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FEALAC Young Leaders Invitation Program
on the Cooperation on Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) projects among FEALAC member countries
(Overview and Evaluation)

February 2007
Japanese

  • The sixth FEALAC Young Leaders Invitation Program was held from January 30 to February 9, 2007. It was implemented under the initiative of Japan in the framework of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC). This program aims at enhancing the relationship between the East Asian and Latin American regions.
  • A total of 29 young professionals were invited to Japan, representing each of the 29 East Asian and Latin American countries. We are working for sustainable development in their home countries. We focused on Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) projects and renewable energies including bio-fuels this year (different themes are chosen every year).
  • Various activities related to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), established in the Kyoto Protocol, were conducted by participants, as follows.
    • A "CDM Seminar"; inviting two experts from Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co. Ltd. and Japan Carbon Finance Co. Ltd.(JCF) as commentators. The participants made presentations [PDF] and exchanged their opinions on "Cooperation on CDM among FEALAC member countries" with the experts.
    • Sight visits; participants visited institutions and companies related to the environment issues. It is expected that participants keep contacts with Japanese professionals on specific CDM projects.
    • Local trip; participants visited Kyoto and Nara. They experienced the traditional Japanese culture.
  • Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino received and interviewed the participants in audience at their palace.
  • This program was a part of Japan's contribution for FEALAC to achieve "sustainable development", which was mentioned in the "Manila Plan of Action" adopted at the Second FEALAC Foreign Ministers' Meeting, in January 2004.

1. Overview of the Program

(1) Program Overview

A. CDM Seminar (Jan. 30-Feb. 9, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

  • During the invitation program, divided into four groups, participants discussed their idea on "cooperation on CDM among FEALAC member countries" regarding renewable energy, economic and financial problem etc. On the last day (Feb. 9) of the seminar, each group made 20 minutes presentation. Commentators from Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co. Ltd. and Japan Carbon Finance Co. Ltd. (JCF) joined this seminar.

B. Sight visits and lectures

  • Participants invited lecturers from New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE), Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co. Ltd., and visited Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC); Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO); and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). These organizations explained their efforts for CDM to the participants.
  • Participants also visited environment-friendly technologies and facilities such as Kyoto Municipal Waste Edible Oil Fuel Production Facility and Morigasaki Water reclamation Center.

C. Visit to Kyoto and Nara (Feb. 2-4)

  • Participants visited Kyoto and Nara, the old capitals of Japan. They deepened their understanding of Japanese culture and regional practices.

D. Audience with Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino

  • Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino received and interviewed the participants in audience at their palace.

(2) Participants

1. 16 participants from Latin American countries

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

2. 13 participants from East Asian (and Oceanian) countries

Australia, China, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao P.D.R, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam,)

2. Evaluation of the Program

(1) CDM Seminar

In the seminar, participants actively exchanged their opinions on renewable energies, economic and financial policies, taking advantage of their expertise. Commentators from Mitsubishi UFJ Co. Ltd. and JCF appreciated the seminar as a good opportunity to hear the opinions directly from experts of each country. Through the discussion, participants recognized the importance of the fund raising for capacity building which helps facilitate the CDM cooperation.

(2) Sight visits and lectures

Participants highly appreciate the sight visits. They took professional and comprehensive brief from each sight. They were impressed by the enthusiasm of the Government of Japan and Japanese companies towards the environment issue and the technologies. Participants exchanged the contact information with the lecturers the commentators and some participants negotiated with the organizations on promoting certain projects. It showed that this invitation program functioned also as negotiation meeting on specific projects, not just an opinion-exchange program.

(3) Conclusion

(a) The Prime Minister Koizumi addressed "A Vision for a New Japan- Latin America and Caribbean Partnership" during his visit to Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2004. He expressed that Japan would perform a leading role in FEALAC. This invitation program is one of the results of Japan's leadership to FEALAC.

(b) The topic of our invitation program, the reduction of green house emission through CDM projects, is possible to get wide range of interests among FEALAC member countries. Many FEALAC member countries, most of them are developing countries, are interested in CDM projects because it can help reduce green house gas emissions, and because CDM project can stimulate an inflow of foreign capitals and new technologies from developed countries. Meanwhile, Japanese private companies have already carried on many CDM projects in FEALAC member countries.

(c) This invitation program also shows our commitment for "promoting sustainable development" under "Manila Plan" adopted the second foreign ministerial meeting in the Philippines, January 2004. At the fourth meeting of "Economy and Society" Working Group co-chaired by Japan in May 2006, Belgium, China, Peru among others expressed their strong interests in CDM cooperation. At the same meeting, Japan proposed that FEALAC should select core programs which were treated as prioritized areas to be solved "Promoting sustainable development and CDM" was adopted as such an area. In particular, renewable energies such as bio-fuels were discussed as one of the main topics at the sixth meeting of "Science and Technology" Working Group.

(d) Young professionals, government officials and businessmen, visited organizations, JBIC, JICA, and JETRO, and learned their scheme for environmental projects. They also visited several facilities to see their technologies and community based cooperation for making new fuels from wasted deep-fried oil, for example. Based on the lectures and the sight visits, they also exchanged their opinions on their professional experiences and their views of their own countries. This invitation program enhanced participants' discussions to specify the challenges for the cooperation between FEALAC member countries. This invitation program gave good opportunities to find possible projects and to strengthen cooperative relationships between FEALAC member countries for realizing good projects in the near future.

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