New reports say that countries in Latin America have set an ambitious new goal for renewable energy that is more than double what has been pledged by the European Union.

Back in September, Colombia’s energy minister Maria Fernanda Suarez told Reuters that nine Latin American countries have collectively set a target for achieving 70% renewable energy use by 2030.

The countries participating in the historic pact include Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia, while Panama and Brazil are reportedly still considering participation.

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With the EU only maintaining a goal for 32% energy, Suarez says that Latin American legislators made the announcement for their ambitious new initiative with the intention of putting themselves at the forefront of the international fight against the climate crisis with the UN climate change summit taking place in Chile in December.

“It’s the most ambitious goal in terms of a global region. Right now nine countries in the region have agreed to this plan and we will continue to get more countries to be part of this goal ahead of the upcoming summit,” she told Reuters, adding that “the introduction of viable renewables, meaning wind, solar biomass or other clean energy, is the first priority” for Colombia’s own renewable energy goals.

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