As Latin America inches toward recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital that the region’s governments align their rebuilding strategies with their commitments under the 2015 Paris climate agreement. The U.S. could help make that happen.
Relations between the United States and much of Latin America are recovering after hitting rock bottom under former US President Donald Trump. But while President Joe Biden’s administration is focusing on the Central American migration crisis, it must not miss the opportunity to drive urgently needed climate action to help the region rebuild after the pandemic.
Colombia’s ambitious new pledge aims to reduce its emissions by 51 percent compared to projected emissions in 2030 and reduce black carbon or soot emissions by 40 percent compared to 2014. The new target is consistent with the Paris Agreement’s goal and has put Colombia on a more promising path to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Chile has a great opportunity to lead countries in the climate fight as it hosts world leaders for COP25 and APEC Summit in Santiago next December 2019.
The European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean have laid the groundwork to place the low-carbon and climate-resilient agenda at the heart of their relationships.
Since the incoming government of Jair Bolsonaro backed out of Brazil’s plan to host the COP25 meetings next year, five Latin American and Caribbean countries—Barbados, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Jamaica—have stepped up.
Greater cooperation between countries, states, cities, the private sector and civil society in the U.S. and Latin America can play a vital role in making the hemisphere more secure by improving resilience to climate change.
The confusion over Brazilian efforts to host COP25 points to a larger dysfunction, in Brazil and in the region at large.
Los riesgos de comprometer el orden mundial liberal es demasiado grande para América Latina. La región no puede darse el lujo de que la administración de Trump lo dañe. Es hora de luchar y defenderlo.
