As Peru gears up to host UN climate change talks in December, global attention is turning to Latin America, a region particularly vulnerable to the effects of rising global temperatures but where strong economic growth has spurred energy-related emissions. As UN negotiators strive for an international agreement on cutting carbon emissions, Peru and many other Latin American countries are demonstrating that “green growth” strategies can promote economic development while keeping emissions in check.
Finding common ground in global climate talks has not been easy and Latin America is as divided as the rest of the world. The region’s hardliners are led by Venezuela, which participates in the group of “Like-Minded Developing Countries” including Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua as well as China, India and others. This group rejects climate change mitigation commitments for developing countries, arguing that the burden should fall on developed economies.
