May 2025 LAC Quarterly Newsletter
Road to COP30
Ensuring people are at the center of climate change solutions is a cross-cutting priority at J-PAL LAC. During the last few years, we have built partnerships and shared evidence to inform public policies and programs that may contribute to the preservation of key ecosystems, while improving the lives of their inhabitants. This year marks a new opportunity to put in action joint efforts as one of the most important events to combat climate change, the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30), will be held for the first time in the Amazon region. At J-PAL LAC we are preparing for this milestone by engaging in a series of activities with policymakers, academics, donors, the civil society, the private sector, and practitioners to foster the adoption of evidence for climate action, as well as answer relevant open questions.
To kick off J-PAL LAC’s Road to COP30, Community Jameel and J-PAL LAC hosted a reception in São Paulo to highlight the importance of bridging the gap between evidence, policy, and politics in the environment and climate space. The event brought together notable voices including André Aquino, Head of the Economics and Environment Office at Brazil’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change; Esther Duflo, Nobel laureate, MIT professor, and co-founder of J-PAL; and George Richards, Director of Community Jameel.
The next steps on the Road to COP30 took place in Santiago, Chile, with two events. The first—co-organized with UC Chile’s Faculty of Economics and Business—featured a keynote address by Esther Duflo on the urgent need for climate action, followed by a panel discussion with leading experts such as Paula Caballero, Executive Director for Latin America at The Nature Conservancy; Carola Moreno, Coordinator of Finance and International Affairs at Chile’s Ministry of Finance; and Carolina Schmidt, Director of Fondo Naturaleza Chile. The second event—co-hosted with The Nature Conservancy—was a workshop on payment for ecosystem services (PES), which convened representatives from governments, NGOs, Indigenous and rural communities, and academia across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, and Guatemala. During the event, J-PAL shared relevant evidence for improving PES design.
We plan to carry this momentum through the rest of the year with a range of impactful activities. These include raising funds for a new initiative in the Amazon, sharing evidence-based climate solutions, and supporting the evaluation of promising programs. We are also building a community of practice on PES across Latin America and the Caribbean, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy. If you are interested in learning more, write to [email protected] and watch the event recording (in Spanish) »
Launching a global alliance for policy training
In March, J-PAL with Community Jameel officially launched the Alliance for Data, Evaluation, and Policy Training (ADEPT), a global effort to strengthen data-driven decision-making through high-quality training and education. ADEPT brings together a network of institutions to expand access to the courses from J-PAL and MITx’s Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP) MicroMasters for current and future researchers and policymakers. The first member of this alliance in LAC is Insper—host of J-PAL LAC’s satellite office in Brazil—which will start offering DEDP MicroMasters courses with new content adapted to the country’s context. The launch event featured remarks from academics such as Esther Duflo, Nobel laureate, MIT professor, and co-founder of J-PAL, and Cristine Pinto, Insper professor and J-PAL affiliated researcher, as well as representatives from the Brazilian government and civil society. Watch the event recording and read more about the Alliance and its next steps in English or Portuguese »
Early application for the Diploma in Impact Evaluation of Public Policies
J-PAL LAC and the Institute of Economics at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile are excited to announce the early call to apply to the Diploma in Impact Evaluation of Public Policies. This synchronous online program is taught by J-PAL affiliated professors, UC Professors, and J-PAL LAC staff, entirely in Spanish. It consists of three courses: Methods for Impact Evaluation, Implementation of an Impact Evaluation, and Evidence and Public Policy. Students also develop an impact evaluation proposal for one of their organization’s programs. Learn more and apply early to secure your place »
Highlighting local partnerships during J-PAL leadership visit
In February, members of J-PAL’s leadership team visited the J-PAL LAC office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to deepen ties with local partners and see first-hand how evidence can inform policy in the region. The week included field visits with Letrus, a Brazil-based edtech organization focused on improving student writing skills in public schools, and the São Paulo State Department of Social Development. Such partnerships reflect J-PAL’s commitment to working alongside local institutions to co-develop innovative solutions grounded in rigorous research. Watch a video of the visit to Letrus (in Portuguese) »
Building bridges between evidence and policy through a new community of practice
In March, J-PAL LAC launched a Community of Practice to promote gender equality and evidence use in Mexico and Brazil. This community, which will have quarterly virtual meetings, is bringing together policymakers, researchers, and NGO leaders from Brazil and Mexico to strengthen programs that empower women and girls. During the first session, participants listened to their peers' experiences and exchanged ideas around evidence and lessons on preventing gender based violence. Stay tuned for more!
EVIDENCE IN LAC
Does counterspeech work in authoritarian regimes?
A working paper by Romain Ferrali (Aix-Marseille University) and Horacio Larreguy (ITAM; J-PAL affiliated professor) evaluated how different types of counterspeech affect online harassment in an authoritarian setting. Through a randomized evaluation led by a local NGO in an unnamed regime, they found that public counterspeech—visible to all—reduced victim activity and engagement from followers, likely due to fear of government retaliation. In contrast, private counterspeech encouraged more victim participation. Harassers, however, remained undeterred. These findings underscore the limits of public counterspeech in repressive environments and point to the need for safer, more tailored strategies. Read the working paper »
Can pedagogical coaching improve student learning at scale?
A published paper by Juan F. Castro (Universidad del Pacífico), Paul Glewwe (University of Minnesota; J-PAL affiliated professor), Alexandra Heredia‐Mayo (IPA Peru), Stephanie Majerowicz (Universidad de los Andes), and Ricardo Montero (University of Minnesota) conducted a randomized evaluation on a large-scale teacher coaching program in rural Peru. With the program rolled out to nearly 4,000 schools, they found that the program improved teachers’ pedagogical skills and led to moderate gains in student learning. The authors also developed a framework to estimate long-term impacts and found that when students were taught by fully coached teachers for three years, learning gains nearly doubled. Read the paper »
How can phone-based support improve early childhood outcomes?
A randomized evaluation by Ana I. Balsa, Juanita Bloomfield, and Alejandro Cid (Universidad de Montevideo), and Philip Oreopoulos (University of Toronto; J-PAL affiliated professor) tested a phone-based intervention for vulnerable families with young children in Uruguay. Through a combination of calls, messages, a chatbot, and AI tools, the program encouraged positive parenting, supported language development, and improved access to social benefits. Over eight months, it increased parental engagement in stimulating activities and reduced stress, while also helping families connect with government services. Read the working paper »
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
Integrando conservação à política de desenvolvimento no Brasil
Taxar ultrarricos para distribuir aos pobres é uma medida popular diz Nobel de Economia
Taller internacional sobre cambio climático, inequidad y valor ambiental, con destacada participación de Esther Duflo, Premio Nobel de Economía.
Premio Nobel de Economía estuvo en Chile y enfatizó la urgencia de abordar el cambio climático con equidad
Nobel de Economia Esther Duflo participa de lançamento do programa ADEPT no Insper
La academia y las politicas publicas: el 'modelo Esther Duflo'
Esther Duflo, Nobel de Economía: “La idea que el multilateralismo se acabó no creo que sea cierta”
Pari é distrito de São Paulo com mais trabalhadores informais, veja ranking