The Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean

The Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean is a body that meets under the United Nations Environment Programme to discuss environmental issues and priorities within the region.

It is the most important and high-level space for political dialogue and collaboration on environmental issues in the region, and one of the oldest in the world. It was created in 1982, and has been made up of the 33 countries of the region since its inception. The main objective of the Forum is to provide a space for governments to establish priorities for environmental action, and to collaborate in the implementation of programs, projects and approaches to address those priorities in the region.It also serves as the regional coordinating body for the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). The main meetings are held every two years, while in the interim period various sessions are held with members of the Forum's Board of Directors or High Level Officials.

This year, its 23rd edition will be held in Panama from October 24-26. The agenda will include keynotes, expert panels, interactive sessions and networking opportunities, all of which can be followed on the Forum's YouTube channel. Peculiarly, this year it will be held in parallel with the Latin American and Caribbean Climate Week, organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), of which UNEP is part of its Secretariat.

Organization and participation
The Forum was formed in 1982 and is part of the United Nations Environment Programme in the Regional Office of Latin America and the Caribbean, with meetings every two years. All thirty-three countries within the region are invited to be a part of the Forum, as are other interested parties including NGOs. The official languages of the Forum are Spanish and English.

The Conference of Ministers is preceded by a conference of High-Level Experts who meet ahead of the ministers in order to provide the technical information necessary for the ministers to make decisions. The forum is responsible for meeting to strategize action on themes related to sustainable development and the environment within Latin America and the Caribbean.

Meetings and objectives
* The event would normally have happened in 2020, however due to the pandemic the event was held in a virtual format for the first time, co-hosted by the Government of Barbados, which was where the event was supposed to take place in the previous year).