There is an increasing consensus in the scientific community that climate change is a real and present threat. Despite the large uncertainty on the timing, magnitude and even the direction of some of the physical and economic effects of this phenomenon, it is widely accepted that they will be regionally differentiated and that developing countries and lower income populations will tend to suffer the most. In this context, it is critical that Latin American countries develop their own strategies for adapting to the various impacts of climate change, and for contributing to global efforts aimed at mitigating them.This book aims at contributing to these efforts by addressing a number of questions related to the causes and consequences of climate change in the case of Latin America: What are the likely impacts of climate change in the region? Which countries and regions will be most affected? What can governments do to tackle the challenges associated with adapting to climate change? And, what role can Latin America play in the area of climate change mitigation?While the study does not attempt to provide definitive answers to these questions, its goal is to contribute new information and analysis that could help inform the public policy debate on this important issue.
