News of Fermin Koop

Fermin Koop

Fermín Koop is an economic and environmental journalist from Buenos Aires.

Fiona Clouder, the UK's COP26 Ambassador for Latin America, meets with Argentina's environment minister Juan Cabandié

COP26 ambassador: Climate action ‘can raise the profile of Latin America’

29-10-2021 21:49 Fiona Clouder, COP26 Regional Ambassador for Latin America and the Caribbean, discusses the upcoming climate summit and its implications for the region.

by Fermín Koop, Diálogo Chino

A protestor calls for the closure of polluting power plants as G20 climate and energy ministers met in Naples in July

ENVIRONMENT

Emissions rise across the G20 after pandemic disruption

20-10-2021 15:47 New Climate Transparency report finds G20 climate action far from meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, as countries continue to rely on fossil fuels; Argentina projected to exceed 2019 emissions levels.

by Fermin Koop

River and sheep below the Andes mountain range in El Calafate, Argentina. Glacier loss is expected to continue in the Andes because of climate change.

ENVIRONMENT

What does the new IPCC report mean for Latin America?

13-08-2021 22:49 Regional temperatures will continue to increase at rates greater than global average and extreme weather events will further accelerate, new climate change report warns

by Fermin Koop

CONSERVATION

Fishing vessels illegally target marine mammals in South American waters

31-07-2021 12:00 Conservationists warn sea lions and elephant seals are being captured by foreign vessels in Argentine and Uruguayan waters. Experts call for urgent measures from authorities.

by Fermin Koop

LITHIUM

Argentina eyes lithium expansion, but hurdles may dampen ambitions

12-12-2020 08:48 Government sees lithium mining as a significant source of revenue in coming years, with officials hoping to boost production from 40,000 to more than 230,000 tons a year by 2022. Experts, however, warn that challenges lie ahead.

by Fermin Koop

EU-MERCOSUR DEAL

EU parks trade deal with Mercosur over environmental concerns

17-10-2020 09:56 More than 15 months ago, then-president Mauricio Macri hailed the sealing of the Mercosur bloc’s historic trade agreement with the European Union. Today, as European nations express environmental concerns, ratification isn’t even close to starting.

by Fermin Koop

MERCOSUR

Felipe Solá: Argentina won’t stop or reject EU-Mercosur trade deal

01-10-2020 19:59 Foreign minister says country has “changed stance” on free-trade agreement and will debate it in Congress when concerns over environmental

by Fermin Koop

A group of health agents looking for Covid cases in Buenos Aires.

TRAVEL & TOURISM

Pandemic deals brutal blow to Argentina’s tourism industry

25-07-2020 07:51 Tourism chambers and agencies call for emergency legislation to protect businesses, with slump in activity expected to shave between one and four percent off Argentina’s GDP this year. More than 80,000 job losses anticipated across sector.

by Fermin Koop

LITHIUM

Coronavirus halts lithium expansion in Argentina and Chile

23-05-2020 10:10 Projects under development halted and significant investments cancelled, as impact of Covid-19 pandemic begins to hit home.

by Fermin Koop

Argentina paused to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The measure has paralysed the economy, and notably, Argentina’s recently reinvigorated renewable energy development.

ENVIRONMENT

Argentina halts renewables rollout amid coronavirus

09-05-2020 10:19 Since 2016, when the RenovAR renewable energy auctions started, 131 renewable energy parks, mostly wind power, have entered into commercial operation.

by Fermin Koop

Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Juan Cabandié.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Juan Cabandié: ‘We all have to move toward more sustainable practices’

09-05-2020 10:09 Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Juan Cabandié says the post-pandemic world needs a “new social and environmental order that contemplates new methods of production,” in an exclusive interview.

by Fermin Koop

MERCOSUR

More flexible trade rules await Mercosur after Argentina pullout

02-05-2020 08:46 Customs union or free-trade zone? ‘Big changes; could be on way for the Mercosur after government decides to walk away from future trade talks.

by Fermin Koop

Professor Eduardo Levy Yeyati explains why the real costs of the crisis are yet to be seen.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Levy Yeyati: 'We’re only just starting to perceive the costs of this crisis’

11-04-2020 08:43 Economist and professor Eduardo Levy Yeyati discusses the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and gives his view on the government’s measures to tackle the spread of the virus in Argentina.

by Fermin Koop

China is Argentina’s second market so fewer sales from there would have a big effect on our economy.

