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Saturday, November 7, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
PERU: Free Trade Opens Environmental Window
Legislative decree 1090, which modifies Peru's forest policy, is worrying U.S. trade authorities because it contravenes environmental clauses of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that is to enter force between the two countries in January 2009.
ARGENTINA: Illegal Embankment Continues to Harm Wetlands
The government of the northeastern Argentine province of Corrientes has been unable to enforce the ruling of the district's highest court, which nearly a year ago ordered the removal of a 30-kilometre embankment that is damaging the valuable wetlands ecosystem known as the Esteros del Iberá.
Trade Opens Environmental Window on Peru
Ecologists await Peru's revision of controversial environmental standards that contradict commitments made in the Free Trade Agreement with the United States.
Why Colombia's Indigenous Peoples Are Protesting
For the Colombian government, caught up in polls that put it at the peak of popularity, indigenous protests could not be anything but the work of conspirators, writes indigenous expert Héctor Mondragón in this column for Tierramérica.
Illegal Embankment Continues to Harm Argentine Wetland
An unprecedented ruling in Argentina's environmental jurisprudence has seen almost one year pass while awaiting compliance.Ecobreves – GLOBAL: UN Day Dedicated to Climate Change
Possible actions to confront climate change were the focus of United Nations Day, celebrated Oct. 24 with a seminar at the UN University headquarters in Japan.Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Award for Indigenous Ecotourism Project
The Moskitia Route, an ecotourism project involving four indigenous communities in Honduras, has received the global prize "Tourism for the People".Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Climate Plan Up for Public Debate
Citizens and activists have until Oct. 31 to suggest modifications to the National Climate Change Plan proposed by a committee made up of seven government ministries.Ecobreves – CUBA: Biogas Plant Begins Operating
A new biogas plant located at the capital's largest dump and with the capacity to process 20 tons of urban waste per day will generate enough electricity to supply 120 fully equipped households.Ecobreves – CHILE: Eco-Education in Preschool
The National Environment Commission (CONAMA) of Santiago is premiering on Oct. 29 the first manual for environmental education for kindergarteners and first and second graders.Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Like a Big Garbage Dump
Venezuela produces some 27,000 tons of garbage each day, and most of it ends up in one of the 800 open-air dumps, which contaminate water, land, flora and fauna and contribute to the spread of disease among the population.
ARGENTINA: Caution and Enthusiasm for Fish Farming
Fish farming is expanding in Latin America, fuelled by the demands of a global market that is facing the stagnation of commercial fishing. But some people are warning about the limits of industrial production of fish and the environmental and social risks.
NETHERLANDS: When the Electricity Is in Your Feet
As everyone knows, the wind and the sun produce energy. But now there is also a way to generate electricity by dancing.
Q&A: “Profit Is Enemy Number One of the Environment”
The global financial debacle is evidence that capitalism "is more alive than ever" and can only be stopped by policies that extinguish all forms of profit or by the end of life on Earth, says Chilean professor and activist Marcel Claude.
Health Care Must Not Replicate Social Inequalities
The renewed focus of primary health care emphasizes reducing health inequalities in a world of growing social disparities, writes Mirta Roses, director of the Pan-American Health Organization in this column for Tierramérica.Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Government Accused of Siding with Polluter
The 55 organizations that make up the Greater Alliance for Omoa, on the Honduran Atlantic coast, accused the Manuel Zelaya government of favoring the Gas del Caribe company, which has been charged with pollution violations.Ecobreves – MEXICO: Surprise Award for Bicycle Program
The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) has recognized the Mexican capital's municipal government for its promotion of bicycle use, but cyclists and activists argue that it is not deserved.Ecobreves – BRAZIL: More Indigenous Mayors
Six Indians were elected to mayoral posts in Brazil this month, doubling the number of indigenous electoral victories from 2004.Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Córdoba Residents Protest Dump
Residents of Bouwer, in the central Argentine province of Córdoba, are protesting a large garbage dump that city officials intend to maintain in the city until 2016.
Caution and Enthusiasm for Fish Farming
Industrial production of fish and shellfish is growing more than eight percent a year worldwide. But not all countries with extensive coastlines can take advantage of this boom, which is not without its ecological risks.
When the Electricity Is in Your Feet
"To change the world doesn't mean you can't have fun," says the entrepreneur who sells dance floors that generate electricity from the movement of the dancers' feet.« 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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