For several Latin American & Caribbean (LAC) countries, notably Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina and Guyana, the production of oil and gas is vital for their fiscal health. This dilemma has only been exacerbated by the economic challenges derived from the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, countries in the region face growing pressure to de-carbonize their economies. To support LAC countries on the path towards net-zero objectives, international financial institutions and multilateral development banks – including the Inter-American Development Bank – are now de-emphasizing funding for fossil fuel-related projects. The Institute of the Americas hosts Jessica Bedoya, Chief of Staff and Chief Strategy Officer for the Inter-American Development Bank to address these issues, including the challenge of balancing energy transition and job growth with the realities of securing badly needed external financing to support economic recoveries. Series: "Climate Crisis" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 37481]

In September, the Lopez Obrador administration sent an initiative to Congress aimed at amending the constitution and completely restructuring the electric sector and market. The administration has set forth specific criticisms of the prevailing market structure, particularly with regards to the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE). The Institute of the Americas authored white paper, “Clean Energy Cost-Savings: A Study of Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE),” provides an assessment of the impacts both in terms of CFE’s financial outlook and emissions profile. The purchase of clean energy through the auctions in order to obtain the corresponding CEL certificates has allowed CFE to avoid variable generation costs at its thermoelectric plants, which would have been far higher than the cost of purchasing the clean energy. Indeed, the amount saved can be estimated based on fossil fuel use avoided and cost of the emissions that would have been generated, as we review in detail. Series: "Hemisphere in Transition" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 37621]

El Instituto de las Américas presenta el foro “Relaciones Bilaterales Estados Unidos-Ecuador Post COVID: Reconstruyendo Mejor Juntos” para ayudar a catalizar un mayor compromiso del sector privado, de inversión y desarrollo económico en Ecuador. El foro incluye presentaciones de altos funcionarios de la Administración Lasso sobre la agenda comercial y económica de Ecuador, así como las relaciones bilaterales entre Estados Unidos y Ecuador en cuanto a energía y cambio climático, y el impacto de COVID-19 en el sistema educativo del país. Series: "Hemisphere in Transition" [Public Affairs] [Spanish Language] [Show ID: 37421]

El Instituto de las Américas presenta el foro “Relaciones Bilaterales Estados Unidos-Ecuador Post COVID: Reconstruyendo Mejor Juntos” para ayudar a catalizar un mayor compromiso del sector privado, de inversión y desarrollo económico en Ecuador. El foro incluye presentaciones de altos funcionarios de la Administración Lasso sobre la agenda comercial y económica de Ecuador, así como las relaciones bilaterales entre Estados Unidos y Ecuador en cuanto a energía y cambio climático, y el impacto de COVID-19 en el sistema educativo del país. Series: "Hemisphere in Transition" [Public Affairs] [Spanish Language] [Show ID: 37422]

El Instituto de las Américas presenta el foro “Relaciones Bilaterales Estados Unidos-Ecuador Post COVID: Reconstruyendo Mejor Juntos” para ayudar a catalizar un mayor compromiso del sector privado, de inversión y desarrollo económico en Ecuador. El foro incluye presentaciones de altos funcionarios de la Administración Lasso sobre la agenda comercial y económica de Ecuador, así como las relaciones bilaterales entre Estados Unidos y Ecuador en cuanto a energía y cambio climático, y el impacto de COVID-19 en el sistema educativo del país. Series: "Hemisphere in Transition" [Public Affairs] [Spanish Language] [Show ID: 37420]

The Institute of the Americas is pleased to present the US-Ecuador Bilateral Relations Post COVID: Build Back Better Together forum to help catalyze expanded private sector engagement, investment and economic development in Ecuador. The forum includes keynote addresses by senior officials from the Lasso Administration with presentations on Ecuador’s trade and economic agenda, as well as US-Ecuador bilateral relations on energy and climate change. Series: "Hemisphere in Transition" [Show ID: 37414]

The Institute of the Americas presents the US-Ecuador Bilateral Relations Post COVID: Build Back Better Together forum to help catalyze expanded private sector engagement, investment and economic development in Ecuador. The forum includes keynote addresses by senior officials from the Lasso Administration with presentations on Ecuador’s trade and economic agenda, as well as US-Ecuador bilateral relations on energy. Series: "Hemisphere in Transition" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 37407]

The Institute of the Americas is pleased to present the US-Ecuador Bilateral Relations Post COVID: Build Back Better Together forum to help catalyze expanded private sector engagement, investment and economic development in Ecuador. The forum includes keynote addresses by senior officials from the Lasso Administration with presentations on Ecuador’s trade and economic agenda, as well as US-Ecuador bilateral relations on energy and climate change. Series: "Hemisphere in Transition" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 37406]

Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador (The Northern Triangle) are experiencing a historic Diaspora to the US southern border. The precipitants of this migration are an unprecedented economic contraction occurring after back-to-back major hurricanes compounded by a pandemic and further complicated by heightened crime, violence and corruption. Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35), Co-Chair of the Congressional Central America Caucus and a native of Guatemala, shares her perspective on the importance of addressing corruption and promoting good governance as key preconditions of future direct foreign assistance by the United States. Then, Congress members Juan Vargas (CA-51) and Scott Peters (CA-52) discuss the Biden Administration’s proposed four-year, $4 billion regional strategy for the Northern Triangle region to address security and economic factors driving migration from Central America to the US. Series: "Hemisphere in Transition" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 37083]

The two-time Governor of New Mexico (2003-2010) and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1997-1998) and Secretary of Energy (1997- 2000) Bill Richardson shares his perspective on the challenges and opportunities confronting the Biden Administration on a wide range of issues across the Western Hemisphere including national security, migration, trade and investment, energy policy, regional cooperation as well as climate change. He also share his thoughts about the challenges ahead in rebuilding America’s soft power influence in Latin America and the Caribbean amidst the growing influence of China and Russia in the region. Series: "Hemisphere in Transition" [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 37036]