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Monday, November 9, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Biodegradable Plastic On Its Way
A team led by physicist Alejandro Müller, of the polymer research department at Venezuela's Simón Bolívar University, is working on a new biodegradable plastic based on a mixture of polycaprolacton and manioc fiber (Manihot esculenta).
Frogs Fading Into Silence
The extinction of amphibians in Latin America has reached alarming proportions: 209 species in Colombia and 198 in Mexico alone are in danger of disappearing forever
Dangerous Waters – Even for Sharks
In 15 years the shark population in European waters has plummeted 80 percent. Some 100 million of these fish die each year, victims of the lucrative global market for their fins.Ecobreves – MEXICO: Breaking the Car Habit
In 2008 the results will be ready from a study about the dependence of Mexicans in 50 urban areas on their cars. The unprecedented study will define indicators for tracking the issue and suggest strategies to reduce reliance on automobiles.Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Banana's Useful Fibers
Students from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) are taking advantage of the banana stalk to develop BananaPlac, a colorful laminate that can be used for furniture, walls, car panels, among other things, replacing traditional formica.Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Refrigerator Exchange
The Argentine government will grant credits and subsidies in 2007 to consumers to exchange -- over the next three years -- old refrigerators for new ones that are more energy efficient.Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Alarm Sounded on Rat Migration
The Caracas city government forced hundreds of street vendors off the main avenues of Caracas in January, resulting in a mass migration of rats to neighboring residential areas. The rodents had fed on the tons of garbage generated daily by the informal vendors, said residents.Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Case of Murdered Ecologist Goes to Court
The February 1995 murder of environmentalist Janeth Kawas will be presented in May before the Inter-American Court on Human Rights, for impunity and delay of justice, human rights activist Bertha Oliva told Tierramérica.Ecobreves – CHILE: Heavy Rains Threaten Vegetable Crops
The intense and unexpected rainfall over central Chile in mid-February will affect the production of various fresh vegetables, mostly onions for export, the Chilean vegetable producers association, Hortach, announced.
Farmers and Scientists See Risks in Wind Energy
Mexico intends to erect as many as 3,000 wind turbines on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec by 2030. Peasant farmers have doubts about the project's benefits for the local community, and scientists warn about potential hazards to birds.
Mapuches Return to Benetton-Held Land
Six indigenous families are returning to live on a plot of land that the Italian clothing company Benetton owns in the Patagonia region. Benetton has not yet decided what, if any, legal action it will take.Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Zero-Carbon for Sao Paulo Carnival
Greenhouse gases produced by Sao Paulo's Carnival, Feb. 16-24, will be "compensated" by the planting of trees through an agreement with the environmental group SOS Mata Atlantica.
Protests Mount Against Mining Giant
The Canadian mining giant Goldcorp, which runs the largest gold mine in Mexico, is racking up complaints about its environmental violations. In Honduras, officials are considering legal action.Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Regional Cyber-Forum on Biodiversity
A network of groups, with the World Conservation Union - South America (UICN-Sur) at the fore, is convening an Internet debate in the region to set up actions aimed at preserving biodiversity.
Social Responsibility a Sure Bet for Business
"There is no contradiction between social responsibility and profitability," Oded Grajew, a leader of the Brazilian business world in favor of sustainable development, tells TierraméricaEcobreves – MEXICO: A Bio-Process for Purifying Wastewater
The Autonomous Metropolitan University of Mexico (UAM) has developed biological methods for treating wastewater that are more effective than the standard approaches, which use physical and chemical processes.
When One Ocean Is Not Enough
Argentine scientists have proved that elephant seals require vast areas of ocean environment in order to survive. The finding could lead to improved conservation plans for these sea mammals.Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Call for Bids on Controversial Project
Brazil's national integration minister, Pedro Brito, announced Feb.14 that after Carnival the government will take bids for projects to transfer water from the Sao Francisco River to supply the country's dry northeastern region.Ecobreves – CUBA: Demolishing Construction to Save Varadero
From 1996 to date, more than 80 buildings and three kilometers of walls and fences on the dunes in the resort of Varadero have been demolished as part of an integrated management program.Ecobreves – CHILE: Don't Rule Out Aysén Volcano
Tremors recorded since Jan. 22 in the southern Chilean city of Aysén are being caused by magma under the sea floor pressing for release, say experts, who are not ruling out the possibility of a volcanic eruption.Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Fire Destroys Plain
A fire that started Feb. 2 on La Negra high plain, 600 km southwest of the capital, consumed more than 1,000 hectares of vegetation, Yuri Bermúdez, commander of the local firefighting team, told Tierramérica.« 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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