Summit of the Americas: Climate on the Agenda, but Tensions Will Dominate
Summit of the Americas: Climate on the Agenda, but Tensions Will Dominate
"The summit is going to be an opportunity missed…there's no real sense of partnership," said AS/COA's Eric Farnsworth to Diálogo Chino.
The Summit of the Americas, which meets in Los Angeles from 6–10 June, gathers leaders from the Western Hemisphere to “discuss common policy issues, affirm shared values and commit to concerted actions”.
At least, that’s what it’s meant to do.
In reality, preparations for the event have done more to emphasize the political divisions among Latin American nations, highlight the US’s one-sided approach to the region, and undermine faith that meaningful coordination can be reached in key areas such as climate change and the environment.
“I think the summit is going to be an opportunity missed,” says Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Americas Society and the Council of the Americas. “It’s become a form of performance art. The Latin Americans are complaining about Cuba and Nicaragua, while the US only wants to talk about migration. There’s no real sense of partnership here.”…
