Yes, Deserts Can Be Productive

Production of solar energy in Chile's Atacama desert and ecotourism in Salta, Argentina, are successful cases of sustainable use of arid lands in Latin America.

Conservation of Fauna Is a Titanic Task”

Tierramérica spoke with Gerardo Ceballos, winner of the Whitley Award for his work to create a habitat reserve to protect the prairie dogs in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

State Oil Companies with a Nationalist Boost

Several Latin American countries are reclaiming control of a precious natural resource: hydrocarbons. How are state-run oil companies -- many of them weak and politicized -- confronting the challenge?

Wave of Opposition Hits Hydroelectric Dams

Local residents are trying in several Latin American countries -- from the Papagayo River in Mexico to the Baker River in southern Chile -- to stop major hydroelectric projects.

Indigenous Languages in Final Throes

Languages like Kiliwua in Mexico, Amanayé in Brazil, Záparo in Ecuador and Mashco Piro in Peru are on the verge of disappearing. Their extinction would be a tragedy for humanity, warn linguists.

Water in Public Hands Gaining Popularity

Government-led water management that is efficient and participatory can cut costs of the service by half, argue local authorities and water activists at the 4th World Water Forum, taking place in Mexico City, Mar. 16-22.

Water Transnationals Backing Off

Private investment in water management is on the decline in Latin America because of the high political and financial risks, say experts.

Refinery Moves Forward Despite Opposition

In spite of skepticism among some experts, Mexico is pushing the Mesoamerican refinery, the star of a sustainable energy integration plan with Central America and Colombia.

New Scuffles Over Water

Groups that favor and groups that oppose the privatisation of water will return to the ring in March, during the 4th World Water Forum, in Mexico.

Woman Eco-Activist of Mountain Stock

The award-winning Mexican peasant Celsa Vadovinos assures Tierramérica that she will continue to defend the forests of Guerrero sierra, even though her life may be at stake.

Tobacco Growers on War Footing

Latin American experts and activists charge that the cigarette industry is trying to weaken the international tobacco control treaty, whose first meeting is set to take place in Geneva next month.

Stan Was a Blow to the Poor, but Not the GDP

Experts are taking stock a month after Hurricane Stan blew through Central America: although thousands of people lost everything they had, the larger economy is set to come out just fine.

A Crusade Against Nanotechnology

The award-winning activist Pat Mooney travels the world calling for a moratorium on commercial development based on nanoparticles, pointing to what he says are their potentially harmful effects.

Indigenous Peoples Left Vulnerable to Disasters

Disaster prevention plans often fail to take into account the cultures and world views of indigenous communities. If the plans were more inclusive, say activists, there would be fewer tragedies resulting from climate phenomena like the recent Hurricane Stan.

Another Forest-Defending Peasant Behind Bars

Felipe Arriaga, defender of the forests in the Mexican state of Guerrero, stands accused of assassination. ''I'm innocent,'' he told Tierramérica in an interview from his jail cell. Arriaga is the fifth peasant farmer and anti-logging activist to be imprisoned since 1999. The other four were released after intense international campaigns for their rights.

Prison Is a Blow, but Doesn't Knock Down Peasant-Activist

"If they keep on killing trees, there won't be any more water. I'll continue fighting this. I'm not afraid," says Mexican peasant farmer Felipe Arreaga, released Sep. 15 after spending 10 months behind bars.

Mexico Speeds Up CFC Elimination

The Mexican company Quimobásicos stopped producing CFCs, thus reducing output of this ozone-depleting gas worldwide by 12 percent.

Low Marks in Achieving 'Green' Goals

Latin America and the Caribbean will continue to lag behind as long as they fail to recognize that sustainable management of their natural capital can be good business, says Ricardo Sánchez, regional director of the United Nations Environment Program.

Untreated Wastewater Making the Seas Sick

Between 80 and 90 percent of wastewater dumped into the seas of Latin America is untreated. And experts say there are few efforts to prevent the practice.

Scientist Condemns Mexico's Environmental “Double Standard”

It is easy to be the first to ratify international environmental treaties. It is quite another thing to effectively control air pollution, says Mexican scientist Luis Roberto Acosta.

Shrimp Industry Devastating Mangrove Forests

Ecuador and Honduras have suffered the worst cases of loss of coastal mangrove forests, warned the United Nations Environment Program on the occasion of World Environment Day.