Environmental and energy indicators in Latin America and the Caribbean: An evaluation from multivariate techniques on sustainability

Abstract

In the current context of concern about the environmental impacts of human activity, the focus on sustainable development and environmental impact assessment (EIA) has gained prominence. The Brundtland Commission highlights the importance of meeting present needs without compromising future ones, leading to international treaties and public policies to address the environmental crisis. Moreover, the Latin American and Caribbean Initiative for Sustainable Development (ILAC) seeks to promote sustainable development in key areas in Latin America and the Caribbean. Among them, energy efficiency and destination are crucial for sustainable use of energy resources and emission reduction. The aim of this article is to examine the evolution of variables and countries regarding installed capacity to produce electricity, renewable primary energy supply share, and fossil-fuel subsidies through Dynamic biplots and multivariate analyses. Trends in the increase of renewable energy production capacity are shown. In contrast, the correlation between the share of fossil fuel subsidies and the share of renewable primary energy supply presents a weak inverse relationship. Therefore, although progress has been made toward using cleaner energies and the consumption and subsidization of fossil fuels have decreased, some countries still depend significantly on non-renewable sources. It is concluded that even when environmental information presents challenges, analyzing indicators and conceptual models contributes to understanding environmental dynamics and progress toward sustainable development in the region, especially through creating and implementing public policies.