CORONAVIRUS CONSEQUENCES

Coronavirus casts another shadow over Argentina’s economy

14-03-2020 08:48 Consultancy firms predict outbreak will deepen economic turmoil in 2020, shaving as much as 0.5% off GDP

by Fermin Koop

Ariel Slipak: “Fernández wants to have a good relationship as he knows China is much more interested in investing in infrastructure projects than the US or Europe.”

ARGENTINA & CHINA

Alberto Fernández eyes China in bid to alleviate Argentina’s debt crisis

22-02-2020 10:39 With money tight and funding scarce, President Alberto Fernández is looking east – a move that could see key infrastructure projects restarted and a bolstering of Central Bank reserves.

by Fermin Koop

Officials from member nations are already preparing for the Mercosur’s next presidential summit in June, but the regional trade bloc is facing an uncertain future, with one analyst describing it this week as in a “highly fragile state.”

TRADE TENSIONS

Mercosur braces for change amid calls for new trade rules

18-01-2020 09:19 Regional trade bloc faces uncertain future, with Argentina now in the minority and Uruguay and Brazil seeking the right to secure trade deals outside the bloc’s remit

by Fermin Koop

Argentina needs to take some tough decisions about how will it reduce further its emissions.

ENVIRONMENT

Environment drops off radar after four years of contradictions

19-10-2019 08:09 Experts say the Macri administration is trying to have it both ways when it comes to environmental policies. And worryingly, the outlook doesn’t look much better under a potential government led by Alberto Fernández.

by Fermin Koop

The new IPCC oceans report has warned of the major impacts of global heating on sensitive biomes such as South America’s sub-Antarctic

climate change

Climate emergency threatens Latin America’s oceans and glaciers

28-09-2019 04:15 Major new IPCC oceans report warns of big impacts of global heating and urges quick emissions cuts.

by Fermin Koop

Members of Extinction Rebellion demonstrate at the La Rural exhibition centre in Buenos Aires.

ENVIRONMENT

Environmental activism on rise in Argentina amid climate emergency

03-08-2019 11:30 Citizens across the globe are now taking action, asking governments and companies to step up to the plate on climate change. Argentina is no exception.

by Fermin Koop

Squid eggs in the beagle chanel. Tierra del Fuego.

ENVIROMENT

Southern Cone leads the way in marine protection

27-04-2019 09:56 Moves will benefit biodiversity, fisheries resilience and carbon sequestration

by Fermin Koop

INDUSTRIAL DECLINE

Concerns for industry grow as output sees sharp decline amid slowdown

06-04-2019 08:59 Industrial output fell 8.5 percent in February versus the same month last year, INDEC reveals, marking 10th straight month of decline.

by Fermin Koop

The Cauchari solar plant is one of the largest projects awarded through the RenovAR energy auction.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

In Jujuy, China is building Latin America’s largest solar plant: Cauchari

02-03-2019 10:28 When it finishes in May, the Cauchari solar plant in the puna jujeña will be the region’s largest energy installation of its kind. But is the project just one more example of Argentina’s deepening ‘strategic’ ties with China, or is it the sign of a broader shift towards Beijing developing clean energy overseas?

by FERMÍN KOOP & LILI PIKE, Dialogo Chino

Plans for the port show a 500-metre dock, shipyard and factory.

URUGUAY

Chinese port sparks controversy in Uruguay

02-02-2019 10:42 Environmentalists and residents oppose fishing port that will impact public land and marine biodiversity.

by Fermin Koop

The numbers of destitution in BA city from 2015 to 2018.

BUENOS AIRES CITY

Extreme poverty rate in BA City has doubled since 2015, new data shows

02-02-2019 08:54 Economic turmoil of 2018 hits hard, as number of those living in destitution rises to 198,000.

by Fermin Koop

Last year, 2018, ended with the highest inflation index since 1991, a drop of more than two percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and a steep decline in consumption due to the loss of purchasing-power.

