Abstract

Most fast developing countries have set targets to achieve a developed status in the near future. Nonetheless, emerging economies from developing countries must struggle to balance the need for energy but coping with environmental sustainability principles, both local and globally. Chile has set a voluntary target of capping CO2 emissions by 20 % by the year 2020, with 2007 as reference. Heated discussion has risen in how to comply with such a goal and how should energy policy drive the needed actions. Mitigation of the effects of climate change has been mainly in the center of the discussion everywhere, however adaptation to climate change effects is probably the key element if the premise that the earth's temperature will continue to increase before mankind can effectively change current GHG trends. Challenges faced for developing countries to achieve a low carbon economy are reviewed taking as an example the case of Chile. © 2011 IEEE.