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The OAS, Colombia and the United States Support the Andean Region in Addressing Challenges of Climate Change and Renewable Energy

The Organization of American States (OAS), the National Metrology Institute of Colombia, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the United States today concluded the Third Workshop for the Andean region on Metrology and Technological Challenges in Climate Sciences and Renewable Energy, in Bogotá, Colombia.

The two-day event included the participation of more than 90 public officials who work in metrology, climate sciences and the environment in the countries of the Andean region (ANDIMET), as well as academics and the private sector in Colombia. The workshop sought to spread information about the situation of the metrological institutes in the region, and contribute to the exchange of knowledge, best practices, cooperation and dialogue. During the two days, participants learned about advances in energy and climate change policies and the implementation of renewable energies in the participating countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru.

The Director of International and Academic Affairs at NIST, Claire Saundry, highlighted during the event the importance of a system of measurement to address the challenges of climate change. “Climate change does not recognizes borders and energy needs are universal,” she said, and added that all countries need, in order to develop policies and regulations on the issue, the ability to make the necessary measurements.

For his part, the Director of the Institute of Metrology of Colombia, Eduardo Viveros, said “climate change is a global issue that should be addressed in a multilateral way,” and recalled that “a global agreement should be sought that establishes a regime based on legally binding rules, where all contribute to the solution of the problem to the degree they are able with a focus on mitigation, adaptation, means of implementation, technology transfer and construction of capacity and infrastructure.”

For his part, Rubén Contreras, OAS expert on the issue, said “the basis for developing and implementing coherent policies with a long term vision on energy and environmental issues in the region in the use of scientific data measures in an efficient and trustworthy manner.”

The workshop was held in the framework of the project “Renewable Energies and Climate Sciences: Metrology and Technological Challenges in the Americas,” whose objective is to contribute to advancements in the use of renewable energy technologies and low carbon growth. The program is being implemented by the OAS Department of Sustainable Development, through its Sustainable Energy section, together with the NIST.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-481/14