Question Prompt
Our central question is what new stories did we learn about LAC, and how did it change our ideas of the people and environments of LAC? Remember Chimamanda Ngochi Adichie’s Ted Talk way back in Module 1 — “The Danger of a Single Story” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg
This discussion post is about discussing how our stories of LAC have multiplied over the term. The stories you encountered could be from classmates’ discussion posts, from your term project research, or from the assigned material. Importantly, how did these new stories change your understanding of the LAC region and the cultural diversity found within it? Please include at least one reference to material from Week 10, but your other references can be to past learning material
Initial Post
Please keep your initial video to less than 5 minutes. Be sure to reference multiple class materials including at least two from Week 10.
Module 1 — “The Danger of a Single Story”
Long-term economic prospects in Latin America and the Caribbean may be harmed by climate change, leading to more inequality (LAC). Moving forward with a solid and comprehensive green agenda is essential to reducing its consequences and improving everyone’s well-being. By 2030, LAC’s green transition might provide 11.3% more new employment. Environmental shocks make these problems worse. 13 of the 50 countries most impacted by climate change are located in the LAC area. The region is in an excellent position to begin a successful green transition and get closer to its goals for the growth of its economy, society, and environment. Even though it is somewhat higher than its 6.4% part of the overall gross domestic product and lower than the per capita emissions in other areas with comparable levels of development, LAC’s contribution to global GHG emissions is proportionate to its 8.4% share of the world’s population. With 34% of its total energy supply coming from renewable sources, compared to 13% globally, its energy mix is also cleaner.
In order to provide comprehensive policy recommendations that will encourage just and environmentally responsible transitions in LAC. The top five crucial areas are as follows:
- Boost energy efficiency while accelerating carbon capture, decreasing dependency on fossil fuels, and electrifying every aspect of civilization, especially heavy industries and transportation. Industries that are difficult to control, such as steel, chemicals, road freight, shipping, and aviation, will require significant investments in low-carbon alternative fuels like sustainable biofuels and green hydrogen.
- Utilize potential environmental taxes to the fullest, stop as many environmentally harmful subsidies as you can, and develop fiscally responsible plans that only allow green transitions. Make use of innovative financial techniques, such as debt-for-nature swaps, and ask development financing organizations for assistance. Adopting regulatory tools like standards and taxonomies is crucial for sustainability- or “green” bonds.
- In addition to implementing circular economy concepts and utilizing the blue economy, it promotes industrial and productive development approaches to reorganize LAC’s economic structures and generate more and better jobs. This calls for spending on cutting-edge tools and training and retraining labor groups to seize new possibilities. To help employees who are adversely affected by the green transition, it will also be necessary to scale up active labor market policies and develop more specialized social protection mechanisms. Improve institutional structures to promote agreement on the selection of public policies required to advance the green transition. On the ecological topic, a new sustainable social compact might be developed: More people than anywhere else—68%—believe that their country will face a very significant threat from climate change during the next 20 years. It is necessary to translate the objectives of the Nationally Determined Contributions into clear, measurable measures that are implemented and supported within the context of long-term initiatives like National Development Plans.
- Build and expand international partnerships. LAC countries contribute significantly to international climate negotiations because of their impact on biodiversity worldwide.
- In order to manage the effects of policies implemented in partner countries, such as those on trade, and to maximize the benefits of emerging global green rules and regulations, LAC countries must strengthen their cooperation with key players, particularly the private sector and multilateral organizations.
