Environmental Policy in the Southern Common Market and climate change in its negotiations

Abstract

This article aims to present the evolution of environmental policy in Mercosur, considering the technical and policy instances specialized in the environment that were implemented in the organizational structure of the bloc and the main environmental issues on the negotiation agenda. Additionally, it seeks to identify and analyze the importance attributed to climate change in this regional arena between 2009 and 2021. To achieve the proposed objectives, bibliographic and documentary research was conducted. The official documents identified, analyzed, and cataloged were obtained from the websites of the Mercosur Secretariat and its Environmental Information System. The topic of “climate change” was present in the negotiations, either directly or indirectly, in 11 meetings of Working Group No. 6 on the Environment and in 8 meetings of Environment Ministers between 2009 and 2021. Documents produced by high-level bodies such as the Common Market Group and the Common Market Council were also investigated. From the documentary analysis, it can be inferred that there are external variables that influence the inclusion and negotiation of the “climate change” issue in this regional arena. One piece of evidence supporting this assertion found in the documents is that Mercosur Member States use this regional arena to align interests and positions before and after the Conferences of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (COPs). Finally, a brief examination is presented of the recent participation of Mercosur Member States in COPs on climate change held within the United Nations framework.