Analysis

Video

Amazon Fires: Bolsonaro Says Brazil Cannot Fight Them

As wildfires rage in the Brazilian portion of the Amazon rainforest, Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro finds himself under increased international scrutiny. Program Director Lisa Viscidi comments for BBC World News on Bolsonaro’s policies toward the Amazon.

Lisa Viscidi

Interviews ˙ ˙ BBC World News

Do the Amazon Fires Point the Way for Future International Efforts to Combat Climate Change?

The fires in the Amazon expose the very heart of the greatest collective action problem that humanity has faced, and it foreshadows harder battles to come. The actions of each individual country have consequences for the global climate, yet perpetrators are loath to make sacrifices when others, especially those with equal or greater responsibility, are not doing the same. The fact that threats of economic punishment seem to have shifted Brazil’s behavior suggests that a similar approach could be taken to address climate change on a larger scale. But it will not be easy, especially where the biggest emitters are concerned.

Lisa Viscidi, Nate Graham

Articles & Op-Eds ˙ ˙ Foreign Policy

Video

El cambio climático en Latinoamérica: Impactos y compromisos a combatirlo

La directora del Programa de Energía, Cambio Climático e Industrias Extractivas, Lisa Viscidi, habló con CNN en Español sobre el cambio climático, sus impactos en América Latina y el nivel de compromiso de países en la región a esfuerzos internacionales para combatirlo.

Lisa Viscidi

Interviews ˙ ˙ CNN en Español

Video

Las emisiones de América Latina

La directora del Programa de Energía, Cambio Climático e Industrias Extractivas, Lisa Viscidi, habló con CNN en Español sobre el cambio climático en América Latina y qué países en la región están más lejos de cumplir con promesas de reducir sus emisiones.

Lisa Viscidi

Interviews ˙ ˙ CNN en Español

Video

Assessing the Outlook for Energy Investment in Latin America

2019 marks the first year since new leaders in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico took office. We can now see more clearly the way their policy decisions have affected the energy sector and opportunities for investment. Meanwhile, Argentina holds presidential elections later this month. Venezuela, in turn, faces a worsening economic crisis as oil production plummets. Industry experts, government officials, and corporate representatives convened to discuss these issues and their regional impacts on October 2 at the Inter-American Dialogue.

Julia Weil

Event Summaries ˙

EV Uptake in the Caribbean: Lessons Learned & Future Recommendations

Electric mobility is gaining ground globally as technology costs fall, awareness is improved, and policies are increasingly aligned with environmental goals. Caribbean nations are well positioned to reap the benefits of electric mobility, concluded panelists at an event hosted by the Inter-American Dialogue and New Energy Events, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank and the Organization of American States.

Sarah Phillips

Event Summaries ˙

Presentation to Elcano Institute: Clean Energy Auctions in Latin America

Lisa Viscidi, director of the Energy, Climate Change and Extractive Industries Program, gave a presentation to the Energy Working Group of the Elcano Institute on clean energy auctions in Latin America and how their intelligent design could benefit other countries in the region. 

Lisa Viscidi

Presentations ˙

Youtube / CECME Video

Tendencias energéticas en Latinoamérica

La directora del Programa de Energía, Cambio Climático e Industrias Extractivas, Lisa Viscidi, habló con el Comité Español del Consejo Mundial de la Energía (CECME) sobre el debate entre la privatización y el nacionalismo de los recursos en Latinoamérica y la transición energética. 

Lisa Viscidi

Interviews ˙ ˙ CECME

Clean Energy Auctions in Latin America

Long-term power supply auctions are an increasingly popular instrument worldwide for attracting renewable energy investment while cutting prices, increasing energy security, and reducing emissions. Latin America has been at the forefront of using auctions to boost renewable energy capacity. This study analyzes design and outcomes of government-led long-term power auctions with participation from non-conventional renewable sources in six countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and Jamaica) since 2015.

Lisa Viscidi, Ariel Yépez-García

Reports ˙ ˙ Inter-American Development Bank

Political Risk Analysis: What’s Ahead For Mexico’s Renewable Energy Industry?

Until recently Mexico stood out within Latin America as a top potential producer of wind and solar energy, but policies under the López Obrador administration have made the climate for renewable energy investment increasingly hostile. Lisa Viscidi, director of the Energy Program, and Sarah Phillips, program assistant, sat down with Nathaniel Parish Flannery of Forbes to discuss what’s ahead for Mexico’s renewable resource sector.

Lisa Viscidi, Sarah Phillips, Nathaniel Parish Flannery

Interviews ˙ ˙ Forbes

Report Cover for Electrified Islands

Electrified Islands: The Road to E-Mobility in the Caribbean

Caribbean islands are in many ways ideal markets for electric vehicles, and several Caribbean jurisdictions have made significant advances in promoting electric mobility. Examining five case studies—Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic—this report identifies the key challenges and recommends actions that Caribbean governments and other stakeholders can take to stimulate EV adoption.

Lisa Viscidi, Nate Graham, Marcelino Madrigal, Malaika Masson, Veronica R. Prado, Juan Cruz Monticelli

Reports ˙ ˙ Download Report

camila ramos mauricio cardenas jose zapata lisa viscidi pandemic oil price collapse latin america covid-19 Video

Examining Implications of Covid-19 and Low Oil Prices for Latin American Energy

The recent oil price collapse, combined with the economic contraction resulting from measures to fight the global Covid-19 pandemic, will have extensive and largely unforetold impacts for Latin American energy markets and beyond. These implications include cuts to investment and delays to ongoing projects in both oil & gas and renewable energy, fiscal and broader economic constraints, and legal disputes, said panelists during a webinar held on April 1. 

Nate Graham

Event Summaries ˙

Report Cover for Latin American State Oil Companies and Climate Change

Latin American State Oil Companies and Climate Change: Decarbonization Strategies and Role in the Energy Transition

Latin American national oil companies (NOCs) have made important advances in slashing emissions from their operations through techniques such as reducing flaring, improving energy efficiency, and injecting CO2 for enhanced oil recovery, according to a new report by the Inter-American Dialogue and the Inter-American Development Bank. Yet, progress in producing lower carbon energy sources for consumers has been sluggish, no Latin American NOC has committed to net zero emissions, and for some companies emissions are on the rise, the report finds.

Lisa Viscidi, Sarah Phillips, Paola Carvajal, Carlos Sucre

Reports ˙ ˙ Download Report