Addressing the graduation policy in Chile: raising the visibility of the structural gaps that hinder development in Latin America and the Caribbean

This document aims to reaffirm the central role played by the international cooperation system, in the different forms it can assume, in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. For the countries of the region to achieve the Goals, it is essential to ensure their access to technical assistance and knowledge sharing, strengthen collaborative partnerships, promote active multi-stakeholder participation and increase mobilization of funding for development. In 2017, Chile was one of three Latin American and Caribbean countries that were “graduated…

Revenue Statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean 2024

This report compiles comparable tax revenue statistics over the period 1990‑2022 for 27 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. It provides harmonised data on the level and structure of tax revenues based on the OECD classification of taxes, thereby enabling comparison of national tax systems on a consistent basis, both across the region and with other economies globally. The report includes two special features: one examines fiscal revenues from non‑renewable natural resources in the LAC region in 2022 and 2023, while the second calculates equivalent fiscal pressure in the LAC region. T…

Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean, 2024: Fiscal policy for addressing the challenges of climate change

In 2023, the fiscal environment in Latin America and the Caribbean reflected deteriorating global and regional microfinancial conditions. Fiscal deficits widened in Latin America as tax collection weakened owing to lower aggregate demand and falling international commodity prices. In the Caribbean, primary surpluses increased on the back of primary spending cutbacks. Public debt in the region remained high and the rise in interest payments is exerting more pressure on fiscal accounts. Given the context of low economic growth and the increasing recognition of the key role that the public sector…

CEPAL Review No. 141. Special 75th anniversary issue: towards a more productive, inclusive and sustainable development model

United States economic outlook: 2023 year-in-review and early 2024 developments

United States gross domestic product rose by 2.5% in 2023. The above-potential growth was driven by resilient consumers, supported by a strong labour market and receding inflation. In 2023, 3 million new jobs were added on an annual basis, and the unemployment rate was 3.7% at the end of December. Inflation was reduced by half relative to 2022, declining from an annual rate of 8% in 2022 to 4.1% in 2023. Cognizant of the strength of the U.S. economy, the Federal Reserve is nevertheless adopting a “wait and see” approach rather than declaring an immediate end to its monetary tightening cycle, w…

The Portal of inequalities in Latin America

As a region, Latin America is characterized by high levels of inequality, reflected in both concentration of income and wealth and in large gaps in various areas of well-being among different population groups. Statistical information is vital in raising awareness of these gaps and in facilitating design and implementation of public policy to reduce disparities. To contribute to analysis of this regional problem, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has developed a new tool to view information on the inequalities that exist in different areas in Latin American co…

Industrial policies for the twenty-first century: lessons from the United States

Amid the backdrop of advanced technology competition from China, climate change and a global pandemic, the United States —traditionally averse to industrial policy— embraced major industrial policy programmes between 2020 and 2022. These programmes focused on fostering technology innovation and are prime examples of industrial innovation policy. The scale of these initiatives and their focus on non-defence sectors are unprecedented. This study reviews six major examples of new United States industrial innovation policies involving federal government interventions in post-research phases of inn…

Building post-pandemic economic resilience by diversifying tourism: the case of Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia

Through a combination of primary and secondary research, this study sheds light on the effects of the pandemic on the tourism industries of the small island states of Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. Additionally, the study seeks to identify potential areas for niche market development to diversify the tourism sector in these destinations. Using a counterfactual analysis, visitor expenditure losses were estimated at over $7 billion over the period 2020 to 2022, among the three countries under review. The easing of restrictions on movement in 2021 and 2022 however al…

The Outlook for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Americas: A Perspective on Latin America and the Caribbean 2023-2024

In this tenth edition of “The Outlook for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Americas: A Perspective on Latin America and the Caribbean”, we underscore the key importance of regional cooperation in addressing the challenges and opportunities resulting from converging crises. Within this context, strengthening regional cooperation not only fosters more sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems, but also bolsters collaborative actions in areas in which collective action, both at the national level and between countries, is the only way to make a significant difference.…

The digital trade policy environment in Latin America and the Caribbean

This report presents significant findings from the Regional Digital Trade Integration Index (RDTII), highlighting similarities and differences among the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean. After introducing the Digital Trade Integration database and the methodology used in RDTII, the report outlines the main index scores by country and pillar. Jamaica, with the lowest score of 0.14, has the most open regulatory environment for digital trade in the region, whereas Cuba, with the highest score of 0.62, has a regulatory environment that is quite restrictive. The report also summarizes t…

