c) Vulnerability of the
sectors to the impacts identified; (d) Opportunities
– adaptation measures; (e) Strengthening of interinstitutional
links; (f) Public awareness.
International Coordination
Uruguay is a member of the MERCOSUR and
coordinates regional programmes through SGT
N. 6. Bilateral agreements have been established for
cooperation in the framework of CDM with Annex I
countries, including Canada, France, Spain, Italy and
the Netherlands.
Adaptation Mechanisms
1) "Prevention and Mitigation of Environmental
Emergencies Caused by the Climate" is a
document that presents a diagnosis of the national
situation as regards this issue and includes lines of
action for a prevention strategy for environmental
emergencies, especially droughts and floods.
2) The objective of the "Adapation Project in the
Coastal Zone" is to establish adaptation politicies
and practices in territorial management and
coastal administration, which should serve to
increase the resiliency of coastal ecosystems to
Climate Change.
79