A Fragmented Continent: Latin America and the Global Politics of Climate Change
304
A Fragmented Continent: Latin America and the Global Politics of Climate Change
304Paperback(New Edition)
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Overview
How Latin American countries became leading voices and innovators on addressing climate change—and what threatens their leadership.
Latin American countries have increased their influence at the United Nations climate change negotiations and offered potential solutions on coping with global warming. But in the face of competing priorities, sometimes these climate policies are jettisoned, undermined, or simply ignored.
A Fragmented Continent focuses on Latin America's three major blocs at the U. N. climate negotiations and how they attempt to balance climate action with building prosperity. Brazil has reduced its deforestation but continues its drive for economic growth and global recognition. A leftist group led by Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador decries the injustice of climate change but is highly dependent on the export of fossil fuels. A new group, including Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru and supported by Mexico, offers sharp reductions in their carbon emissions in return for greater action by others; these countries now have to deliver on their promises. Weaving together issues of politics and economy, trade, foreign policy, civil society, and environmental protection, A Fragmented Continent offers a long-missing perspective on one of this century's greatest challenges and neglected regions.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780262528115 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | MIT Press |
| Publication date: | 11/13/2015 |
| Series: | Politics, Science, and the Environment |
| Edition description: | New Edition |
| Pages: | 304 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d) |
| Age Range: | 18 Years |
About the Author
J. Timmons Roberts is Ittleson Professor of Environmental Studies and Sociology at Brown University and coauthor of A Climate of Injustice (MIT Press).
Table of Contents
Series Foreword vii
Foreword Ricardo Lagos ix
Preface and Acknowledgments xv
1 Paradoxes of a Neglected Region 1
The New Engineers of Consensus 1
An Acutely Vulnerable Region 4
A Low-Carbon Continent? 8
Four Factors for Understanding Climate Politics in Latin America 13
Nature: Natural Resources and Vulnerability to Climate Impacts 16
Development: Economic Growth and Competing Development Models 19
Foreign Policy: Regional Integration, International Alliances, and Trade 21
Civil Society: The Gap between Climate Concerns and Action 24
Four of Many Factors 26
The Shape of the Book 28
2 Latin America's Emerging Leadership on Climate Change 33
Looking beyond Latin America's Decade 33
A Continent of Blocs 37
A Rift Emerges in Stockholm 41
Blame It on Rio 44
Is the G77 Disintegrating? 48
The Double Edge of Big Hydro 52
Inadvertent Pioneers 57
A Region's Emerging Clout 62
3 Brazil: Climate Leader or Spoiler? 65
Brazil's Moment? 65
Brazil's Bewildering Behavior at the Negotiations 69
Joining Club BASIC 75
The Quest for a Seat 79
Fewer Chainsaws, More Forest 83
Do We Have Lift-Off? 89
An Uncertain Future 94
4 "A Flea in the Ear"? The Emergence of ALBA 101
Standing Up for Climate Justice 101
What Is a Bolivarian Alliance? 105
ALBA's Role at the Negotiations 106
Cochabamba and Bolivia's Shifting Climate Policy 110
Ecuador's Proposal to "Keep the Oil in the Soil" 117
Oil and Venezuela's Mercurial Climate Posture 122
Assessing ALBA's Impact and Future 130
5 The Revolt of the Middle: Mexico and A1LAC 135
Latin America's Other Path? 135
Bridging the North-South Divide 137
Mexico "Saves Climate Multilateralism" 139
AILAC's Green Shoots in Doha 148
Costa Rica's Oil Refinery and Carbon Neutrality Goal 152
Peru Walks the Tightrope 157
Less Talk, More Action 164
6 Sustainable Action? 167
A Decisive Region? 167
A Puzzle and Four Factors 170
One Voice or Many? 175
Making a Mark in Lima 179
Toward a New Research Agenda 182
Building a Lead 184
Notes 191
References 223
Index 261
What People are Saying About This
Focusing on the short-term can lead some to interpret certain decisions as a betrayal to personal principles. But, as this book states, Latin America is faced with multiple climate impacts. So the long-term perspective usually proves that the chosen path was correct. As COP20 President we delivered the means which can strengthen Peru's domestic agenda to tackle climate change and commitment to global action.
A Fragmented Continent is an essential contribution to understanding the politics of climate change in Latin America. Edwards and Roberts highlight the intersection of global negotiations and divergent domestic realities. Their persuasive analysis is animated by a belief that fostering prosperity and combating climate change are realistic and reinforcing aims.
Latin America is a rich and complex microcosm of all the challenges and opportunities seen in contemporary global geopolitics. It is a dynamic region with many examples of great leadership, innovation, and creativity on climate change, but also one struggling with the deep challenges presented by the transformation of our growth model. This book offers fascinating insights into these dichotomies while shining pathways to ever greater ambition that can help Latin Americans move forward and truly realize a sustainable, climate-safe century.
A Fragmented Continent is a welcome addition to the literature on Latin America, full of useful analysis in a well-written and accessible style that successfully conveys why the region is important for global climate governance. Latin America has, and will continue to play, a critical role in making the global transition to a low carbon economy.
Few issues are as important as climate change and as challenging as finding credible solutions to it in the complex domestic politics of individual countries. In this pathbreaking book, the authors examine the politics of climate change across Latin America and the relationship between political rhetoric and sound policy in each country. The result is a remarkable study which shows both important pathways to credible climate governance and the complex and sometimes contradictory problems they face.
Few issues are as important as climate change and as challenging as finding credible solutions to it in the complex domestic politics of individual countries. In this pathbreaking book, the authors examine the politics of climate change across Latin America and the relationship between political rhetoric and sound policy in each country. The result is a remarkable study which shows both important pathways to credible climate governance and the complex and sometimes contradictory problems they face.
—David Held, Professor of Politics and International Relations, Durham University
Latin America is a rich and complex microcosm of all the challenges and opportunities seen in contemporary global geopolitics. It is a dynamic region with many examples of great leadership, innovation, and creativity on climate change, but also one struggling with the deep challenges presented by the transformation of our growth model. This book offers fascinating insights into these dichotomies while shining pathways to ever greater ambition that can help Latin Americans move forward and truly realize a sustainable, climate-safe century.
—Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate ChangeA Fragmented Continent is an essential contribution to understanding the politics of climate change in Latin America. Edwards and Roberts highlight the intersection of global negotiations and divergent domestic realities. Their persuasive analysis is animated by a belief that fostering prosperity and combating climate change are realistic and reinforcing aims.
—Michael Shifter, President, Inter-American DialogueA Fragmented Continent is a welcome addition to the literature on Latin America, full of useful analysis in a well-written and accessible style that successfully conveys why the region is important for global climate governance. Latin America has, and will continue to play, a critical role in making the global transition to a low carbon economy.
—Sir David King, Foreign Secretary's Special Representative for Climate Change, UK GovernmentFocusing on the short-term can lead some to interpret certain decisions as a betrayal to personal principles. But, as this book states, Latin America is faced with multiple climate impacts. So the long-term perspective usually proves that the chosen path was correct. As COP20 President we delivered the means which can strengthen Peru's domestic agenda to tackle climate change and commitment to global action.
—Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Minister of Environment of PeruFew issues are as important as climate change and as challenging as finding credible solutions to it in the complex domestic politics of individual countries. In this pathbreaking book, the authors examine the politics of climate change across Latin America and the relationship between political rhetoric and sound policy in each country. The result is a remarkable study which shows both important pathways to credible climate governance and the complex and sometimes contradictory problems they face.
—David Held, Professor of Politics and International Relations, Durham University