Social Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean, 2023. Accessible version

In this accessible version of the Social Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean addresses the challenges of labour inclusion as a key axis for inclusive social development. Despite a recovery in social indicators in 2022 (reduction of poverty and inequality, recovery of employment), the region faces a double trap of low growth and high levels of poverty and inequality. Labour inclusion is key to combating poverty, reducing informality and inequality and moving towards inclusive social development. Gender gaps in labour market inclusion are driven by the unequal distribution of the burden …

Proposals to expand river connectivity in South America

This FAL Bulletin presents opportunities for physical river integration in South America that could mark an important step in the design of a sustainable river navigation system for the region. It also examines the opportunities that intermodal transport offers for regional logistics. This document is part of ECLAC analyses on infrastructure and connectivity. The study was carried out with the support of the regular programme of technical cooperation of ECLAC, in the framework of the activities of the United Nations Development Account project entitled “Transport and trade connectivity in the …

Road map for the implementation in Saint Lucia of the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean

This document contains the road map for the implementation in Saint Lucia of the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (Escazú Agreement), prepared by the Government of Saint Lucia with the support of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Its purpose is to provide a normative and practical analysis of access rights in Saint Lucia, systematizing the progress made and the gaps that remain. A workshop-consultation was held with a number of stakeholders, including publ…

An assessment of urban expansion in Caribbean small island developing States. The cases of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago

The disproportionate increase in urbanized areas in relation to populations resulting in the spread of low-density urban settlements is recognized as a sustainable development challenge globally, including in Caribbean SIDS. This phenomenon has numerous adverse effects on urban settlements’ capacity to adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as the increased vulnerability of critical infrastructure to climate disasters; the formation of informal settlements in risk-prone areas; an increase in impervious surfaces affecting floods’ spatial patterns and increasing related risks; and the dest…

Access to Environmental Information in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Synthesis of Decisions Adopted by Oversight Bodies and Selected Judgements

In order to promote environmental democracy, it is necessary to strengthen access to environmental information. This right is interrelated to the other procedural rights of access to environmental participation and to environmental justice. Access to environmental information allows people to learn about the current and projected state of the environment (including damages and impacts, both potential and real); to effectively participate in decision-making processes; and to have better tools to protect their natural environment. Additionally, access to environmental information is an enabling …

Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean. Accessible format

On 4 March 2018, the Latin American and Caribbean region made history when it adopted the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean, at Escazú, Costa Rica. The Regional Agreement is a ground-breaking legal instrument for environmental protection, but it is also a human rights treaty. Its main beneficiaries are the people of the Latin American and Caribbean region, particularly the most vulnerable groups and communities. It aims to ensure the right of all persons to have access to information in a ti…

Inequality in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean: Gap analysis and overcoming strategies. Volume 1

In this book, those who search for an equitable and sustainable future will find a valuable collection of methodological proposals, case analyses and recommendations for varied aspects of development. This book is an indispensable tool for decision-makers, researchers, development professionals and anyone interested in inequality issues. When diving into its pages, readers will discover a comprehensive approach based on evidence and endorsed by the experience and knowledge of experts. The book addresses topics ranging from poverty and income inequality to social protection, agriculture, energy…

Inequality in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean: Gap analysis and overcoming strategies. Volume 2

In this book, those who search for an equitable and sustainable future will find a valuable collection of methodological proposals, case analyses and recommendations for varied aspects of development. This book is an indispensable tool for decision-makers, researchers, development professionals and anyone interested in inequality issues. When diving into its pages, readers will discover a comprehensive approach based on evidence and endorsed by the experience and knowledge of experts. The book addresses topics ranging from poverty and income inequality to social protection, agriculture, energy…

Report of the Fifth meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Challenge of Accelerating the 2030 Agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean: Transitions towards Sustainability. Summary

Enormous challenges face the countries of the region. The risk of straying further from the path towards sustainable development is clear. There is no time for pause, let alone for setbacks. In this context, ECLAC reiterates its commitment to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs by 2030, by holding the annual meetings of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development, providing support for the conduct of voluntary national and local reviews on progress and challenges in relation to the SDGs, offering technical cooperation in various fields, and ot…