Introduction: Climate Change and the Anthropocene in Latin America from 1950 to the Present
Year: 2026
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: The period of the Great Acceleration, from 1950 to the present, aligns with two distinct phases of social and economic development in Latin America, as outlined by Bértola and Ocampo (2013).Until the 1980s, the region underwent an uneven industrialization process geared towards import substitution, which was subsequently undermined during various civic-military dictatorships.From the mid-1980s onwards, there has been a notable shift towards the (re)primarization of national economies, reinforcing the region's long-standing role over the past 45 years as a supplier of raw materials to industrialized Northern countries and, more recently, to China, now a major importer of such commodities.The rapid expansion of extractive industries and accelerated economic growth centered on commodity exports have led to significant environmental and social consequences in Latin America and the Caribbean.These include severe ecosystem degradation, a high incidence of socio-environmental conflicts, and a tragic record of murders of environmental defenders.Despite these challenges, resistance and socio-environmental advocacy have successfully influenced institutional frameworks.This is evidenced by the implementation of the Escazú Agreement in 2021, a groundbreaking regional accord that promotes access to information, citizen participation, and justice in environmental matters.As shown in the chapters in this section, Latin America and the Caribbean have contributed to the Climate Change discussion over the past seventy years in various ways, reflecting socio-territorial diversity.One dimension involves biophysical and economic aspects related to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon sinks, which are key drivers of global Climate Change.Another dimension focuses on how societies have studied their climate systems and organized for adaptation to climate variability and change since the climate turn of the 1980s.This is particularly relevant in large cities, coastal areas, small islands, and diverse rural areas ranging from humid to arid and desertified regions.In both mitigation and adaptation efforts, the narratives and discourses on Climate Change mobilized by different actors have influenced the development of climate science, public policy formulation and imple-
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7213471045