OUTLOOK FOR 2019

Economy set for slow recovery in 2019, experts say

05-01-2019 07:44 Argentina’s economy will recover some of its lost ground in the coming year – but the path ahead will be uphill battle, experts say. Slow and steady will be the name of the game.

by Fermin Koop

From 2013 to 2015, Argentina’s public institutions allocated an average of US$1.4 billion for fossil fuel energy projects and only US$4 million for renewable energy projects.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Fossil fuels lead Argentina away from G20 goals

01-12-2018 08:30 Group's targets for limiting climate change are not enough to prevent global temperatures rising more than two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, as set out in the Paris Agreement.

by Fermin Koop

EU Ambassador to Argentina Aude Maio-Coliche.

G20 LEADERS SUMMIT

EU ambassador: 'EU investors want to believe in Argentina'

30-11-2018 14:22 The European Union's ambassador to Argentina, Aude Maio-Coliche, on multilateralism, free trade and EU-Mercosur negotiations.

by Fermin Koop

Hit by the economic recession and the recent devaluation, industrial activity plunged 11.5 percent year-on-year in September – the biggest drop in 16 years.

ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

Sharpest monthly drop in industrial activity since 2002 prompts concern

10-11-2018 10:34 INDEC registers ‘unexpected’ 11.5% contraction for September – the biggest fall seen in 16 years. Experts, who were expecting a single-digit decline, express concerns.

by Fermin Koop

A girl holds up a placard highlighting a petition from AVAAZ with one million signatures calling for a new marine reserve in the Antarctic.

ENVIRONMENT - FEATURE

Future of the Antarctic in balance at key CCAMLR meeting

22-10-2018 15:02 Pressure is mounting on countries to extend marine protections at an upcoming annual Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources meeting.

by Fermin Koop

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

‘This is the last chance to get things right’ on global warming

13-10-2018 09:08 IPCC member and CONICET researcher Carolina Vera on why Argentina and the world must take action on global warming – and fast.

by Fermin Koop

With global temperatures now more than one degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels, climate change and its already visible effects are quickly becoming a new reality across the globe.

CLIMATE CHANGE & LATIN AMERICA

Finance a key element in battle against climate change

05-10-2018 18:00 Finance is taking on a central role in negotiations over tackling climate change. Developed nations, multilateral agencies and the private sector all have a key role to play.

by Fermin Koop

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Miguel Braun: 'The agenda with Brazil won't undergo substantial changes'

29-09-2018 13:16 Trade Secretary Miguel Braun talks about Brazil and the local economy, just a week before Brazilians go to the polls to choose their next president.

by Fermin Koop

President Mauricio Macri (right) greets his Brazilian counterpart, Michel Temer, during an event in 2017.

BRAZILIAN ELECTION: OCTOBER 7

Question marks for local economy as Brazil goes to the ballot box

29-09-2018 08:50 Political direction of giant neighbour remains unsure ahead of next Sunday’s vote, but experts believe trade deficit will likely improve.

by Fermin Koop

"We are pushing for people to use public transportation instead of their cars", says Larreta.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Rodríguez Laretta: "I still have many things to do in Buenos Aires"

15-09-2018 08:48 Buenos Aires City Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta rules out a presidential run in 2019, saying there’s so much left for him to do in Buenos Aires.

by Fermin Koop

CEO of Analytica consultancy firm, Rodrigo Álvarez.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

'Export duties will help balance the fiscal situation'

08-09-2018 09:42 Rodrigo Álvarez, CEO of the Analytica consultancy firm, on the crisis and what lies ahead for the economy in 2019.

by Fermin Koop

Economists in the Central Bank’s most recent monthly survey predicted GDP would contract by 1.9 percent this year.

ECONOMIC TURBULENCE

Austerity to cast shadow over economy as experts cut forecasts

08-09-2018 09:12 Experts predict two-percent contraction in GDP this year, as government casts aside gradualism and opts for belt-tightening.

by Fermin Koop

Argentina is located in the area known as the Lithium Triangle, shared with Bolivia and Chile.

