From Resource-Rich to Resource-Smart: Opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean for the Energ

The global transition to a net-zero economy is a significant moment of opportunity for regions around the world. Regions that successfully capitalize on ever-advancing technologies and growing consumer demand for green products will deliver meaningful benefits to their people and economies. In this report, the World Bank lays out how Latin America's ample forests, freshwater resources, fertile land, and mineral deposits position it particularly well to reap the upside of the green transition. Drawing on state-of-the-art analytics, this report contributes to the lower-carbon transition knowledge base by identifying specific areas of opportunity and the concrete actions that the region must take to seize this moment and leapfrog into the future. The policy implications are clear: Transforming Latin America's economic landscape will require concerted and coordinated efforts by governments to create a fertile enabling environment. This report provides concrete recommendations to (i) strengthen institutions, (ii) ensure that the investment climate incentivizes capital flows to green priorities, and (iii) support the ongoing development of an innovation ecosystem that drives the net-zero transition. Latin America is poised to benefit greatly from this transition. This report proposes how the region can turn that potential into reality through the lens of two established sectors--land and forests, and mining--as well as the nascent green hydrogen sector.