16 December 2009: At a side event held during the UN Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC) released a study that identifies the economic impacts of climate change on the region.
The report estimates that, without international mitigation efforts, the region could suffer important losses in agriculture and biodiversity, strong pressures on infrastructure and a growing intensity of extreme weather events. It forecasts that a lack of international agreement on climate change could cost the region 137% of its current GDP for 2100.
Estimates are based on studies carried out in 15 countries and highlight that economic impacts will vary among countries, as some may find temporary benefits in their agricultural production. However, the study finds that over time, the negative impacts, in particular water scarcity and sea-level rise, will predominate. [The Study][ECLAC Press Release]