Page 38 - Supplemento 2-2016 (ENG)

rené castro salazar

Is it possible to replicate these practices elsewhere in the world or is Costa
Rica bound to be an exception? At FAO we believe Costa Rica is not an excep-
tion, as there are other emerging countries doing the same or better and we
think that we should focus more in both the tropics and the drylands. Firstly,
in the tropics because we are losing biodiversity and have only got limited kno-
wledge of the species, estimated to around 14% of the living species, with no
precise name or scientific classification. Secondly, in the drylands we now know
that, for example, in the Sahel FAO is running a building project called the great
Green Wall: new species and domestic species recover, then better water pre-
servation, which could generate new livestock. So, we see opportunities.

FAO is working with regional banks in order to develop a green climate
fund in various parts of the world. For example, we want to invest $1 billion
per year in Africa, a natural place to start with due to its strong needs in the
drylands and very important tropical possibilities. It is a costly and crucial inve-
stment: Africa will have one hundred million hectares to recover, which should
provide jobs, reduce poverty in the communities and limit food insecurity.

Finally, in the next few years, we should be able to have a global CO2 bank
to exchange what people are doing in forestry with what people are doing at the
local level in communities and what people are doing in the private sector, as in
the mentioned examples of rise and coffee I presented. We should be able to
exchange CO2 titles and then keep doing more activities. If we manage this, we
will reduce costs and do more for the environment and rural areas.

The real question is: are we going for a world totally connected as our
government did in Paris and New York? Are we going for a world totally con-
nected where everybody does their fair share? It does not matter whether we
belong to a small or large country because in this world we all share responsi-
bilities. Are we all going to do that or just try to save ourselves?

When I worked at Harvard University, some American scientists were
already suggesting that they could create a cloud umbrella over the US and iso-
late the country from the climate change impact with more clouds. Which is the
right way to go? In my opinion, there is only one way. The optimistic invented
the airplane, the pessimistic invented the parachute: I would invite you all to
reinvent and redesign the global airplane. Thank you are much.

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