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This synthesis paper presents the objectives, approach and cross-cutting results of the Latin American Deep Decarbonization Pathways project (DDPLAC). It synthesizes and compares detailed national and sectoral deep decarbonization pathways (DDPs) to 2050 compatible with the Paris Agreement objectives and domestic development priorities in Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. The first five countries analysed in detail the energy system and agriculture, forestry and land use (AFOLU) at a high level, while Peru focussed on a detailed analysis of AFOLU given its predominance in its GHG emissions. While economy-wide results were produced, this paper focuses on the electricity, passenger transport, and AFOLU results because of their current emissions, potential to grow, and identification of successful strategies for decarbonization (e.g. switching to clean electricity and switching to other net- zero fuels across the economy; urban planning, mode shifting, and electrification in passenger transport; and intensive sustainable agriculture, assignment of land use rights and their enforcement and afforestation in AFOLU). It also highlights where significant emissions remain in 2050, notably in industry, AFOLU, freight, and oil and gas production, all areas for future research. It also derives insights for the design of domestic policy packages and identifies priorities for international cooperation. This analysis provides critical information for Long-Term Strategies, Nationally Determined Contributions and Global Stocktaking in the context of the Paris Agreement.

Energy subsidies account for about 7% of Ecuador's yearly public spending, or two thirds of the fiscal deficit. Removing these subsidies would yield clear economic and environmental benefits and help implement climate targets set in the Paris Agreement. However, expected adverse effects on vulnerable households can make reforms politically difficult. To inform policy design, we use household survey data from Ecuador in combination with augmented input-output data to assess the distributional impacts of energy subsidy reform. We find that in absolute terms energy subsidies benefit richer households more than poor ones. Relative to household income, subsidy removal without compensation would be regressive for diesel and LPG, progressive for gasoline, and approximately neutral for electricity. We then analyze how a fraction of financial resources freed up by subsidy reform could be used to mitigate income losses for poor households by means of in-kind and in-cash revenue recycling schemes. Our results indicate that removing all energy subsidies and increasing the existing social protection program, Bono de Desarrollo Humano, by nearly US$ 50 per month would confer net benefits of almost 10% of their current income to the poorest quintile. In addition, more than 1.3 billion US$ would still be available for the public budget after the reform. Finally, we conduct expert interviews to evaluate the political and institutional challenges related to energy subsidy reform. We identify two combinations of reform options and recycling schemes that would benefit the poorest 40% of households and are deemed to be feasible: eliminating subsidies on gasoline while increasing the amount transferred to vulnerable households through the Bono de Desarrollo Humano and replacing universal LPG subsidies with targeted LPG vouchers.

Green fiscal reforms would contribute to climate change mitigation, increase the economic efficiency of national tax systems and provide additional public revenues. Some countries in Latin America have already taken first steps towards green fiscal reforms. This paper provides an overview of the major challenges for the successful implementation of such reforms and discusses how they could be overcome. The authors first discuss the role of country-specific economic and political enabling conditions that need to be in place for successful implementation for green successful reforms. Second, they emphasize the importance of comprehensive reform plans that include all relevant ministries and agencies and are well-aligned with other policy objectives, such as energy security and industrial development. Third, they highlight how appropriate sequencing and gradualism could lower implementation costs and hence increase the political feasibility of green fiscal reforms. Finally, the authors analyze the potential impacts of green fiscal reforms on the distribution of income and discuss transfer schemes that could avoid adverse outcomes for the poorest parts of the population. They use these four dimensions to illustrate why recent reform efforts in selected Latin American countries have been successful or have failed, respectively.

