Agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions—and a major victim of a changing climate, as rising temperatures and natural disasters threaten farmers’ ability to make a living and feed a growing population. With so much at stake, it’s no wonder that agriculture and food systems are becoming an increasing area of focus in […]
After years of wrangling over the need for a fund to support vulnerable countries in response to the “loss and damage” they suffer from climate change, COP28 agreed to set the fund in motion. The decision was greeted by a standing ovation—and widespread recognition that this marked only a small step forward. The decision […]
Uruguay, one of South America’s smallest countries, is attracting outsized attention over its transition to green electricity. It didn’t happen simply by building a bunch of wind and solar farms, the architect of the strategy said, but by rethinking the entire energy system. And, he said, other countries could do that too. Ramón Méndez […]
Latin America has competitive advantages that could make it a “clean energy powerhouse,” but investment in the sector must double by 2030. That was a key message from Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), at the release of the organization’s first in-depth report on the region. The report found […]
In a move intended to accelerate the market for clean hydrogen in the United States, the Biden administration announced that the federal government will invest $7 billion to establish seven regional hydrogen hubs around the country. “It’s all part of my plan to make things in America,” President Joe Biden said at the announcement […]
The climate crisis poses a direct threat to development. In The Bahamas, for example, the impacts of climate change account for as much as half the national debt, according to Prime Minister Philip Davis. “Any discussion of sustainable development must be had in the context of our climate reality,” he said. Speaking at the […]
Blistering. Boiling. Burning. Scorching. Searing. Sweltering. The adjectives may vary, but the simple fact is that the past three months have been hot. In fact, this has been the warmest summer on record in the Northern Hemisphere and the warmest winter south of the equator. The average global land and ocean surface temperature for […]
The recent Amazon Summit in Brazil drew widespread criticism for the lack of specific commitments. But one environmental expert who was there identified some reasons for hope—in the host city and in the Amazon region itself. For Enrique Ortiz, Senior Program Director of a philanthropic organization called the Andes Amazon Fund, one reason to […]
Leaders of the eight South American countries that make up the Amazon region met in Belém, Brazil, to advance “a new common agenda” aimed at reducing deforestation, protecting biodiversity, and preventing the region from reaching an environmental “point of no return.” Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva described the two-day summit, held August […]
Chile is creating a US$1 billion fund to catalyze private investment in green hydrogen projects. The fund could be a game-changer for the development of the industry in the country and serve a test case for the entire region, according to one Chilean official. The fund, which is slated to open for business in […]
With the planet breaking heat records and countries under increasing pressure to meet their decarbonization goals, action on green hydrogen seems to be on the rise everywhere. One small country that is taking some big steps—on a national, regional, and global level—is Panama. Like many other countries in the region and beyond, Panama sees […]
The Dominican Republic is seeing a boom these days in renewable energy, with 17 projects under construction. What accounts for this success? And what steps is the country taking to stay ahead of the challenges? Antonio Almonte, Minister of Energy and Mines, credited sound public policies—including less bureaucracy and more transparency—with spurring “a major […]
Four years after Hurricane Dorian ravaged parts of The Bahamas, the island nation will host a ministerial meeting that will shine a spotlight, fittingly, on how countries in the Americas can work more closely together to tackle the climate crisis. The Fourth Inter-American Meeting of Ministers and High-Level Authorities on Sustainable Development will take […]
The Caribbean region is replete with renewable energy resources—sun, wind, ocean waves, biomass, geothermal—and yet it is nowhere close to ending its dependence on fossil fuels. How can the region begin to realize its potential on renewables and speed up the energy transition? That was one of the questions on the minds of participants […]
In Barbados, all beaches are open to the public; they are considered part of the nation’s patrimony. That is how the government wants citizens to see renewable energy too, as something open to all Barbadians. In a recent interview with the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), Minister of Energy and Business […]
What legal obligations do governments have to protect against the effects of climate change? And what are the legal consequences if they fail to do so? These questions are about to go to the United Nations’ principal judicial body, in one of the latest and highest-profile examples of climate action in the courts. On […]
