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Committed to achieving carbon neutrality by mid-century, South America faces unique challenges in carbon mitigation due to its distinct socio-economic, technological, and institutional backgrounds compared to developed and other developing economies. Previous research on South America's carbon emissions has limited country and sector coverage and typically adopts a top-down approach that focuses on the overall emissions of an economy, neglecting individual energy sources and emission sectors. Therefore, this paper compiles a comprehensive inventory of CO 2 emissions for South American countries based on a meticulous bottom-up approach and multi-source data integration, followed by a thorough analysis of their temporal evolution patterns and the driving forces behind them. Between 2010 and 2020, South America's overall emissions peaked in 2014 at 1092.3 Mt., led by emissions from oil consumption and from the transport and electricity sectors, and dropped to 865.6 Mt. in 2020, due to the economic fluctuations and COVID-19. Specifically, Brazil was the largest emitter, Chile experienced the most significant increase in emissions, and Paraguay recorded the highest emission growth rate. Generally, expanding population was constant driver of emission growth. High energy intensity led to significant emission increases in Brazil and Ecuador, while elevated carbon intensity was the main driver in Argentina. Energy structure changes played a positive role in most countries to different extents (e.g., much more significant in Brazil than in Chile) but aggrevated emissions in Paraguay and Guyana. Therefore, carbon mitigation strategies should be tailored to each country's unique national circumstances. • During 2010–2020, South America's CO 2 emissions from fossil fuels peaked in 2014. • Transport and electricity sectors comprised over 60% of total emissions. • Brazil was the top emitter, while Chile saw the largest increase in emissions. • Emission patterns and driving factors varied significantly across countries. • Carbon reduction strategies should be tailored to local circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in environmental systems is gradually more studied worldwide. However, in Latin America, the presence of contaminants of emerging concern, together with their environmental and toxicological impacts, has recently been gaining wide interest in the scientific community. This paper presents a critical review about the source, fate, and occurrence of distinct emerging contaminants reported during the last two decades in various countries of Latin America. In recent years, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia are the main countries that have conducted research on the presence of these pollutants in biological and aquatic compartments. Data gathered indicated that pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and personal care products are the most assessed CECs in Latin America, being the most common compounds the followings: atrazine, acenaphthene, caffeine, carbamazepine, ciprofloxacin, diclofenac, diuron, estrone, losartan, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim. Most common analytical methodologies for identifying these compounds were HPLC and GC coupled with mass spectrometry with the potential to characterize and quantify complex substances in the environment at low concentrations. Most CECs' monitoring and detection were observed near to urban areas which confirm the out-of-date wastewater treatment plants and sanitization infrastructures limiting the removal of these pollutants. Therefore, the implementation of tertiary treatment should be required. In this tenor, this review also summarizes some studies of CECs removal using electrochemical advanced oxidation processes that showed satisfactory performance. Finally, challenges, recommendations, and future perspectives are discussed. [Display omitted] • Occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in Latin America. • Pharmaceuticals, pesticides and personal care products are the most assessed CECs. • The presence of CECs were predominantly observed in close proximity to urban areas. • Electrochemical technologies are an important alternative for CECs elimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper looks into the clean development mechanism (CDM) projects involving energy recovery from municipal solid waste (MSW). The paper looks into the municipal waste management problems, regulatory framework in place and the CDM opportunities in India. A comparative assessment of the Indian CDM projects vis a vis projects worldwide is also presented. One hundred and nineteen worldwide CDM projects, including 16 from India, based on MSW and implemented across the developing countries in the world were studied to assess the various processes and methodologies used and the green house gas (GHG) reductions estimated. RDF, composting and landfill gas recovery methods have been explained in brief. Two case studies from India and Brazil have also been outlined. Brazil has the highest number of CDM projects of MSW origin (25) followed by China (16), India (16), Chile (10), Mexico (10) and Argentina (8). Rest of the non-Annex-1 countries have one, two or three projects each. It was observed that out of the 119 projects, 88 projects were using ACM0001 methodology where electricity is being produced and supplied to a grid. Out of the 16 Indian projects, only one of the projects has electricity being supplied to the grid. Nine out of the sixteen projects are based on AMS.III.E. methodology that is RDF. To conclude, India does not have well designed sanitary landfills where methane can be captured. India needs to make conscious effort towards developing more scientific landfills, capture methane and take carbon credits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Substantial adoption of solar rooftop systems in the residential sector resulting from the implementation of net metering policies can lead to worsening socioeconomic inequalities. This is because of the lack of information on the socioeconomic profiles of distributed solar generators. To fill this information gap and shed light on the determinants of solar photovoltaic distributed generation uptake, this paper aims to identify the profile of the first adopters of solar PV distributed generation by merging different databases. Using multilevel regression analysis, this study investigates how socioeconomic factors, project viability, and neighborhood variables, matter for adopting solar PV distributed generation in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. Results differ across countries, as institutional frameworks matter. In Brazil, adopters live in urban areas and are highly responsive to solar energy potential. In Chile, the size of the project matters. Finally, in Mexico, results show that demonstration effects play a crucial role in adoption. Income as a determining factor is inconclusive. Average spending on electricity matters in all countries. This study highlights the existence of heterogeneity in the distribution of solar distributed generators. To mitigate these distortions, this work suggests some recommendations to improve solar distribution net metering policies in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. • Some residential solar PVDG policies can exacerbate pre-existing socio-economic inequalities. • Socioeconomic factors, project viability, and neighborhood effects, matter for solar PVDG adoption. • Profile of solar PVDG adopters vary considerably by country. • Solar PVDG polices need to take adopters' characteristics into account to be more inclusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper contributes to the literature that analyses the determinants and measurement of Technological Capabilities (TCs) with empirical evidence on Argentina, Brazil and Chile. Based on the World Bank''s Investment Climate database, the study covers firms from the manufacturing sector. We first construct a Capability Score to provide a preliminary measure of Technological Capabilities at the firm level. We then test it econometrically to explore the determinants of TCs and exports and evaluate their reciprocal relationship through a Two Stage Probit. Our results show that exports and TCs significantly and positively influence each other in some of these countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There has been a long and intensive debate within the scientific community about the role of international trade in the development of countries. During the last decades, the focus of attention has moved from the pure economic level to the environmental aspects of international trade. Establishing a simplified system of North–South trade for one reference period (2003), this paper attempts to test empirically the extent of potential asymmetries with regard to extracted material flows, and contrasts the results with the economic benefits from trade (in terms of value-added). The South is thereby represented by a selection of Latin American countries (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico), the North comprises one of their main commercial partners, the United States. At the methodological level, a multi-regional input–output analysis is used as the tool of investigation. Results generally support the hypothesis that the South was feeding the North's societal metabolism. South–North material exports were 1.6 times larger than North–South material exports, resulting in a net deficit for the South of 324 million tons. Moreover, material intensity of exported commodities from the South was twice as high as that from the North. It is worth highlighting, however, that part of the North-South hypothesis fails for the sample of countries since the larger part of the economic surplus has remained in the South, contrarily to what would have been expected. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]