SNIP Network strengthens regional exchange on resilient public investment with support from Euroclima

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SNIP Network strengthens regional exchange on resilient public investment with support from Euroclima.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), as an implementing partner of the European Union's Euroclima programme, participated in the session "From Climate Risk to Resilient Investment: Challenges and Opportunities for National Public Investment Systems (SNIPs) in Latin America and the Caribbean", held during the 14th SNIP Network Seminar 2026 in Asunción, Paraguay. The event brought together public investment authorities from Chile, El Salvador, Paraguay and Uruguay to exchange experiences and strengthen capacities to integrate climate change and disaster risk management into public investment projects.

During the opening session, Jimy Ferrer, Economic Affairs Officer at ECLAC, highlighted that the growing frequency and intensity of extreme climate events require countries to transform the way they plan, assess and prioritize public investment. In this context, he stressed that integrating climate criteria from the earliest stages of the investment cycle not only enhances the resilience of infrastructure and public services, but also improves the social return of investment projects and contributes to a more efficient allocation of public resources. One of ECLAC's key messages was that Latin America and the Caribbean now have a robust set of climate planning instruments—including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTSs)—yet the region still faces the challenge of translating these commitments into investment decisions and public budgets. Closing this gap is essential to accelerate climate adaptation and advance towards more resilient and sustainable development.

The discussion among participating countries showcased concrete progress in integrating climate criteria into National Public Investment Systems, including methodologies for assessing climate risks and strengthening project resilience, as well as planning, social appraisal and economic evaluation tools. The experiences presented demonstrated that there is no single approach to integrating climate change into public investment, but rather a range of strategies tailored to each country's institutional capacities and development priorities.

Among the main lessons emerging from the session was the importance of strengthening technical and institutional capacities to apply climate-related tools and methodologies, while improving coordination among institutions responsible for investment planning, public finance, environmental management and disaster risk management. Participants also underscored the value of regional cooperation in sharing methodologies, exchanging experiences and accelerating mutual learning across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The session reaffirmed the importance of regional cooperation in accelerating the integration of climate change into public investment. In this regard, the work carried out by ECLAC in collaboration with the European Union's Euroclima programme contributes to strengthening institutional capacities, promoting knowledge exchange among countries and creating the conditions needed to translate climate commitments into resilient and sustainable investments across Latin America and the Caribbean.