Many of the policies and laws needed to drive the energy transition and respond to climate change are national or even global in scope—but plenty of progress can be made at the local level too. The opportunity to act locally is the whole idea behind the inaugural Cities Summit of the Americas. More than […]
What if a country’s forests were worth more left intact than cut down? That is starting to happen in Guyana, which is leading the world on carbon credits for its vast tropical forests—even in the midst of an offshore oil boom. Guyana’s initial carbon credits, which have been a long time in the making, […]
Several Latin American and Caribbean countries have been exploring the prospects for offshore wind, and so far, Brazil and Colombia seem to be making the most headway. Despite the challenges of cost, scale, and complexity, experts say that this energy resource could play an important role in the region’s decarbonization plans. Brazil and Colombia […]
Trinidad and Tobago will be able to move ahead with plans to develop offshore natural gas from a field in Venezuelan waters, now that it has received a green light from the U.S. government. “This is a significant development with far-reaching consequences,” Prime Minister Keith Rowley said. Being able to tap into Venezuela’s offshore […]
Oceans are so vast—covering nearly three-fourths of the Earth’s surface—that it may be hard to think of them as vulnerable. But threats to the world’s oceans are real and growing. Our Ocean 2023, a global conference about to take place in Panama, will focus on how to protect this part of the planet. The […]
In just a few weeks, the United Nations will mark the 50th anniversary of a landmark treaty designed to ensure that international trade does not threaten the survival of the world’s wild animals and plants. The milestone comes at a time of increasing global awareness that nature is in trouble. UN Secretary-General António Guterres […]
From electric vehicles to critical minerals to clean hydrogen, Canada, Mexico, and the United States found plenty of common ground on climate and energy at the North American Leaders’ Summit (NALS) held shortly into the new year. That’s good for the relationship and good for the planet, several panelists said at a recent forum. […]
How can developing countries foot the massive bill for climate action? As several Caribbean and Latin American leaders said at last month’s global climate conference in Egypt, the answer cannot be simply more debt. One major problem: the cost of capital. Countries in the Global North typically borrow at interest rates of between 1% […]
At the recent global climate conference in Egypt, Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for renewed cooperation across the Americas to protect the Amazon and announced that his country would allocate $200 million annually for the next 20 years toward that effort. “We are determined to revitalize the Amazon rainforest,” he said during a public […]
What do solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicle batteries have in common? Besides contributing to a green economy, they all rely on critical minerals that must be mined. This means that the mining industry has a key role to play in the global energy transition. But pressure is growing for mining to become greener, […]
Agave is best known as the source of tequila, but a project in central Mexico aims to make this ubiquitous plant useful around the world for its ability to regenerate the soil, retain water, and capture carbon. An organization called Vía Orgánica—based in San Miguel de Allende, in the state of Guanajuato—is working with […]
Chile, Colombia, and Brazil have made the most strides so far in developing a hydrogen economy in Latin America, but they are hardly alone. The Second Latin America & Caribbean Hydrogen Economy Index (H2LAC Index 2022)—a tool first introduced last year to track progress in this burgeoning industry—showed a significant increase in activity across […]
The transition to clean energy is happening, but not without some setbacks along the way, according to high-level energy officials from four countries, who spoke at an event organized by the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). The event, titled “Strategies to accelerate the energy transition in Latin America,” featured officials from […]
One of Mexico’s largest metropolitan areas has been grappling this summer with a severe water shortage. Now, faced with the likelihood that climate change will only bring more droughts in the future, local, state, and federal officials are trying to become better prepared. The crisis in Monterrey—the capital of the northeastern state of Nuevo […]
To keep a healthy bank balance, it’s important not only to have enough deposits coming in but to limit the amount of money going out. That’s a simple but useful analogy for thinking about water—especially at a time of tightening supply, according to water expert Brian Richter. As with money, the timing of the […]
A scorching summer across North America and Europe this year has provided a stark reminder that a warming climate can have severe consequences not only for the environment but for human health. As hot days become hotter and more frequent, the harmful effects on the human body are only expected to intensify—especially in highly urbanized […]
