Environment and sustainable development: contemporary challenges for ECLAC and Latin America and the Caribbean

This document analyzes the environmental and sustainable development challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the evolution of ECLAC's thinking on these issues. It presents the main stylized facts of the region's development model, characterized by its dependence on natural resources and the challenges this implies for sustainability. The article examines how sustainability has been addressed in ECLAC's thinking and other economic currents over time. It analyzes the opportunities and challenges facing the region to achieve sustainable development, considering its wealth of natural resources and its position in the international economy. Finally, it offers policy recommendations to reconcile economic growth with environmental sustainability and promote a just transition towards low-carbon economies.