Panama

Executive Summary

On youth and gender inclusion, Panama is rated as: above average.

According to Panama's updated NDC, the country contributes 0.036% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, yet it is one of three carbon negative countries in the world. In addition to maintaining emissions reductionos, Panama commits to reducing deforestation, revitalizing watersheds, restoring biodiversity and coral reefs, restoring agricultural land to agroforestry, and strengthening human health, settlements, and the economy.

On gender mainstreaming and youth inclusion, “participatory and gender-sensitive planning and decision-making approach for resilient and inclusive development” is a listed core principle of the NDC.” Nine thematic workshops open to the public were held with more than 250 participants from the private sector, civil society, youth, local governments, the scientific community and the public sector. Further, Panama’s NDC references its National Gender and Climate Change Plan, which aims to strengthen national capacities to mainstream the gender approach in processes, policies, strategies, programs and tools for environmental management and climate action for upholding the negative carbon status by 2050.

Civil society inclusion was strong in Panama’s NDC thanks to Article No. 25 of Law 6 of 2002, which establishes the modalities for citizen participation. Public hearings resulted in representation from the 10 provinces and 9 structures of the native peoples of Panama.

Key recommendations:

• Strengthen transparency on the communication of information on climate change and fruitful participation in climate policymaking as a human right, especially among women and youth.

• Move beyond active listening sessions to co-creation workshops with vulnerable communities to support designing the next NDC.

• Panama should publicly report on the progress and compliance of its NDCs, where each sector presents its indicators, compliance and gaps, so country-level efforts are accelerated and ambition is increased.

• The National Climate Action and Gender Plan aligns the country's climate commitments with gender actions; however, women's full and equal participation and their right to equal voice, responsibilities and opportunities to contribute to the country's climate agenda must be fulfilled.

• The meaningful participation of children, adolescents and youth in climate change processes should be optimized, including dialogue through the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), as well as creating formal mechanisms at the national level to ensure effective participation in the processes of updating, regulation and decision-making on climate change.

Quick Links:

• Panama’s 2020 NDC