The diffusion of climate legislation in Latin America: regional trends, national particularities

Abstract

The adoption of climate acts has become an international best practice in climate policy. Latin America has been part of this trend, with 10 of 20 countries in the region enacting such legislation. Nevertheless, this empirical phenomenon has largely been neglected by both the international literature and regional academia. Drawing on policy diffusion studies, this paper examines the temporal and spatial dynamics of climate acts adoption in Latin America. By analyzing the characteristics of these acts, the paper seeks to reconsider the lessons highlighted by the international literature. The findings demonstrate that climate acts reflect the distinctive features of the region’s presidential political systems. Given the need to expand the frontiers of climate action research in Latin America, this study concludes by outlining future research avenues.