; (B) extreme weather events affected millions of people across Central America, exacerbating food insecurity in countries already crippled by economic shocks, COVID–19 impacts, and conflict; and (C) sea-level rise poses a major risk to low-lying coastal zones in Latin America and the Caribbean. (9) The United Nations states that facilitating more reliable and affordable access to clean electricity helps governments to improve the quality of other basic services, such as education and healthcare. Electricity access also helps diversify and strengthen local economies. Thus, increasing electricity access could reduce the need to migrate to urban areas and other countries. (10) Natural disasters of increased frequency are projected to increase the displacement of people and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that an annual average of more than 20 million people have been forcibly displaced by weather-related sudden onset hazards every year since 2008. (11) Rising commodity and energy prices, as well as other global economic shocks such as those caused by natural disasters, pandemics, and conflict pose a serious security risk that may lead to social unrest and instability in Latin America and the Caribbean. (b) Sense of congress It is the sense of Congress that the United States has economic and national security interests in assisting Latin America and the Caribbean to achieve sustainable energy security. (c) Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States— (1) to advance United States foreign policy and development goals by helping Latin America and the Caribbean meet its short-term energy needs; (2) to promote the energy security of Latin America and the Caribbean by encouraging the development of accessible, transparent, competitive, and solvent energy markets and systems that provide diversified sources, types, and routes of energy, as well as by prioritizing clean energy sources that reduce carbon emissions and address the ongoing global rise in temperatures