Guatemala
Status under International Climate Change Law
- UNFCCC: signature (13 June 1992), ratification (15 December 1995), and entry into force (1 March 1996)
- KP: signature (10 July 1998), ratification (5 October 1999), and entry into force (7 November 1989)
Quantified emission limitation or reduction commitment: na - Vienna Convention: accession (11 September 1987)
- Montreal Protocol: accession (18 March 1993)
- 2020 Pledge: No pledge made
Federal Laws on Climate Change
Climate
- Framework Law to Regulate Vulnerability Reduction and Obligatory Adaptation to the Effects Climate Change and the Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Effects (Decree No. 7‐2013) September 2013 (Spanish) legislates the need for national adaptation and mitigation plans, creating a national climate change information system and national climate change fund and assigning responsibility to the appropriate government agencies.
- Climate Change Policy (Government agreement N. 329 – 2009) 9 December 2009 (Spanish)addresses greenhouse gases though a broad approach that offers strategies related to forest and waste management, energy production and consumption, financial mechanisms and the carbon market.
- National Council on Climate Change July 1997 serves as an intermediary between the Ministry of Environment and National Resources, civil society and the private sector, made up of officials from several ministries.
- National Commission of Joint Implementation 27 June 1997 is responsible for approving joint programs under UNFCCC, achieving financing of its activities through private sector funds.
Energy
- Law of Incentives for Development Projects on Renewable Energy (Decree No 52-2003) 10 November 2003 (Spanish) advances the use of renewable energy projects by creating the fiscal, economic and administrative incentives for the energy sector. The Law authorizes the Ministry of Energy and Mines to create an inventory of renewable resources and to offer certifications of emissions reductions.
Forests and Land Use
- Forest Law (Decree No. 101-96) 1996 (Spanish) requires the sustainable use of forests, explicitly connecting the role of forests in mitigating carbon emissions, and creates the National Forest Institute. The law establishes incentives for reforestation by designating 1 percent of the federal budget to regulating forest activities for 20 years.
Government Documents
- First National Communication to the UNFCCC
- Agreement with the Ministry of Spain on Climate Change Initiatives (2005)
Factual Matters
Secondary Sources
Food and Agriculture Organization (2003). Guatemala facing Climate Change. Forest and Climate Change Centro‐American Series. October 2003. Accessible at http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/ad443s/ad443s00.HTM
Updated as of: April 20, 2014