GEF 5: Fernando Lugris, Ambassador and Deputy Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uruguay

GEF 5: Fernando Lugris, Ambassador and Deputy Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uruguay

Fernando Lugris, Ambassador and Deputy Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uruguay talks about the country’s history with GEF.

He says GEF has supported a large portfolio of projects in Uruguay which have helped the environmental development of the South American country.

Lugris explains that climate change threatens two of the biggest industries in the country: agriculture and tourism.

He says GEF-supported projects have aided the transition to renewable energy in Uruguay which, he adds, are now “booming”.

The active involvement of the Uruguayan government and the private sector have also helped to make the country’s transition to renewable energy one of GEF’s success stories Lugris says.

There has been a “clear increase” in the use of wind, solar and biomass energy over the last 10-20 years he says. In addition, the South American country has pledged an ambitious goal of having more than 50% of the country’s energy mix powered by renewable energy by 2020.

Lugris also speaks about the progress that has been made over the past year on mercury pollution.