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The STeP Fellowship program (2020-2024) aims to bridge the gap between science and policy in Latin America and the Caribbean by embedding scientists within public or private host organizations. The program provides a two-year professional development curriculum focused on leadership, communication, and science diplomacy, while establishing an inter-American network to share best practices in evidence-based policy for global change and sustainable development.

The policy brief advocates for the G20 to push the IMF for a new $650 billion SDR allocation to address the intersecting debt and climate crises in the Global South. It argues that SDRs are a critical alternative to debt-based financing, as they do not require repayment and can be used for fiscal support, climate adaptation, and mitigation. The brief also recommends that the IMF revert its accounting of SDRs from liabilities to equity (as per BPM5) to prevent artificial increases in debt-to-GDP ratios and facilitate the donation of unused SDRs from advanced economies to indebted nations.

The fourth edition of the ATT Monitor evaluates the state of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) through three primary lenses: regional analysis of Asia and Latin America/Caribbean, an assessment of annual and initial reporting practices by State Parties, and an investigation into arms diversion. It identifies significant gaps in reporting compliance, specifically regarding the failure of State Parties to update initial reports on national control systems.

The report identifies a critical gap in electricity access for health-care facilities in low- and middle-income countries, estimating that nearly 1 billion people are served by facilities with no or unreliable power. It argues that reliable electricity is a fundamental enabler of universal health coverage, essential for life-saving services such as maternal care, immunization, and emergency response. The document provides a comprehensive framework for electrification, emphasizing decentralized renewable energy—particularly solar PV—as a cost-effective and climate-resilient alternative to grid extension. It estimates an urgent investment need of US$ 4.9 billion to bring facilities in 63 assessed countries up to minimal electrification levels. Key recommendations include moving from an 'install and forget' to an 'install and maintain' approach, integrating health and energy sector planning, and utilizing geospatial tools for precise needs assessments.

Mexico has utilized the CCAC SNAP initiative to develop a strategic national plan for reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), specifically black carbon and methane. By leveraging tools like LEAP-IBC and coordinating through the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC), Mexico integrated SLCP targets into its 2015 Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), aiming for a 51% reduction in black carbon by 2030. Key sectoral actions include mandating EURO VI technology for new buses in Mexico City by 2018 and implementing clean cookstove and waste management projects in coastal wetland communities.

Peru is utilizing the SNAP toolkit to address outdoor air pollution, which causes approximately 9,373 premature deaths annually. The country has established a dedicated SLCP Unit within the Ministry of Environment and is forming inter-ministerial and technical committees to develop a national emission inventory and cost-benefit analyses for mitigation. Current priority actions target diesel vehicles, cookstoves, brick production, and solid waste, with a transition toward EURO V vehicle emission standards between 2010 and 2021. Notable achievements include the installation of 235,263 certified clean cookstoves by June 2012 and the adoption of 145 new technologies in artisanal brick production since 2012.

Decision 7 of the XVI Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean establishes a regional network of authorities to address atmospheric pollution between 2008 and 2009, focusing on technical exchanges, capacity development, and the reduction of pollutants, particularly from transport.

The document discusses the launch and objectives of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC), based on UNEP and WMO assessments. It highlights 16 existing technological measures to reduce methane and black carbon that could lower global warming by 0.5C by 2050 and prevent millions of premature deaths. The text emphasizes that SLCP reduction is a development issue that complements long-term CO2 targets and focuses on practical implementation through national action planning and international collaboration.

The document outlines a comprehensive set of demands from Latin American civil society for COP30, focusing on the need for ambitious NDCs 3.0, a massive increase in adaptation and loss and damage funding, and a structured global roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels. It emphasizes the role of the Global South, the necessity of non-debt-generating public finance, and the integration of climate, biodiversity, and desertification goals.

The document outlines a comprehensive set of demands from Latin American and Caribbean civil society for the COP30 Presidency, focusing on increasing NDC ambition, scaling adaptation and loss and damage financing, reforming the global financial system, and ensuring a multidimensional just transition. It emphasizes the need for the 'Global Mutirão' to be informed by Southern perspectives and calls for a clear timeline for phasing out fossil fuels.

