This guide represents the collective analysis of the seven Central American nations on their efforts at reducing carbon emmissions both locally and by acting as sinks. These nations have effectively partned with the government of Finland with financial assisstance from the government of Austria with the main aim of implementing sustainable demonstrative projects on the appropriate use of renewable energy sources, such as bioenergy, hydroelectric, solar, wind and geothermal technologies.

Energy is essential for development, but given the urgent need to mitigate climate change, developing nations are under pressure to keep their carbon emissions low. This leaves them with three options: abandon development; ignore climate concerns; or take a third path: finding energy sources that emit little or no carbon. This report focuses on the third option, which is called “development without carbon” (DWC), looking at the viability of hydroelectric power as a low-carbon energy source for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in a changing climate.