The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement present Latin America with an invaluable chance to revise and redirect policies and investment towards building more prosperous, low-carbon and resilient economies. Concerns in the region about the current economic malaise should not distract attention from the implementation of the SDGs or the Paris Agreement. Spanish companies working in the energy, infrastructure, waste management and consulting sectors could benefit from ambitious climate action in Latin America. This paper provides an overview of Latin America’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions followed by an analysis of the physical, economic and political risks facing Latin America’s development model within the context of the new climate and sustainability agenda. It reviews the SDGs and the Paris Agreement as a framework for action and examines some of the opportunities and challenges for Spanish investors in low-carbon and climate resilient development in Latin America.

Read the full policy brief here.

A schism is opening between two groups calling for action on climate change: the dreamers and the plodders. The dreamers are panicked by the mountains of scientific evidence on climate change and call for a massive transformation of our energy system to keep the planet safe. The plodders advocate more realistic steps in the face of political gridlock. Of course both arguments have their merits, but until these two groups reach a consensus on how to move forward, real solutions will remain on the horizon, just out of reach. ​

Incrementalism or revolution? The question facing Democrat supporters and climate campaigners as they decide between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders

In an earlier blog, I reviewed the important distinctions between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders on climate change. There are many other elements of her record on the issue one could focus upon, but her role in creating the Copenhagen Accord has had vast impact and reflects her pragmatic, and ultimately neoliberal, approach.

Democrat candidates both agree global warming is a pressing issue, but their plans to tackle the issue are significantly different (Part 1 of 2). Though less discussed than several other major issues that separate them, climate change is one where Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders’ positions and records markedly diverge.

Climate change is a revealing issue to provide a glimpse into what level of change each candidate and their supporters see as necessary.
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Most centrally, many of Senator Sanders’ core supporters have strongly held beliefs about the urgency of addressing climate change, and have grave concerns about the approach proposed by Secretary Clinton.
Both candidates strongly agree that climate change is happening and human caused, and that action is needed now.

In our previous piece, we described how the fossil fuel industry has successfully delayed action on climate change, but noted a distinct difference in their response in Paris, compared to at previous key moments in the global effort to address the issue.
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Why was 2015 different, with little public action by climate deniers? In an effort to expand the public discussion and understanding of what might actually be going on behind the scenes on this crucial issue, we propose three very different theories of why the climate denial machine was quiet in the Paris round. We provide some pointers to some evidence as they are available, but much of this story remains uninvestigated. Our final section describes the outlines of what appears to be the new strategic focus of the fossil fuel industries in the face of inevitable global action on climate change.

By Sohum Chokshi 

Three facts.

1) People of color in the United States - especially Black and indigenous people - suffer the most from climate change.

2) People of color support environmental issues more than whites.

3) According to a 2014 report, people of color make up of only 12% to 16% of mainstream environmental NGOs, foundations, and governmental agencies. 
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Let that sink in.