CATIE present at the Latin American and Caribbean Summit of the 20x20 Initiative

• The event recognized Dr. Ronnie de Camino, Professor Emeritus of CATIE, for his career in land restoration, while CATIE graduates reaffirmed their regional leadership in sustainability and conservation.

CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) had an important participation in the Latin American and Caribbean Summit of the 20x20 Initiative, held in Puerto Varas, Chile, one of the most emblematic regions of the southern part of the continent.

The 20x20 Initiative, launched in 2014 and led by the World Resources Institute (WRI), aims to restore 50 million hectares of degraded land in 17 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Since its inception, CATIE has been a founding partner of this regional alliance that promotes restoration as a key strategy to address the climate crisis, protect biodiversity, and improve rural livelihoods.

During the summit, the participation of CATIE graduates stood out, as they contributed as facilitators, panelists, and presenters in various spaces of the official program. Their active presence evidences the leadership that the CATIE alumni community exercises in the restoration of degraded lands and forests throughout the region.

Additionally, Dr. Luis Pocasangre, Director General of CATIE, represented the institution at the summit and was one of the officials responsible for opening the event. Meanwhile, Róger Villalobos and Ireana Lara, researchers from the Center’s Climate Action Unit, served as co-organizers of the summit. 

All of them participated in the event’s technical sessions, demonstrating CATIE’s commitment to the conservation and restoration of forests and degraded lands, as well as to the conservation of biodiversity and agroforestry systems in the LAC region, and to research and technical assistance work on these issues.

It was also highlighted that the Latin American Model Forest Network, whose secretariat is based at CATIE, played an active role as a partner of the 20x20 Initiative, with outstanding actions in landscape governance, equity, and youth engagement around restoration.

One of the most emotional moments of the event was the recognition awarded to CATIE’s Professor Emeritus, Dr. Ronnie de Camino, by Chile’s Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of the Environment. This tribute highlights his invaluable career promoting conservation, sustainable forest and agroforestry management, and his innovative contributions to private investment for restoration, initiated during his work at CATIE and continuing to this day.

"The Graduate School of CATIE and its graduates continue to play a fundamental role in the sustainable development of Latin America and the Caribbean. We are proud that this year we will celebrate the graduation of CATIE’s 3000th Master of Science," expressed Dr. Pocasangre.

The Annual Summit of the 20x20 Initiative represents a key space for sharing experiences, strengthening alliances, and renewing commitments to landscape restoration. The participation of CATIE and its community reflects the institution’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and the resilient transformation of Latin American territory.