PARES Project: A Commitment to Nature-Based Solutions to Build Peace and Climate Resilience in Latin America

• A Model to Strengthen Communities in the Face of Climate Change and Security Challenges

The Peace, Action, Resilience, and Sustainability in Latin American Landscapes (PARES) Project, driven by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and implemented by CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), is entering a key phase with the deployment of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS). Twelve local organizations will lead these initiatives in strategic landscapes across Latin America, focusing on climate change adaptation, conflict prevention, and strengthening social cohesion.

Organizations and Priority Landscapes

Interventions will focus on sectors such as ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture, and water resource management in regions highly vulnerable to climate impacts. The efforts of organizations in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, and Ecuador will serve as a model for addressing structural challenges such as food insecurity and migration dynamics.

The selected organizations are:

México: Cecropia Soluciones Locales a Retos Globales A.C. (El Ocote Reserve, Chiapas) and Fondo de Conservación El Triunfo A.C. (FONCET).

Guatemala: Asociación Estudios de Cooperación de Occidente (ECO), Asociación de Desarrollo Verde de Guatemala (ASOVERDE) y Defensores de la Naturaleza.

Honduras: Fundación Comunitaria PUCA, Federación Nacional de productores de Cacao de Honduras (FENAPROCACAHO) y el Comité para la Defensa y el Desarrollo de la Flora y Fauna del Golfo de Fonseca (CODDEFAGOLF).

El Salvador: Agencia de Desarrollo Económico Local (ADEL) La Unión.

Colombia: Corporación Biocomercio Sostenible

Ecuador: Corporación Toisán, Tierra Viva.

"The NbS implemented by PARES not only contribute to climate mitigation but also strengthen community security, promote peace, and address the root causes of migration in the region," said Ileana Ávalos, the initiative's coordinator.

Towards Sustainable Peace

The PARES Project is structured around three essential components: equipping communities with tools to anticipate climate impacts; financing concrete actions through grants managed by CATIE; and establishing platforms for experience exchange and cooperation. These initiatives connect local perspectives with political processes, ensuring that community-driven solutions are included in national and global decision-making.

This project reaffirms the importance of international cooperation in addressing the challenges of climate change and insecurity, building a more resilient and equitable future for Latin America.