MINERAL BOOM

Argentina eyes off lithium growth despite concerns

18-08-2018 09:34 The country is seeking to become a leading exporter in a sector on the rise but environmental groups warn of dangers.

by BY FERMIN KOOP

Over the past decade, Argentina’s relationship with China has grown substantially. In the last few years, the countries have signed more than 20 treaties and Argentina now enjoys what is called a “comprehensive strategic alliance,” a diplomatic status with Beijing that few countries have access to.

TRADE AND FOREIGN RELATIONS

Macri extends hand to China as trade deficit grows

05-05-2018 21:45 Relations between two nations have picked up dramatically since President Mauricio Macri’s altered his initial scepticism toward Beijing – today, China is Argentina’s secondlargest trade partner and a crucial source of investment. But experts are observing the growing trade deficit between the two countries, one which reached US$2.6 billion in the first quarter of the year alone and looks set to widen further.

by Fermin Koop

The country has had a hard time shifting toward renewable energy.

ENERGY AND ARGENTINA

Renewable energy begins to kick in, though targets remain out of reach

24-03-2018 07:51 Argentina is lagging behind its regional neighbours when it comes to green energy and the push to exploit the Vaca Muerta region complicates the sector’s future. But industry experts are optimistic and say the government’s approach is beginning to bear fruit.

by Fermin Koop

For years, glyphosate has been considered to be among the safest pesticides by international agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Today, it’s used in more than 140 countries worldwide and has been praised by a wide array of farmers, who rely on it to achieve a better yield by killing weeds.

economy

Glyphosate use on the rise in Argentina, despite controversy

13-01-2018 11:11 While soy crops represented 37,000 hectares in 1971, they now account for more than 60 percent of the arable land in Argentina.

by Fermin Koop

Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Sergio Bergman delivers a speech on the sidelines of the COP23 Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, earlier this week.

SPECIAL REPORT

Government confirms plans to review ‘restrictive’ forest and glacier protection

18-11-2017 11:33 Argentina at crossroads at COP23 global climate change conference

by Fermin Koop

Sources in Europe and Argentina say that concerns from EU member states over how much beef the continent should be let in from South America are a major sticking point in the Mercosur trade deal talks.

SPECIAL REPORT

Spats within European Union cast doubt over long-awaited Mercosur trade deal

05-11-2017 01:44 Talks over the long-awaited, much-trailed free-trade agreement are ongoing, but EU member states are most notably split over proposed quotas for South American beef. President Macri has promised a deal by year-end – but will it happen?

by Fermín Koop from London. On Twitter: @FERMINKOOP

Ambassador Sersale di Cerisiano's letter defending the Mauricio Macri administration.

argentina

Argentina’s UK ambassador launches pre-emptive strike to head-off Cortiñas’ criticism

05-11-2017 01:32 Sersale di Cerisano wrote to the moderator of a panel in which the Mother of the Plaza de Mayo-Founding Line member was due to speak, highlighting the government’s position over the Santiago Maldonado case and praising the Macri administration’s economic policies.

by Fermin Koop

As many as one-third of people nationwide are informal workers, official statistics show.

ONE-THIRD OF WORKERS ARE UNREGISTERED

Macri faces struggle to tackle informal labour market

24-09-2017 10:33 One-third of workers in Argentina are not registered with the authorities, a staggeringly high figure that has remained consistent for decades. With the government seeking to advance key tax and labour reform packages after October’s midterms, journalist Fermín Koop asks the experts what can be done to tackle a problem that disproportionately affects low-skilled, low-income workers.

by Fermín Koop. On Twitter: @ferminkoop

The Santa Cruz river, photographed from the air.

FOREIGN POLICY, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Macri pushes ahead with Patagonian dams seen as key to relations with China

02-09-2017 15:01 Government seeks to restart project that has stalled in the courts, with its future relationship with China dependent on the construction of the Néstor Kirchner and Jorge Cepernic dams.

by Fermín Koop