The United Nations Environment Program, UNEP, inaugurated its first office in the Brazilian capital in mid-April. The aim is to take advantage of Brazil's environmental experience to benefit the rest of Latin America and the Portuguese-speaking countries of Africa. “We need Brazil's experience in several areas, including renewable energy, in which it is a leader,” Ricardo Sánchez, UNEP director for Latin America and the Caribbean, told Tierramérica. Brazil heads the regional initiative for 10 percent of energy production to come from renewable sources by 2010.

The office in Brasilia, to be led by Brazilian expert Cristina Montenegro, will also be strategic in promoting local environmental training, and one of its first projects will be to create an environmental monitoring network.