The OAS-ECPA Sustainable Communities in Central America and the Caribbean initiative will co-host the event, “Clean Energy and Transport Solutions in an Urban Hemisphere: Lessons from the Americas.” The objective of this event is to gather international urban planning experts so they can share their ideas for creating similar sustainability initiatives around the world. Managers of the OAS-ECPA initiative will exchange experiences with other project implementers from San Jose (Costa Rica), Salt Lake City (USA), Baja Verapaz Department (Guatemala), and central New York (USA), who will present their experiences in developing sustainable transport and clean energy projects, including the role of community engagement.

These four projects were supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Showcase Communities Program and the Organization of American States (OAS) Sustainable Communities in Central America and the Caribbean Project. This event will also include an introduction to the urban sustainability resources available through U.S. EPA and the OAS. The OAS will also announce the second phase of its Sustainable Cities and Communities in the Americas Project, which includes new grant opportunities.

The OAS-ECPA Sustainable Communities in Central America and the Caribbean initiative seeks to contribute to advancing the sustainable cities agenda, energy sustainability and low carbon economic growth in the ECPA context. The OAS Department of Sustainable Development has been working with member states in four areas under the sustainable communities theme: economic development, housing, pollution prevention and environmental protection, and sustainable transport.

The World Urban Forum (WUF) is convened by UN-Habitat, hosted in a different city every two years. The event gathers national, regional and local governments, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, civil society and the academia to discuss the main challenges faced by human settlements worldwide. The WUF 7th session will take place on April 5-11 in Medellin, Colombia. This year’s edition will have the theme “Urban Equity in Development – Cities for Life”.

This expert meeting is co-sponsored by OAS, U.S. EPA, and the U.S. Department of State, and will take place next Thursday, April 10, from 4:30-6:30 pm at the Plaza Mayor Convention and Exhibition Center. For additional information please visit: http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/dsd/biodiversity/Sustainable_Cities/PhaseII/WUF7/SCWorkshop.as