Taciana Fonseca Marques, 2010 LLM Graduate From the Sturm College of Law, Working for the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C.

Taciana Fonseca Marques, a 2010 Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy LLM Program graduate from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, is working for the Inter-American Development Bank.

Currently Ms. Marques is stationed in Washington, D.C., where she provides legal advice on the bank's loans and guarantees.

Beginning in mid-2011, she will spend two years working in Brazil where she will be responsible for helping move forward transport infrastructure projects. Specifically she will serve as coordinator for the Government of Sao Paulo's Public Private Partnership Commission for Concessions for rail and subways.

Ms. Marques earned her Brazilian legal license and practiced law in the country before coming to study at the University of Denver.

Don C. Smith, Director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy Program, said, "It is thrilling for us at the Sturm College of Law to see Taciana in this key position at the IBD. The next several years will be exciting ones for Brazil, where the World Cup and the Olympics will soon take place. Ms. Marques' efforts to help develop additional infrastructure in her home country will benefit Brazil as well as all who will visit Brazil. We congratulate her on achieving this important position and extend our best wishes for her future success."

Established in 1959, the IBD is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, "with a strong commitment to achieve measurable results, increased integrity, transparency and accountability," according to the IBD.

While a regular bank in many ways, the IBD is also unique in some key respects. Besides loans, the bank provide grants, technical assistance, and does research. The IBD's shareholders are 48 member countries, including 26 Latin American and Caribbean borrowing members, who have a majority ownership of the IDB.

Inter-American Development Bank to Promote Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in the Entire Western Hemisphere

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the United States have announced an enhanced effort to promote the development of clean energy sources throughout the western hemisphere.

Recently the IDB and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) signed an agreement aimed at facilitating DOE assistance to the IDB in the distribution of about $3 billion in funds for clean energy projects. An example of how the money will be spent was offered by IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno who said the bank would propose to the Haitian government a new energy infrastructure aimed at harnessing the island's wind, solar, and hydroelectric potential. He said:

"One billion dollars [for this project] is a lot of money...But imagine what it would mean to Haiti to reduce its burden from fuel imports. Furthermore, this would prove that renewable energy isn't a luxury, but rather a smart way of unleashing human potential in even the most difficult of settings."

The IDB and the DOE are also planning to establish an Energy Partnership for the Americas Innovation Center, which will be staffed by world leading renewable energy experts.

In addressing the partnership, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noted the increasing interest in renewable energy all across the hemisphere and how energy issues are related to economic development:

"[The large income gap between north and south] is the most important challenge we face as fellow Americans. What do we do to make sure that we create rising incomes, improving standards of living for people from the Arctic to the very tip of South America? Energy is one of the keys that will unlock what has been a consistent challenge over so many decades. We cannot lose this opportunity."

Established in 1959, the IDB is the world's largest development bank. It reports to 48 western hemisphere countries.