The Regional Economics of Climate Change Study (RECCS) is a joint proposal between ECLAC, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Government of the United Kingdom, with international cooperation resources to support a regional study on the impacts of climate change in the economy.  Eight countries, including Uruguay, participate in this study. 

Climate change is a major environmental, economic and political challenge, and its effects represent a serious global threat.  Various related phenomena have been observed in Latin America and the Caribbean, including glacier retreat, desertification, possible intensification of El Niño and La Niña and, in general, increasingly devastating climatic events, which may significantly affect the GDP of the region's countries.  Specific national studies are therefore required to quantify and analyse their impact.  Since the publication of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change (2006) and the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), knowledge of and interest in the subject have grown steadily throughout the world.

Uruguay has appointed Pedro Barrenechea as the Lead Economist for this study.  His team includes economists and other professionals in the Climate Change Unit of the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Economy and others.  Results of the study are expected to be ready by September/October 2009.