Uruguay

This Strategy focuses on six elements: </div><ol><li>Education;</li><li>Training;</li><li>Public awareness;</li><li>Public access to information;</li><li>Public participation; and</li><li>International Cooperation.</li></ol><div> The Strategy provides an overview of the national situation and the country's public policy. It also analyses the situation of the six elements from a climate empowerment perspective. Furthermore, the Strategy outlines the process of building a strategy based on participatory processes. It sets out the objectives, strategic guidelines and lines of actions. Lastly, recommendations for short term implementation are issued. The main strategic lines of actions are as follows:</div><ul><li>Environmental education;</li><li>Knowledge generation, research and development;</li><li>Communication and raising awareness;</li><li>Empowerment through citizen participation and climate action.</li></ul><div>

On January 1st, 2022 the Uruguayan carbon tax was established through Presidential Decree No. 441/021.&nbsp; The executive branch of government may update the tax rate annually, and may increase the rate in accordance with any variation established by the Consumer Price Index. The tax applies to all liquid fuels, with the exception of jet fuel. Sales of fuel to manufacturers of gasoline, for the purposes of producing gasoline, are also exempted from the tax. The carbon tax rate for 2022 is UYU 5,645.45 (approximately USD 137.29).

The National Waste Management Plan is a strategic planning instrument at the national level. It aims to improve waste management within the framework of the transition towards a circular economy. The Plan comprises four chapters:</div><ol><li>General Framework;</li><li>Current state of waste management;</li><li>Objectives and strategic lines of action;</li><li>Monitoring and evaluation, institutional mandates.</li></ol><div> The Plan incorporates climate change considerations in its line of actions. For instance, it suggests mainstreaming climate change considerations (impacts on food systems, mitigation and adaptation measures) and include measures for building resilient food systems. It also proposes generation synergies with partnerships to fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals and climate change commitments.&nbsp;

The Plan recognises climate change as one of the main threats to the country's coastal zones, and thus, sets the following objectives: 
<ul>
<li>Capacity building to identify impacts and vulnerabilities of coastal zones;</li>
<li>Capacity building to define concrete adaptation measures in coastal zones;</li>
<li>Use Uruguay's experience as a reference model for other countries, establishing a knowledge transfer process between countries in the region.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li>The Action Plan recognises gender as one of the factors that exacerbate vulnerabilities to impacts of climate change, and thus, prioritises the following areas: Capacity building, knowledge management and communication;</li>
<li>Gender balance, participation, leadership of women;</li>
<li>Implementation of a gender perspective;</li>
<li>Gender integration in the instruments of the <a href="https://climate-laws.org/geographies/uruguay/policies/national-policy-for-climate-change-9ce714d9-1a8e-49d3-82c1-1e9f10bec356" target="_self">National Policy for Climate Change</a>.</li>
</ul>

In Section 5, Chapter I (articles 291 ff.), the ministry of environment is created.

The objective of this Law is the protection of the environment and the promotion of a sustainable development model, by preventing and reducing the negative impacts of the generation, handling and all stages of waste management and recognising its potential to generate value and quality jobs. The Law considers climate change as part of the general waste management guidelines: Pursuant to article 11(H), waste management plans should seek solutions that consider climate change mitigation and adaptation and the diversification of the national energy matrix.

This Law seeks to promote the sustainable and democratic use of natural and cultural resources of the coastal zones of the Atlantic Ocean and the Rio de la Plata, in order to contribute to maintaining and improving the life quality and the social integration of the population in the territory.&nbsp; One of the Law's objectives is the adaptation of costal zone interventions to climate change and increased variability.&nbsp;

This law prohibits the use of the hydraulic fracturing procedure (fracking) for the exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbons for a period of four years.&nbsp; A National Commission for Scientific and Technical Evaluation (CNECT) is created within the scope of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining. In its action, the CNECT must take into account the international commitments assumed by the Republic, especially regarding energy, environmental and climate change policy.

Article 479 creates the post of a director of climate change.&nbsp;

National Adaptation Plan - Energy sector - Uruguay

Technical analysis of the fourth biennial update report of Uruguay submitted on 31 December 2021. Summary report by the team of technical experts, Technical Analysis Summary Report from Uruguay in 2023

Uruguay Second NDC, Nationally Determined Contribution from Uruguay in 2022

At least 15% share for renewables by 2015

30% of agroindustrial waste at least to produce energy by 2015 against a 2010 baseline

Uruguay

Documents

Targets (5)