- Alejandra Laina, the new director of Initiative 20x20, also serves as the Manager of Natural Resources at World Resources Institute Colombia.
Thanks to the work of Initiative 20x20, 8.2 million hectares have been brought under restoration and 14.6 million hectares are in new conservation areas since 2015.
Alejandra Laina, Manager of Natural Resources at World Resources Institute (WRI) Colombia, is assuming leadership of Initiative 20x20, a regional platform that unites 18 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean, along with three regional programs, to bring more than 52 million hectares of degraded land under restoration and conservation by 2030. WRI is secretariat of the Initiative and also implements its strategy.
"Initiative 20x20 will continue working to transform the present and future of Latin America and the Caribbean, enhancing ecosystem resilience and improving millions of lives. To achieve this, we need member countries’ commitment to foster innovation, secure financial resources, and promote unprecedented cross-sector collaboration. Only then can we accelerate our efforts, reach our goals, and build a resilient and prosperous future where nature and humanity can coexist in harmony," emphasized Laina.
The new Initiative 20x20 director holds a degree in Environmental Administration from the Technological University of Pereira. With over fifteen years in the environmental sector, Laina has served in various organizations, including the Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development (FCDS), National Natural Parks of Colombia, and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS Colombia), focusing on protected area management and community engagement. Alongside her new capacity as Initiative 20x20 Director, Laina will continue her role as WRI's Natural Resources Manager for Colombia.
Laina's appointment came during the Initiative 20x20 Annual Meeting in Puerto Varas, Chile, on April 9-10, 2025. The event brought together Ministers of Agriculture and Environment, vice ministers, delegates, and technical and financial partners from all 18 member countries: Belize, Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
The Initiative 20x20 Annual Meeting
Following productive dialogues at this year’s Annual Meeting, Ministers of Agriculture and Environment issued the Puerto Varas Declaration, agreeing to advance policies that promote ecosystem restoration and sustainable resource management. The agreement incorporates ambitious targets into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and into national and subnational biodiversity strategies.
The ministers will also work to enable sustainable production through technological innovation and traditional knowledge, while attracting investments and financial resources that highlight Latin America and the Caribbean's role on the global stage. The Declaration emphasizes the need for cross-sector cooperation to drive and fund restoration projects, linking the private sector to this work.
"Approximately 19.6% of lands in Latin America and the Caribbean face various levels of degradation, with about 2% of natural forests lost each year. The region experiences the world's highest biodiversity loss at 95%, due to pollution, resource overexploitation, pests and diseases, invasive species, and habitat destruction," states the Declaration.
"In this context, restoring degraded lands, landscapes, and ecosystems serves as a fundamental strategy to build resilience against these environmental challenges, improve livelihoods, and enhance the well-being of growing populations, particularly among vulnerable communities."
Advancing Progress in the Region Through Initiative 20x20
More than 40% of forests in Latin America and the Caribbean have already been completely deforested or degraded. Restoration efforts targeting forests, farmlands, grasslands, and other landscapes could generate $23 billion in net economic benefits over the next five decades, while reducing emissions by approximately 60%.
Against this backdrop, Initiative 20x20 launched at COP 20 in Lima in 2014, supported by 85 technical organizations and institutions. The initiative focuses on creating and supporting land restoration projects throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. These projects demonstrate how sustainable land management improves community quality of life by creating jobs, producing food sustainably, and protecting biodiversity. Currently, 8.2 million hectares are undergoing restoration, with 14.6 million hectares designated as new conservation areas.
Under Alejandra Laina's leadership, Initiative 20x20 will continue advancing restoration policies, national strategies, and regulatory frameworks. It will facilitate enabling conditions for nature-based productive practices through innovation and technology, develop new public and private investment mechanisms, mobilize financial resources nationally and internationally, strengthen collaboration among public, private, academic, and civil society entities, and accelerate efforts to achieve its ambitious goals.