Guatemala has joined the End Plastic Pollution International Collaborative (EPPIC), a public-private partnership aimed at reducing plastic pollution.
EPPIC has granted Guatemala with up to $225,000 to implement local upstream and midstream solutions to plastic pollution. The funding may be topped with another $425,000 depending on future funding availability.
The organisation launched its first call for applications for the grant programme in June 2024. Guatemala is the first announced grantee, with others soon to follow. The total number of awards given will depend on the maximum funding amount determined by the Latin America Grant Review Committee (LATAM GRC) for each grant call. A second call for applications is scheduled for January 2025.
The EPPIC programme, which is supported by the US Department of State, will support the development of national projects by providing resources for interventions that ensure effectiveness and relevance to local contexts in Central America, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
In Central America, EPPIC will closely collaborate with governments to develop plans addressing plastic pollution in Costa Rica and Guatemala.
EPPIC is jointly hosted and implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Aspen Institute, The Ocean Foundation, and Searious Business (NL).
The organisations attended a workshop in Guatemala City this week, which brought together Guatemala's federal and subnational governments, industry leaders, academics, and civil society organisations.
“The incorporation of Guatemala into sustainable supply chains is key not only to improving the country's competitiveness but also to mitigating the impacts of climate change and protecting natural resources,” said Luis Guillermo Pineda, advisor to the Vice Ministry of Integration and Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala (MINECO).