La intoxicación por ingestión de munición de plomo en aves silvestres es conocida en España desde finales del siglo pasado. Elevadas densidades de perdigones de plomo en diversos humedales de importancia internacional producen tasas de ingestión de perdigones cercanas al 70% en especies como el ánade rabudo (Anas acuta) y el plumbismo llega a ser una de las principales causas de mortalidad de la amenazada malvasía cabeciblanca (Oxyura leucocephala). El plumbismo también ha sido descrito en diversas especies de aves rapaces y se ha comprobado que la exposición al plomo es elevada en las especies más carroñeras y oportunistas. La contaminación de la carne de caza también ha sido objeto de estudio, debido a que en España se da la particularidad de cocinarla en escabeche, lo que incrementa la transferencia de plomo de la munición a la carne. Por el momento, la única acción llevada a cabo para reducir el riesgo de exposición al plomo de la munición en aves y humanos ha sido la prohibición desde 2001 del uso de perdigones de plomo en humedales protegidos. En esta revisión se hace un repaso a los estudios llevados a cabo en España sobre la contaminación por el plomo de la munición y el efecto que están teniendo las medidas hasta el momento adoptadas para reducir este riesgo. Poisoning by ingestion of lead ammunition in wild birds is known in Spain since the end of the last century. High densities of lead shot in various internationally important wetlands produce pellet ingestion rates close to 70% in species such as the northern pintail (Anas acuta) and lead poisoning becomes a major cause of mortality of the endangered white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala). Lead poisoning has also been described in several species of birds of prey, mainly scavengers. The contamination of game meat has also been studied, because in Spain it is usually cooked with vinegar, increasing the transfer of lead from ammunition to meat. For now, the only action taken to reduce the risk of exposure to lead from ammunition in birds and humans has been the banning since 2001 of lead shot in protected wetlands. Here, we review the studies carried out in Spain on lead contamination caused by the ammunition and the effect of the measures taken to reduce this risk. Esta revisión se enmarca dentro del proyecto financiado por el MICINN con referencia CGL2010-17030/BOS.

Moltes de les zones humides dels Països Catalans han tingut durant anys un aprofitament cinegètic intensiu. En la caça s'ha utilitzat tradicionalment cartutxeria feta de perdigons de plom, un metall pesant que ara sabem que és força tòxic. En els sediments dels aiguamolls s'hi han anat acumulant milions d'aquests petits objectes contaminants i tòxics, i s'ha arribant a assolir concentracions de fins a dos-cents o tres-cents perdigons per metre quadrat en alguns indrets del delta de l'Ebre o de l'Albufera de València. Els ocells aquàtics són el principal grup que pateix les conseqüències d'aquesta contaminació dels seus hàbitats, ja que aquestes aus poden ingerir els perdigons en confondre'ls amb gastròlits o aliment. En determinades espècies, al voltant del 70 % dels exemplars que trobem en aquestes zones està intoxicat. El problema requereix solucions immediates. Tampoc s'ha d'oblidar que els perdigons abandonats en ecosistemes terrestres també resulten un perill per a la fauna i per a nosaltres mateixos., Muchas de las zonas húmedas de los Países Catalanes han tenido durante años un aprovechamiento cinegético intensivo. En la caza se ha utilizado tradicionalmente cartuchería fabricada con perdigones de plomo, un metal pesado que hoy sabemos que es muy tóxico. En los sedimentos de los humedales se han ido acumulando millones de estos pequeños objetos contaminantes y tóxicos, llegándose a encontrar cifras de hasta 200 o 300 perdigones por metro cuadrado en zonas como el delta del Ebro o la Albufera de Valencia. Las aves acuáticas son el principal grupo que sufre las consecuencias de la contaminación por plomo de sus hábitats, ya que pueden ingerir los perdigones al confundirlos con alimentos o gastrolitos. En determinadas especies, cerca del 70 % de los ejemplares que hallamos en estos humedales está intoxicado. El problema requiere soluciones inmediatas. No hay que olvidar tampoco que los perdigones abandonados en ecosistemas terrestres son también un peligro para la fauna y para nosotros mismos., Many wetland areas from the Catalan Countries have been subject to intense waterfowl shooting for decades. Shot pellets used in this activity have traditionally been made of lead, a heavy metal reputed by its high toxicity. In the sediments of some wetland areas, millions of these small contaminant and toxic objects have been accumulating in such a way that as much as 200 to 300 pellets per square meter can be found in some wetlands at the Ebro Delta or the Albufera de València. Waterbirds are the main group of animals suffering from this contamination in their habitats, since they can swallow the pellets as they mistake them by grit or food. The problem needs immediate solution, because about 70 % of the individuals of some species can be found poisoned in these areas. Attention should be also put on lead pellets spread on terrestrial ecosystems, which can be a serious danger for terrestrial wildlife and humans.

Thiram-contaminated poultry feed caused soft egg shells, depressed growth and leg abnormalities in about 1 million birds. Corn previously treated with thiram and colored red was the source of the contamination as detected by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy examinations. Standardized color-recognition for treated grain products could have avoided this situation and speaks to the international adoption of such standards.