This document discusses Latin America's dual role as a conservator of natural resources and producer of agricultural services. The author addresses the expansion of agriculture across the region and intensification of agriculture in Latin America. The environmental impact of this expansion and...

This paper discusses the feedbacks between climate change, deforestation, and agricultural expansion and presents scenarios of agricultural demand and forest conservation and restoration policies in Brazil. In addition, it discusses the implications of these scenarios for food and befoul supply,...

Bank investments in tourism and other coastal development projects have been on the rise, generating an interest in the development of instruments and tools that would more effectively inform Bank staff on critical issues, and support the management of the environmental and social risks of the...

Catastrophic deforestation and environmental degradation have become habits of thought about forest landscapes in Latin America's tropics. Yet these truisms blind analysts to three surprising changes. First, deforestation has slowed dramatically. Next, forest resurgence-largely a function of...

This paper explores options to minimize threats posed to IDB-financed physical investments by the impacts of climate change. A large proportion of projects are implemented in climate-sensitive sectors (e.g., agriculture, water resources, and transport). In these cases, the norm is to consider...

This paper summarizes environmental considerations that the Bank should take into account in preparing its new country strategy with Bolivia (2011-2015). Some of these are already contemplated to a certain extent in the existing strategy. Following this introductory section, which briefly...

This discussion paper starts with a brief summary of several important existing Bank-supported environment-related interventions. It is followed by a review of pending issues associated with some of these initiatives, specifically those associated with possible new Bank-financed infrastructure...

In November 2008, as an input into the country strategy update that was being prepared, an Environmental Sectorial Note (ESN) was prepared by Bank technical staff. This paper examines the extent to which the concerns and priorities identified in the ESN were picked up in the country strategy...

The new Country Strategy for Honduras represents a unique opportunity for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to apply its commitment under the Ninth General Capital Increase (GCI-9) to protect the environment, to respond to climate change, to promote renewable energy and ensure food...