Uruguay

Bioeconomy emerges as a development paradigm aimed at replacing fossil resources in the face of global challenges such as population growth, urbanization, climate change, depletion of non-renewable resources, and biodiversity loss. Sustainable bioeconomy plays a key role in transitioning to an economy designed to operate within planetary boundaries.
This approach supports international environmental commitments related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and combating desertification, as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations.
The goal of the National Strategy for Sustainable Bioeconomy (ENBS) is to position bioeconomy as an opportunity to consolidate productive diversification through the sustainable use of biological resources. The vision is for the country to strengthen its international position by adopting a sustainable, efficient, and innovative approach to using its biological and natural resources.
Bioeconomy development relies on the sustainable use of natural resources to ensure long-term economic growth. It serves as an integrative policy framework adopted by several countries to boost competitiveness, create jobs, promote social inclusion, and address environmental and climate change challenges

The National Urban Rainwater Plan (PNAPU) is part of the National Water Plan and focus on urban drainage, drinking water, and sanitation. Its main goal is to ensure universal and sustainable access to these services while promoting efficient, effective, and quality water management.
A key objective is to integrate climate change impacts into the design and management of stormwater drainage systems. This includes incorporating climate risk management into stormwater projects and master plans, considering climate change scenarios, and conducting climate projections for design criteria. The aim is to develop a national methodology for including climate change in scenarios of economic constraints and high uncertainty, with the expectation that these criteria will become mandatory for approving drainage projects. The plan's strategy focuses on providing adequate flood protection, minimising pollution, and promoting the value of water and its services in urban areas, while improving living conditions.

Following Resolution No. 294/022, dated December 20, 2022, the Executive Power assigned the Ministry of Industry, Energy, and Mining (MIEM) the task of implementing and managing the "H2U Program" with the objective of promoting the development of green hydrogen in Uruguay. Consequently, a "Green Hydrogen and Derivatives Roadmap for Uruguay" was formulated, which consolidates a strategic and programmatic instrument with a 2040 horizon. This roadmap aims to establish the goals and sectors that will drive the hydrogen economy, promoting sustainable and low-carbon development for the country.
The MIEM Resolution S/N approves this roadmap.

This document contains the National Strategy for Agricultural Development (SENDA), which is part of state policies aimed at increasing the productivity of agro-industrial chains, fishing, and aquaculture in a sustainable manner. SENDA thus contributes to the national goal of stimulating long-term economic growth, promoting social inclusion, and improving human well-being. SENDA also seeks to facilitate compliance with environmental commitments, such as the Paris Agreement (United Nations, 2015b) to combat climate change, the Sendai Framework (2015a) for disaster risk reduction, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), and other multilateral environmental agreementsIn response to the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Uruguay set the goal of reducing absolute emissions (in the Second Nationally Determined Contribution or NDC2) with specific targets for the agricultural sector - for instance stabilizing methane and nitrous oxide emissions to ensure they do not generate additional warming. Following a national and international diagnosis, the document outlines six strategic dimensions identified as key to organizing public policies for sector development, namely: 1) International integration; 2) Infrastructure and logistics; 3) Sustainability of agroecosystems; 4) Productive and social development; 5) Information technologies for agriculture; and 6) Institutional capacities.

The NAP-E's main purpose is to improve the adaptability of the Uruguayan energy system, strengthen its resilience, and reduce its vulnerability to climate threats. This plan acknowledges the high levels of uncertainty associated with climate change, as well as the uncertainty inherent in technological evolution, and adopts an iterative, adaptive, and continuous learning approach. This approach will establish the necessary working processes to integrate climate change adaptation across all sectors, involving all key stakeholders, including the public sector, private sector, and academia.
The overall objective of the NAP-E is to reduce the climate vulnerability of the Uruguayan energy system to ensure it continues to fulfill its essential role of providing quality energy access to the population and contributing to the country’s sustainable development.
To achieve this objective, the NAP-E is structured around five lines of action to be implemented progressively, ensuring continuous and effective adaptation: Governance, Capacity strengthening and awareness, Information management and knowledge generation, Vulnerability reduction, and Monitoring, evaluation, and learning.

The creation of the Climate and Nature Fund is part of a strategic vision focused on the urgent need to conserve the environment and natural resources for the benefit of both current and future generations. This fund also presents an opportunity to strengthen Uruguay’s international commercial strategy and attract non-repayable investments and resources, based on the country’s progress in environmental sustainability in recent decades.
The fund will help channel potential benefits (such as lower interest rates or reduced capital) and co-benefits (such as donations) derived from sustainable debt instruments into concrete actions at the national level.
The Climate and Nature Fund will be used to finance actions that contribute to achieving the indicators outlined in sustainable sovereign financing instruments. The fund will be managed by the Executive Power, with the establishment of an Advisory Committee for the fund under the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The committee will be composed of representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Finance (which will also chair the committee), the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Industry, Energy, and Mining, the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In November 2023, Law No. 20212 was enacted, which in Article No. 584 authorised the Executive Power to establish a Trust Fund for Administration, which will be called the "Trust Fund for Sustainable Mobility." This will be a milestone in the incorporation of electric buses into the fleet, as it will allow for the redesign of the ticket subsidy to promote this technology.

It brings the national budget for the period of 2020-2024. Its Art 533 says: The Executive Power will seek to generate the tools and adopt the necessary criteria so that the income and expenditure policy includes the national objectives for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. Additionally, these objectives will be incorporated into the analysis and design of economic policy and the planning of public finances.

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.

Uruguay National Inventory Report (NIR). 2024

Uruguay Biennial Transparency Report. BTR1

National Adaptation Plan - Energy sector - Uruguay

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)