Will the bet on green play? Political aspects of the energy transition in Latin America

The energy transition is one of the main mechanisms for achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement on Climate (2015). In this context, the States parties to the agreement are developing a set of measures aimed at reducing fossil fuel consumption and promoting the introduction of renewable energy sources.

The South and Central America region is a world leader in terms of the share of renewable energy sources in the energy mix. However, this figure has been achieved mainly through the development of hydropower in Brazil and a number of other countries in South America, while the implementation of solar and wind energy projects faces several institutional difficulties. In particular, the prospects for large-scale export-oriented projects in conventional hydrocarbon energy and the lack of financing are constraining to increase the share of renewable energy.

When implementing the energy transition, the countries of the region put forward the thesis of the need to respect the principle of equity, that is, the focus of this process on improving the quality of life of the poorest segments of the population and the participation of developed countries in supporting clean energy initiatives in developing countries.