As detailed in the report presented, it is the result of the work of the National Directorate of Climate Change of the Ministry of Environment , together with strategic actors and institutions, which managed to incorporate a broad concept of climate action in the management for the development of the country and comply with the provisions of the Paris Agreement.

My environment anticipates that there are 29 commitments in ten strategic areas and sectors such as Energy, Forests, Integrated Management of Hydrographic Basins, Marine-Coastal System, Biodiversity, Agriculture, Livestock and Sustainable Aquaculture, Resilient human settlements, Public health, Infrastructure sustainable and circular economy. The contributions include the preparation of 6 sectoral Climate Change Plans and 4 National Technical Guidelines on Climate Change.

“With the implementation of these sectoral instruments we seek that, in the medium term, any initiative or undertaking, public or private that is executed in the country, integrates the climate as an intrinsic variable from the earliest phases of its idea, design and planning ”, highlights Milciades Concepción, Minister of the Environment.

Concepción explained that the convergence of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the Paris Agreement , the new global biodiversity framework and the recovery from the COVID 19 crisis, becomes a unique opportunity for us to overcome the barriers of poverty and inequality, since, together with the climatic threat, constitute urgent challenges for the government and for Panamanian society as a whole.

Here are some of the commitments made:

- The report details the commitment concerning the Energy sector. By 2030, Panama will achieve a reduction of 11.5% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the energy sector and 24% by 2050. And it reaffirms the commitment presented in 2016, on the promotion of renewable energies such as wind and solar in the installed capacity of power plants. In addition, this commitment includes a commitment to Electric Mobility and Energy Efficiency.

- In the Forests sector, the National Forest Restoration Plan will be implemented by 2025, achieving the goal established in said plan of restoring 50 thousand hectares throughout the country.

- Actions are established in the Integrated Management of Hydrographic Basins as a basis for economic, social and environmental sustainability, with the creation of a National Climate Change Plan for the Management of Hydrographic Basins, thus guaranteeing the sustainability of an important sector for development national.

- Nature-based solutions, including the protection, conservation and restoration of marine-coastal ecosystems, are an integral component to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Coastal wetlands or mangroves are the vital natural coastal defense barrier and it is a high priority for Panama to ensure the protection of these ecosystems.

- Starting in 2022, the national greenhouse gas inventories will estimate the potential of blue carbon, that is, the carbon captured by these ecosystems in the country and by 2024, the Restoration Techniques Manual for degraded Mangrove areas will be implemented.

The update of this first Nationally Determined Contribution had the support of important agencies belonging to the United Nations System such as UNDP, FAO and UNEP, as well as the World Bank framed under international cooperation managed through the NDC Partnership.

It was noted that starting in 2021, Panama will begin the process of the National Climate Action Plan, a fundamental element in the technical and financial implementation of these commitments that places the country on the path to sustainable development.