A coalition of 82 civil society organizations from Latin America and the Caribbean urges the COP30 Presidency to move beyond declarative statements toward an integrated framework of accountability. The letter demands ambitious NDC 3.0 submissions from G20 and major emitting nations, a roadmap to mobilize USD 1.3 trillion annually by 2035, and a precise phase-out date for fossil fuels. It emphasizes the need for a transformative adaptation agenda, the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Response Fund, and the integration of climate and biodiversity governance through the Rio Conventions.

The document explains the mechanics of carbon credits, distinguishing between regulated markets under the Paris Agreement and voluntary markets. It highlights that while Latin America and the Caribbean accounted for 22% of global carbon credit sales in 2021, the region lacks the robust regulation needed to prevent environmental and social risks. The guide warns against over-reliance on the forestry sector, the risk of 'greenwashing' in voluntary markets, and the potential for 'double counting' of emission reductions. It recommends establishing transparent national registries, ensuring fair benefit-sharing with local communities, and prioritizing structural decarbonization over simple offsetting.

The document serves as a journalistic guide to the just energy transition in Colombia. It distinguishes between the country's clean electrical matrix and its fossil-fuel-dependent energy matrix, highlighting the potential for non-conventional renewable energy sources (FNCER) and the strategic importance of transition minerals like copper and lithium. It argues that a just transition must protect social and environmental rights and suggests that decarbonization offers greater employment opportunities than continuing with natural gas. The guide also addresses the environmental risks of mining and the specific case of Vaca Muerta in Argentina as a cautionary example of non-conventional hydrocarbon extraction.

The report finds that companies in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) achieve a high average internal rate of return (IRR) of 17% on low-carbon investments, significantly outperforming European companies. Energy efficiency measures are the primary driver of emissions reductions, delivering an average IRR of 16.7%. The document also highlights that LAC companies are setting emissions targets that are, on average, 14% more ambitious than science-based recommendations. It argues that this strong business case should encourage regional governments, particularly Peru, to push for more ambitious international climate agreements.

The report highlights that companies in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) achieve an average internal rate of return (IRR) of 17% on low-carbon investments, with energy efficiency projects specifically yielding 16.7%. It notes that the region's energy demand is 54% met by renewables and that LAC companies generate double the emission savings per dollar invested compared to those in the US. The document encourages the use of 'smart policies' such as cap-and-trade and renewable energy policies to further accelerate decarbonization.

Degraded lands comprise over 20 percent of forest and agricultural lands in Latin America and the Caribbean, with 300 million hectares of forests degraded and 350 million hectares deforested. The document identifies land degradation as a major driver of regional greenhouse gas emissions and suggests landscape restoration as a solution to pressures from the growing agriculture and forestry sectors.

The report finds that public international funding for nature-based solutions for adaptation (NbSA) is relatively small, totaling US$3.88.7 billion in 2018. This amount represents only 0.61.4 percent of total climate finance flows. Funding is dominated by grants and a small number of bilateral donors, with Sub-Saharan Africa and South and Central Asia receiving about 50 percent of the total. Key barriers to scaling NbSA include the lack of common definitions, a dearth of metrics to value benefits, and a misalignment between donor funding instruments and the long-term operational costs of projects. The authors recommend scaling and better tracking ODA, aligning funding with project needs, developing standardized valuation metrics, and supporting the development of project pipelines in developing countries.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) provides an analysis of global adaptation finance based on the Global Landscape of Climate Finance. It examines the sources, instruments, and sectoral distribution of adaptation funding for 2015-2016, identifies significant data gaps in private and domestic public sector reporting, and offers recommendations to improve tracking methodologies to better align investments with climate vulnerabilities.

Initiative 20x20 is a regional partnership in Latin America and the Caribbean designed to restore degraded landscapes through reforestation, agroforestry, and silvopasture. The initiative has surpassed its initial goal of 20 million hectares and has earmarked US$2.4 billion for project financing. The program addresses the fact that at least 200 million hectares of land in the region are severely degraded and that 49% of regional emissions stem from land-use change, forestry, and agriculture.

The report argues that while land restoration offers high economic returns—estimated at $7 to $30 for every dollar invested—it remains severely underfunded with an annual gap of approximately $300 billion. It identifies seven systemic barriers to investment, including the lack of market value for public benefits and long investment horizons. The authors recommend a cross-sectoral government approach, the use of carbon taxes to fund restoration, and the implementation of risk-mitigation tools like first-loss guarantees and tax credits to attract private capital. The document also provides a framework for economic valuation to make the full suite of ecosystem services visible to decision-makers.