Panels

Panel I: Cities and Urban Areas: Achieving Sustainability for All

Latin America is one of the most urbanized places in the world. From 1950-2010, the % of the population living in cities grew from 30% to above 85%. The development of the cities has not kept with the pace of population increase. Cities across the region are facing increasingly critical problems in housing, transportation, water, waste & sanitation, and safety. The New Urban Agenda- Habitat 3 2016 sees cities as the source of solutions and not the cause of challenges facing the world. Sustainable urbanization will be a potent tool for sustainable development in developing countries. The panel will try to understand the existing challenges and opportunities in sustainable urbanization in LATAM.

Panelists:
  • Alejandra Kemper, Asunción Green City of the Americas – Pathways to Sustainability, UNDP;
  • Carlos Felipe Pardo, Senior Manager, City Pilots, NUMO Alliance;
  • Anthony Courreges, Manager, Clean Transportation Finance, C40 Cities

 

Panel II: Innovations for Sustainability and Social Change

Most often, when innovation comes to mind we think of very futuristic devices and ideas. But in the dynamic, versatile and diverse ecosystem that Latin America is, innovation can take many different forms. How should we define what innovation in Latin America looks like? How does that influence how innovation is implemented? To answer these questions, this panel will seek to discuss some innovations that are helping the world achieve the SDGs that have arisen in LATAM, and others that LATAM has taken from abroad and implemented extensively within. The discussion will also look to expand the targets and mechanisms of innovation, from optimizing technical practices to improving collaboration. 

Panelists:
  • Fabián Suárez, CEO and Founder, e.Ray;
  • Carolina Zambrano, Program Director, All Eyes on the Amazon, HIVOS;
  • Peter Cabral, Faculty Member, Singularity University

 

Panel III: Agricultural Production: Balancing Global Markets and Local Needs

The panel will explore Latin America’s role in global agricultural markets, the impact of international influences, such as trade, corporations, and investments, on local food security and rural development. How can Latin American countries act as competitive players in global agricultural markets while also ensuring the wellbeing of the local people and the environment? Are these compatible goals? What kind of systemic shifts are needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of agriculture in Latin America? The panel will address these questions and more.

Panelists:
  • Deissy Martínez, Regional Coordinator CCAFS, CGIAR;
  • Peter Rosset, Researcher, ECOSUR Advanced Studies Institute;
  • Ashwini Sebastian, Lead Agricultural Economist, World Bank;
  • Carmine Paolo De Salvo, Rural Development Specialist, IDB

 

Panel IV: Latin America and the Caribbean Outlook

Join a conversation with a group of successful women doing a great job in their fields, in search of solutions to the most pressing issues in Latin America. This conversation will attempt to understand the panelist’s perspective on what the different opportunities are, where we stand as a region, and what we should look for in the coming years to create the most impact possible both in and outside of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Panelists (Keynote Speakers):
  • Dr. Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian, OAS;
  • Amanda Maxwell, NRDC;
  • Julia Carabias, Natura