Latin America’s transition away from fossil fuels is well underway, with an average 60% of renewables in its power mix. If the region can continue down this road, and incorporate new technology in areas like green hydrogen, it can become a true leader in the global energy transition and unlock a new era of green jobs and economic growth. But there are barriers, and politics can get in the way. In this episode, we get an overview of the status of different countries in the energy transition and where the challenges and best opportunities are. Our guest, energy analyst Luisa Palacios, argues that investing in clean energy is important for environmental reasons, but it is also a crucial tool for economic development.
Subscribe to The Americas Quarterly Podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google and other platforms
Guests:
Luisa Palacios is a senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy.
Brian Winter is the editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly.
Supplemental reading:
Mexico Has a Path to Meet Its Climate Pledges by Luisa Palacios and Diego Rivera Rivota
The Huge Risk Facing Latin American Oil Companies by Luisa Palacios and Francisco Monaldi
A Bold Plan to Finance Latin America’s Energy Transition by Luisa Palacios and Mauricio Cárdenas
