Lateinamerika.PotenziAL
The BMBF initiative Lateinamerika.PotenziAL sets the strategic context and provides guidelines for our cooperation. For German researchers, Latin America has a lot to offer, such as
- precious research resources, for example in biodiversity, geology or renewable energies,
- constantly evolving, attractive research infrastructures and
- excellently trained cooperation partners. Scientists conduct high-level research and many of them are former German or European scholarship holders with contacts to numerous research institutions in Germany or Europe.
Research cooperation
The Latin American region is particularly affected by climate change, loss of biodiversity and infectious diseases. These global challenges can no longer be solved by individual countries, and we too feel their impact in our daily lives. That is why German and Latin American researchers are working together to find solutions.
However, the climatic and geological particularities of the region also provide opportunities for German researchers. The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has made the driest place in the world, the Atacama desert in the border region between Peru and Chile, its most important research site. The BMBF provides funding to ESO.
Other important research topics include ensuring resource and energy security. In addition, German and Latin American research institutions conduct joint research in the humanities and social sciences, care, healthcare and smart services. There is a clear trend towards interdisciplinary research in cooperation with Latin America.
Foundations of the partnership with Latin America
The world order is becoming ever more complex and the geopolitical situation is changing. Europe, Germany and Latin America do not only share historic and cultural ties. We also have a long tradition of cooperation in research and innovation.
In the 1960s and 70s, the Federal Government signed framework agreements on scientific and technical cooperation with important partner countries in Latin America. Since the 1990s, the BMBF has continued to expand this long-standing cooperation by adding on current topics and new partner countries.
Potential in Latin America
The region has a broad network of well-equipped higher education and research institutions. By working together with outstanding Latin American scientists, German partners obtain access to research resources and data sources. The BMBF also supports cooperation on the establishment and common use of research structures in Latin America.
Guidelines for action in cooperation
The BMBF strives to establish partnerships on an equal footing with Latin America, based on three principles for action:
- strengthening the international competitiveness of German industry
- tapping new market potential in Latin America for German industry
- assuming global responsibility together with Latin America
Partner countries in the region
Latin America stretches across 20 million square kilometres and is home to over 600 million people. The BMBF cooperates primarily with the priority countries Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Mexico and Uruguay. There are also topic-specific partnerships with other countries, for example Cuba, Ecuador and Peru.
Frequently asked questions – FAQ
Why is it not possible to study biodiversity without collaborating with Latin America?
The biodiversity crisis is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Clean air, clean water and high-quality soil depend on our Earth's biological diversity. Biodiversity also helps us in our fight against climate change and reduces the impact of natural disasters.
Latin America is of central importance since Mexico, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador and Peru are among the 17 countries identified as being megadiverse. Joint applied biodiversity research in the "hotspot" regions in Latin America contributes to protecting endangered habitats.
What do German astronomers find in Chile’s desert and Argentina’s high plateaus?
Clear views, a dark sky and plenty of space. Those are the prerequisites to look into the vast expanse of the cosmos. These are conditions that cannot be found in Europe. That is why the European Southern Observatory (ESO) has chosen to establish its most important research site in the driest place on earth - the Atacama desert between Peru and Chile. ESO is an international science organization with 16 European member states; Germany is the biggest member.
The Andean plateau in Mendoza, Argentina, is an ideal site for the Pierre Auger Observatory located at around 1500 m above sea level. The high altitude observatory is a global leader in measuring high-energy cosmic radiation. More than 450 scientists from 17 countries work at the observatory, including 100 from Germany. The BMBF provided €8.3 million to co-finance the construction and participation of German research groups in the observatory.
What are the advantages of cooperating with Latin America in the fields of regenerative energy sources and green hydrogen?
Latin America has a huge potential of renewable biomaterials, which are important for generating renewable energy. Water power, wind energy and high solar radiation have played a major role in power generation in Latin America for a long time. Costa Rica, for example, is a global pioneer in using regenerative energy sources for power generation (98 % of electricity comes from renewable sources).
Sun and wind are needed to produce green hydrogen. Latin America has plenty of both. Many Latin American countries are therefore investing in green hydrogen for their own use, but also for export, for example to Europe. This is also an interesting prospect for Germany. That is why the BMBF promotes relevant projects, for example, for networking German and Uruguayan research institutions in green hydrogen research.
Editorial deadline for this text: 01.11.2024