75 years of ECLAC and ECLAC thinking

Concern for equality has been present in the thinking of ECLAC throughout its history, but it played a central role in the 2010s, as expressed and established in the set of documents known as “the equality trilogy”. Deepening of democracy called for greater equal opportunities and rights in the Latin American and Caribbean region, including equal access to education, health, employment, housing, basic services, environmental quality and social security.

When the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all of the Member States of the United Nations in New York in September 2015, as a shared plan for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, for that time and for the future, a historic opportunity opened up for Latin America and the Caribbean. With the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its heart, the agenda addresses some of the region’s most urgent priorities, such as ending extreme poverty, reducing inequality in all its dimensions, promoting inclusive economic growth with decent work for all, creating sustainable cities and mitigating climate change. The priority objective is to work for sustainable development that leaves no one behind.

In 2018, ECLAC proposed strategic guidelines to increase the dynamic efficiency of Latin American and Caribbean economies on the basis of equality. In view of the rapid changes and growing uncertainties in the world economy, ECLAC called for greater public and private investment in an environmental big push to diversify its productive structure and even out its structural disparities.

In the interest of greater participation, inclusion and environmental awareness, on 4 March 2018, the countries of the region adopted the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean in Escazú, Costa Rica. The origins of the Agreement lie in the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) held in 2012, with the adoption of the Declaration on the application of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. The Escazú Agreement is an unprecedented treaty that seeks to ensure a healthy environment and sustainable development for present and future generations through more informed, participatory, just and inclusive societies.