Electrification of the transportation sector is a crucial component of tackling global climate change.

This is the topic of the Third Annual Latin America Clean Transport Forum in San José, Costa Rica organized by the Washington, DC think-tank The Inter American Dialogue. The event will be held Wednesday, Sept. 20 with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m., and the keynote address starting at 9 a.m. at the Real InterContinental Hotel (Salón Cedros) in Escazú.

Globally, electric vehicle penetration has grown rapidly over the last decade, thanks to a variety of new car models coming to the market, significant cost reductions in components such as batteries and a range of public policies to promote electric mobility.

In Latin America, electric transport is in early stages. The region faces many barriers to expanding electric transport – like the high cost of electric vehicles and a lack of charging infrastructure – with few of the incentives in place that have encouraged electric vehicle sales in other regions, said event organizers.

The forum will bring together representatives from government, private sector, and civil society to discuss impediments and opportunities to expanding clean transportation and electric vehicles in the region. Read more about The Dialogue’s First Annual Latin America Clean Transport Forum in Mexico and Second Annual Latin America Clean Transport Forum in Bogotá and our report, Green Transportation: Electric Vehicles in Latin America.

Marcela Guerrero Campos, Representative, Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica will address the policies and regulations that should be adopted to promote electric mobility in Costa Rica in her keynote speech.

This will be followed by three panel discussions, one on global trends in electric mobility, another on Latin American regional experiences with electric transport, and finally a discussion on the challenges and opportunities for electric transport in Costa Rica.

Other prominent Costa Rica figures will address the forum as well including Laura Lizano, Energy Sector Director, Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica and Liza Castillo, Viceminister of Transportation and Road Safety, Ministry of Public Works and Transportation of Costa Rica.

Further details on the program and speakers can be found at this link.