J. Timmons Roberts, currently a guest researcher at the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), and co-author Guy Edwards, summarized and updated their new book A Fragmented Continent: Latin America and the global politics of climate change (MIT Press, 2015). They argued that Latin American countries have increased their influence at the UN 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. The authors analyzed a number of Latin American countries’ participation at the UNFCCC and domestic action, including Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Bolivia, and discussed the impact of the ALBA and AILAC negotiating groups. 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. Following COP21 and the signing of the Paris Agreement, the authors discussed what’s next for Latin American climate change politics this year and beyond.

Speakers:

• Welcome and introduction by Steffen Bauer, Klimalog project lead, DIE
• Presentation by Guy Edwards and J. Timmons Roberts: "Latin America and the Global Politics of Climate Change in the light of the Paris Agreement"
• Commentary by Alejandro Rivera Becerra, Director for Climate Change, Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Affairs
• Commentary by Imme Scholz, Deputy Director, DIE

The event took place at the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) in walking distance of the UN Campus/SB44.