Key Posts

A New “Why” for Climate Action

The world needs a new “why” for climate action. Unless the public embraces a vision for climate action that is consistent with their notions of prosperity, politicians will not challenge the status quo inside their governments and political parties. Latin American countries need a new “why” for climate action; and nowhere is this potential for reframing political storytelling on climate action greater than in middle-income developing countries. The public is worried about climate change. But is it asking politicians to commit to bold climate action at home? Not yet.

Platform publishes new policy brief on how to strengthen public policies on agriculture, livestock and forests in Latin America

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The impacts of climate change in Latin America are increasingly alarming and greatly affect the agricultural, livestock and forestry sectors. This leads to a situation of economic, social, environmental and political vulnerability in the region; while putting at risk human and food security and the basic conditions necessary to reduce poverty.

April 11, 2013 | More on Key Posts, Public Climate Change Policies, REDD+ | Bolivia, CDKN, Colombia, Peru | Comment

Peru and Venezuela compete to host COP20 in 2014

Guy Edwards

Next year a Latin American and the Caribbean country will host the annual UN climate change negotiations or ‘COP20’ of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Rumours are circulating that Peru and Venezuela are interested in hosting COP20. As the 2015 deadline to create a new global climate change treaty looms closer, Peru appears to be the stronger candidate.

February 13, 2013 | More on International Climate Negotiations, Key Posts | AILAC, Cartagena-Dialogue, COP15, COP16, COP17, COP18, COP20, Mexico, Peru, UNFCCC, Venezuela | Comment

The Politics of Climate Change in Latin America: Leaders and Laggards

Guy Edwards

Yesterday, I spoke at an Anglo-Ecuadorian Society event at the Casa Ecuatoriana in London on Latin America and climate change. Latin America is a key battleground and laboratory for confronting climate change and decisions taken in Latin American capitals and by their negotiators at the UN climate change talks could have major implications for the UN climate regime and the region’s development options this century. Here are a few extracts from the talk.

Integrating Climate Migration into Latin American regional forums

Jesús Marcos Gamero Rus

The integration of the link between human displacement and the impacts of environment and climate change into the political agenda should be considered as one of the main actions to take when facing these issues. An inclusive approach that brings together the state and regional political structures, as well as civil society and other stakeholders, is necessary if the goal is to share the views of each group and design possible joint proposals.

January 14, 2013 | More on Key Posts | IPCC | Comment

IDB: LAC must urgently adapt to the dangerous consequences of a changing climate

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December 18, 2012 | More on Adaptation, Agriculture, Key Posts, Vulnerability | Brazil, Caribbean, Inter-American Development Bank | Comment

A New Latin American Climate Negotiating Group: The Greenest Shoots in the Doha Desert

Timmons Roberts and Guy Edwards

Well-worn stories of dinosaurs like the United States and India battling it out in the United Nations climate change negotiations in Doha last week continue to crowd out other, more positive stories that need to be told. Rather than retelling the story of sticking points between the rich countries of the global North and those of the developing South, it’s crucial to see where something new is breaking through. The greenest shoots we saw at COP18 were from a group of developing countries scarcely mentioned in the media’s fascination with conflict and acrimony between the different Parties and blocs.

December 13, 2012 | More on International Climate Negotiations, Key Posts | AILAC, Chile, Colombia, COP18, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Peru | Comment

Mexican and Brazilian cooperation on climate crucial for driving change

Guy Edwards

By Guy Edwards and Cody Zeger*

As Mexico hosts the G20 Leaders’ Summit followed later this week by the Rio+20 Conference in Brazil, both countries climate credentials are under serious scrutiny. Little serious bilateral cooperation has taken place between these regional and global leaders on climate change. However, cooperation could prove essential for achieving greater action on climate change in Latin America and abroad.