Climate change is a very seriousenvironmental challenge that affects prospects forsustainable development. Since the Industrial Revolution,the mean surface temperature of Earth has increased anaverage of one degree Celsius per century mainly due to theaccumulation of greenhouse gases (CHGs) in the atmosphere.Furthermore, most of this change has occurred in the past 30to 40 years, and the rate of increase is accelerating. Achange of this magnitude is unprecedented and will result insignificant impacts both at a global scale, and for LatinAmerica and the Caribbean in particular. This paper includesthe following headings: impacts are unavoidable;international response; and opportunities to address climatechange and local development.