17 October 2008: The Economic Commission for Latin America
and the Caribbean (ECLAC) convened a seminar on “Climate change in Latin
America: Impact, Possibilities for Mitigation and Financing,” from 15-16
October 2008, in Santiago, Chile. During the meeting, participants discussed
the possible imposition of trade barriers on products from the region due to
carbon emissions in their production and transportation and stressed the
urgency to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Joseluis Samaniego, Director
of ECLAC’s Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division, stated that,
to avoid a 2º Celsius rise in temperature, developed countries must reduce
their greenhouse gas emissions by 60% to 80% by 2050. He added that the
participation of developed nations in mitigation efforts is “inevitable,
whether voluntary or obligatory.”
In a keynote speech, UN Special Envoy on
Climate Change and former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos listed possible
options for middle-income countries to contribute to reducing emissions over
the 2012-2020 period, including: monetary contributions to activities that
avoid deforestation; sharing national plans to combat climate change with the
international community; and reaching agreements among industries of similar
productivity and technology on maximum emission levels, regardless of where
these industries are located. [ECLAC
Press Release]