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Wednesday, October 7, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
“Sustainability Is Paramount for Latin American Development”
A strategic plan with a new vision is needed to stop the dramatic loss of biodiversity, which is especially high in Latin America, says Margarita Astrálaga, UNEP regional director, in this Tierramérica interview.
How to Hurricane-Proof a Caribbean Island
The community on Cuba's Isla de la Juventud is preparing for another hurricane season, one that could be more intense than ever.Ecobreves – MEXICO: United Against GM Maize
Farmers organizations and academics from three public universities in Mexico created an alliance to promote native maize and to reject the introduction of genetically modified varieties of this crop.Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Sanitation Begins in the Kitchen
Recycling kitchen oils to produce biodiesel has the advantage of protecting the sewer system, as well as preventing soil and water contamination.Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Patagonia Ecologists for Clean Energy
A dozen environmental organizations from the southern Argentina region of Patagonia signed a declaration on energy that opposes expansion of nuclear, hydroelectric and coal-based projects.Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Forest Planting Begins
The Honduran authorities have launched a plan to recover 25,000 hectares of forest, with an emphasis on areas degraded by fires and illegal logging.
As Humans Advance, Andean Glaciers Recede
The huge reserves of freshwater frozen in the Andes Mountains have been rapidly diminishing since the mid-20th century due to the "flawed model of energy consumption," says at least one scientist.Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Alliance for Food Sovereignty
Around 30 non-governmental organizations in Honduras make up the Alliance for Food Sovereignty, whose mission is to promote sustainable agriculture and reforms that give a boost to small farmers.Ecobreves – CUBA: Less Pollution, More Savings
A forest biomass gasification plant to produce electricity in Cocodrilo, a tiny community on Cuba's Isla de la Juventud, would mean considerable savings in fuel and reduce the emissions of greenhouse-effect gases.Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Ecologically Produced Natural Rubber
It is finally possible in Brazil to produce high-quality natural rubber on a large scale and still save water and energy, thanks to technology developed by the University of Brasilia.Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Forest Inventory Advances
The inventory of the forests that cover approximately 40 percent of Venezuela's 916,500 square kilometers should be ready by 2012, project director Leonardo Lugo of the Environment Ministry told Tierramérica.
Fouls and Goals for Climate Change at World Cup
South Africa, where the FIFA Football World Cup is to kick off Jun. 11, has introduced cleaner transportation, while Brazil is planning ecological stadiums for the championship it will host in 2014. But these and other initiatives clash with the countries' overall environmental performance.
ENVIRONMENT: Market-Based Conservation Brewing in Nairobi
The private sector could mobilise billions of dollars to halt the loss of biodiversity, just as it does through the Clean Development Mechanism for mitigating climate change. But the proposal presented at a recent forum in the Kenyan capital has sparked debate among environmentalists.
BIODIVERSITY: Imagine a World Without Bluefin Tuna
The bluefin tuna, an "apex predator" fish of the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, is condemned to extinction within two years by the inaction of the industrialised North and international regulatory bodies, predict marine biologists and environmentalists.
Market-Based Conservation Brewing in Nairobi
A project to create a Green Development Mechanism that would use the market to preserve biodiversity is seeing many of the same criticisms that were volleyed at a similar approach to climate change.Ecobreves – MEXICO: Science Mission to the Arctic
An international science team left last week for the Arctic Ocean to study the effects of climate change.Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Emerald Hummingbird Closer to Extinction
The threat of extinction hanging over the emerald hummingbird (Amazilia luciae) is growing, as evidenced in the latest report, which found just 500 mating pairs in its habitat of tropical arid forest in the northern Honduran province of Yoro.Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Request for More Protected Nature Areas
The Argentine Wildlife Foundation has called upon the government of Cristina Fernández to increase the total coverage of protected areas, which currently remains below the minimum recommended by the Convention on Biological Diversity.CLIMATE CHANGE: Latin America, EU Set Sights on Cancun Summit
Governments from the European Union and from Latin America and the Caribbean are confident that at year's end the international climate conference will produce a concrete legal mandate to truly protect the environment.
How to Spend Environmental Funds
The world's multilateral credit institutions have often faced the criticism that they cause more problems than they prevent. As the challenges increase, such as those posed by climate change, the debate is shifting to environmental financing.
Imagine a World Without Bluefin Tuna
The resistance against banning trade in bluefin tuna leaves the door open to industrial fishing, with unforeseen consequences for the ecological balance of the seas, say experts.« Previous Page — Next Page »
Tierramérica is the main communications platform on sustainable development and the environment in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is produced by IPS Noticias, the agency’s Spanish-language service, which created it jointly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with later support from the World Bank. The weekly editions of Tierramérica are published in Spanish, Portuguese and English and are picked up and printed by dozens of media outlets in the region. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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