What is holding Latin American countries back from reducing carbon emissions? Sandra Guzman points to the central role that fossil fuels play in key economies of South America. With the discovery of non-conventional sources of fossil fuels in countries like Brazil and Mexico, tackling an energy transition might become even more challenging. The diversification of the energy matrix in order to transition from fossil fuels towards renewable energy is a fundamental key to addressing climate change, because an energy sector based on fossil fuels is a major source of the greenhouse gases emissions that alter the climate system, according to the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC, 2013). However, the transition towards cleaner energy is becoming more difficult. Why is that so? There is not a single answer; instead there are three key issues. First, the Latin American fossil fuel industry is one of the most powerful in the world, and there is little willingness of producer countries to reduce their income for the benefit of the environment. Second, the consumption of fossil fuels is … Continue reading The role of Latin America in global emissions