Electric mobility would bring a host of benefits to Latin America. Countries like Chile are taking the lead in adopting electric buses and promoting private use of electric vehicles. Yet hefty price tags and a lack of charging infrastructure are among the barriers that must be surmounted for widespread uptake in the region.
Video
At the Fourth Annual Latin America Clean Transport Forum on September 27, government officials, private sector leaders, and international researchers gathered in Buenos Aires to discuss the challenges and opportunities for electric vehicles and what global and regional lessons can be used to foster their growth in Argentina.
Although electric mobility is at an early stage in Latin America, several cities have made significant advances. This new report addresses a number of critical questions about electric transportation in Latin America, drawing on case studies of six urban electric car and bus markets that have seen among the fastest growth in the region.
IFLR speaks with Lisa Viscidi, director of the Energy, Climate Change and Extractive Industries program at the Inter-American Dialogue. Viscidi analyses recent developments in Latin America’s energy markets, particularly in relation to broadsweep energy market reforms in Brazil and Mexico.
Video
With the fastest growing car fleet in the world, Latin America has reason to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. Costa Rica, with its strong commitment to tackling climate change, is positioning itself to vastly expand EV use in the next five years.
As Latin America moves towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fulfilling its Paris commitments, it must also work to meet rapidly growing electricity demand, which is projected to almost double by 2040.
President Donald Trump’s announcement on June 1 that the United States would withdraw from the Paris climate agreement was met with widespread dismay and fears that the decision would put the entire global agreement in peril.
As Colombia begins the multi-year process of implementing last year’s peace accord, it is vital to balance environmental conservation with the need for sustainable economic development.
Cuts to Washington’s energy engagement could undermine the connections that help support U.S.–Latin American cooperation on issues from security to immigration. When it comes to weakening energy integration in the Americas, there are few winners.
Financial risks to companies and investors associated with climate change will become more important in the coming years as countries look to decarbonize their economies.
Latin America faces some of the toughest obstacles to halting energy emissions, but many countries in the region also have among the best opportunities to reach climate goals.
The agreements of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and COP21 in Paris put Latin American governments in a crucial stage to take action by developing adequate policies to scale up investments in renewable energy and making alliances to receive capacity-building and technological support.
Electric vehicles are a critical part of a clean transport agenda, but strong policy incentives are needed to promote widespread EV adoption in Latin America.
Though the COP21 negotiations promise to be complex, they also present an opportunity for the region to address existing vulnerabilities.
The electrification of the transportation sector is crucial to reducing carbon emissions and tackling global climate change.
