Framework legislation on climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean. Legislative Bulletin

Climate change is a key issue on the parliamentary agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean, and its proper management can boost economic development and foster social inclusion in the region. Legislators belonging to the Parliamentary Observatory on Climate Change and Just Transition (OPCC) therefore requested their parliamentary teams, under the supervision of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) office in Brasilia, to prepare this document, which analyses the framework legislation on climate change in eight countries, selected according to criteria of diversity and representation in OPCC —Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, the Plurinational State of Bolivia and Uruguay— and highlights some good practices that offer opportunities for improvement. One of the conclusions drawn from a comparative analysis is that this type of legislation is generally enacted with a broad consensus, evolves over time, and tends to regulate institutional frameworks for climate policy and the economic aspects of climate change management. However, other elements appear less frequently, such as mitigation targets or comprehensive approaches to just transition strategies.