Nationally Determined Contributions Across the Americas

Forward BY RICHARD KIY , PRESIDENT , INSTITUTE OF THE AMERICAS

Engagement for our Environment & Climate Change Program, the white paper provides a timely snapshot of progress made, while also highlighting the serious funding gaps that remain if LAC countries are going to deliver on their previously agreed upon climate pledges. Through her analysis and development of country-specific scorecards for 16 countries in the Americas, that represent 90% of the hemisphere’s combined population and 98% of its collective GDP, Ms. Miranda highlights some of the regional challenges ahead, including: the growing reliance by some Latin American and Caribbean countries on fossil fuels and the growing risks of the energy transition; and the impacts of climate induced drought on countries, like Brazil and Mexico, dependent on hydro-electric power amidst rising energy demand. Most importantly, Ms. Miranda highlights the critical need for developed countries and international financial institutions to step up their game to help LAC countries meet their NDCs. Clearly, LAC countries cannot deliver on its commitments alone. In the end, LAC only represents about 7% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, South America alone accounts for nearly 35% of the world’s total terrestrial carbon stock. So, the region’s life sustaining eco-systems are absolutely critical for the survival of humankind. As Lester Brown concludes, “the question we face is not what we need to do, because that seems rather clear…the challenge is how to do it in the time available.”

L ater this year, world leaders from 197 nations will convene in Glasgow for the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-26) with the goal of reaching consensus on the collective actions necessary to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. Here, a key focus of COP-26 will be reaching agreement on a pathway towards achieving global net zero emissions by mid-century while limiting global temperature increases to within 1.5 degrees Celsius. This consensus will also be necessary to take the necessary steps as well as securing the required funding to help developing countries -- including many across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) -- to not only protect and restore vital eco-systems but also make their communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Here, developed countries agreed six years ago to provide at least USD$100 billion in climate financing per year by 2020 to bolster the global south’s climate resiliency. Yet, to date, these pledges have fallen short. At COP-26, delegates will also be working to promote a framework for reporting and more transparent monitoring of their country’s respective Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), as well as on the rulebook for Article 6 of the Agreement, which allows countries to reduce emissions using international carbon markets. The challenges facing many developing and emerging market countries -- particularly those in LAC -- to deliver on their stated NDCs will be daunting amidst the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused the worst economic crisis in modern history. For countries such as Argentina, Mexico and Brazil their respective economic recoveries have been hobbled; putting additional fiscal stress on an already weakened public sector unable to adequately deliver critical social services at a time of concurrent climate change impacts that each nation faces. In an effort to better assess progress made to date by countries across the Americas in delivering on their climate commitments, the Institute of the Americas (IOA) has undertaken this policy white paper entitled, Nationally Determined Contributions Across the Americas: A Comparative Hemispheric Analysis. Authored by Tania Miranda, IOA’s Director of Policy & Stakeholder Lester R. Brown, Plan B 4.0, Mobilizing to Save Civilization, New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2009 pages xiii-xiv

President & CEO Institute of the Americas Richard Kiy