Prices are high for oil, natural gas, and coal—all the more reason to accelerate the transition to renewable energy. That is a growing priority for the Dominican Republic, which takes the helm of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) for the next two years. The Dominican Republic still generates most of […]
If reducing carbon dioxide emissions is a marathon, the task of cutting methane emissions is a sprint, said Marcelo Mena, CEO of the recently established Global Methane Hub. Mitigating methane, he said, “will help us cool the world this decade.” Methane is what is known as a short-lived climate pollutant. On the minus side, […]
A cow grazing placidly in a field might as well be a gas-guzzling vehicle, given the quantity of methane it belches out during the digestive process. But a species of seaweed may hold the answer to that particular emissions problem—if scientists and entrepreneurs can figure out a way to produce enough of it. The […]
U.S. President Joe Biden said he wants to “intensify the relationship with the Caribbean,” including through the new U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030. Vice President Kamala Harris officially launched the initiative—called PACC 2030 for short—during a meeting with leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Dominican Republic held at the […]
The Ninth Summit of the Americas, held recently in Los Angeles, brought to light plenty of disagreements and divisions—starting with the much-publicized controversy over the invitation list—but the need for climate action was one area where the region’s presidents and prime ministers found much common ground. “We have three global crises, and any one […]
One year after the entry into force of the Escazú Agreement—a regional treaty designed to protect the environment and those who defend it—Chilean President Gabriel Boric called for urgent joint action to confront the climate crisis. “Either we save ourselves together or we sink separately,” he said, “and I believe that the Escazú Agreement points […]
In Mexico, the legislature has blocked the latest attempt by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to reverse course on energy reforms enacted under the previous administration. But the outlook for the country’s electricity industry remains uncertain. Two developments in April, which took place just 10 days apart, marked the latest twists and turns in […]
Solar and wind are clean, renewable sources of energy, yet they are available only intermittently. But what if they could be turned into a stable supply of electricity? A French energy company is developing several projects in the region to do just that, with the help of green hydrogen. HDF Energy—the acronym stands for […]
In much of the world—including parts of the Americas—cooking indoors over an open fire is still a common practice, one that causes serious harm to the environment and to human health. Why is access to clean cooking such a seemingly intractable challenge? And why doesn’t it get more attention? Like access to electricity, access […]
Oil prices have hit their highest levels in years—a consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—and the repercussions are already being felt across the Americas. The region’s oil producers will benefit, but for many countries and consumers, it’s yet another reminder of the high cost of dependence on imported energy. If climate change wasn’t motivation […]
Suriname is the most densely forested country in the world, and it is all in on the transition to renewable energy. It is also on the cusp of a major oil boom. How will the country manage the transition to an oil-based economy and a green energy economy at the same time? Surinamese President […]
The energy transition can be a powerful engine of economic recovery that helps to drive a more just and inclusive society. That was one of the central messages of the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), hosted this month by Panama. President Laurentino Cortizo welcomed energy ministers […]
On any given day, it may be easy to get discouraged about the pace of the energy transition, but look at the big picture and there’s a lot of reason for hope, John Kerry assured participants at the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). “I’m excited about […]
“Just and Inclusive Energy Transitions” will be the focus of the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), which takes place February 10 and 11 in the Panamanian capital. The event will bring together energy ministers and other high-level officials from Latin America and the Caribbean. In a […]
Like the other small island developing states in the English-speaking Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago is highly vulnerable to climate change. But unlike its counterparts, it has an economy that is heavily dependent on hydrocarbons. That makes the energy transition especially tricky. Prime Minister Keith Rowley hinted at the difficulty of the task ahead in […]
2010-04-21Nuestra visión es un futuro energético y climático sostenible para el Hemisferio
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