The Americas Regional Meeting of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) will bring over 2,000 government representatives, civil society leaders, digital innovators, developers, journalists and research experts to further the open government agenda in the face of current global challenges.

Working Group: Openness in Natural Resources

As co-chair of OGP’s Openness in Natural Resource Working Group, WRI will co-host a roundtable with the Natural Resource Governance Institute. Speakers will discuss OGP commitments in the natural resources sector, evaluate the drivers and barriers impacting Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) governments’ ability to achieve their natural resource commitments, and identify recommendations to improve implementation.

At the event, the Working Group will launch its latest report Closing the Gap Strengthening the Development and Implementation of Natural Resource Commitments in the Open Government Partnership. It reveals that OGP countries have implemented less than 50 percent of natural resource commitments, while also highlighting truly transformative commitments that countries have completed. Government champions and civil society activists from Colombia, Mexico and Peru will share insights on improving natural resource commitments and implementation in OGP.  An interactive discussion focused on next steps will follow.

Date: November 21, 2017, 3:40 to 4:50 pm UTC

Location: Room 121

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Creating a Community of Practice on Water and Open Government in the LAC Region

Although varying significantly in size and economic development, LAC countries face similar challenges delivering an equitable, pollution-free, water supply and sanitation services to their citizens. More than 75 percent of the population in the LAC region lack access to safe sanitation, and only 15 percent of urban wastewater in the region is treated before being discharged into rivers, lakes or the sea.

Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 – universal access to safe water and sanitation by 2020 — will require adding water services for approximately 95 million people and sanitation services for some 170 million. Open government approaches can help LAC countries achieve this target by ensuring that strategies are inclusive and reach low-income, vulnerable populations and by increasing responsiveness and accountability to improve service delivery.

WRI, in partnership with the Avina Foundation and OGP Support Unit, will host a meeting to discuss the creation of a LAC Community of Practice on Water and Open Government in OGP. At least nine OGP countries in the LAC region have outlined innovative commitments focused on transparency and public engagement in the water governance sector in their most recent National Action Plans. This convergence offers an exciting opportunity to create a new partnership for peer exchange and networking and to develop key knowledge products and tools to support implementation of the commitments. RSVP for the event here.

Date: November 21, 2017, 7:00 to 8:30 pm UTC

Design and Implementation of OGP Commitments: Innovating To Ensure Public Participation is Meaningful, Impactful and Manageable

Governments are struggling to ensure public participation in environmental and climate policymaking is both meaningful and manageable. Public participation commitments have been made through OGP, but countries are still trying to identify the best approaches to reach those most directly affected by climate and natural resource policies.

This peer exchange workshop will seek to pinpoint common challenges in implementing public participation processes and innovations that address those obstacles.

Date: November 22, 2017, 3:20 to 4:30 pm UTC

Location: Auditorium 614

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