News of environment

Staff at Galapagos airport, Ecuador, find 185 tortoises in suitcase

29-03-2021 15:03 Staff at an airport on the Galapagos Islands have found 185 tortoises, ten of which were dead, in a suitcase that was heading for Ecuador's mainland. Police are now investigating the incident.

Beef-addicted Uruguay aiming to make farming greener

25-03-2021 12:00 Last year, Uruguay launched a livestock and climate initiative with the help of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). We hear from Rosa Correa, one of 62 farm owners to implement the programme, about its aims and objectives.

President targeted by mob battling to keep mining out of Chubut

16-03-2021 08:20 Alberto Fernández forced to dodge protesters as they launch attack on minibus transporting president in Lago Puelo.

One dead, several missing in Patagonia forest fires

12-03-2021 14:04 One person has died and 11 are reported missing after days of blazing forest fires in Patagonia.

Biden talks the talk – but can he deliver?

30-01-2021 09:10 What will happen when US president’s slickly run messaging operation hits harsh reality?

Police believe asado was cause of El Bolsón wildfire

30-01-2021 08:55 Police raid home 10 kilometres from El Bolsón searching for evidence. Investigators believe remnants of asado barbeque were likely cause of blaze that has ravaged 10,000 hectares.

How we can save threatened plants and animals

06-11-2020 00:01 Restoring native habitats to at least 20 percent of the world’s land currently being used by humans for farming, ranching and forestry is necessary to protect biodiversity and slow species loss.

Expect a lot more of the same if Trump wins a second term

03-11-2020 16:07 If the US president wins another four years in office, there's no indication of any big policy shift coming up.

Argentina ablaze: 7,600 sq km lost to fires since turn of year

10-10-2020 08:32 Fires in Argentina have raged through an estimated 7,697 square kilometres since the turn of the year, according to government data, with Córdoba and Entre Ríos bearing the brunt. National parks also affected, as campaigners warn of environmental impact.

by Nick Evans

Study: Antarctic Peninsula at warmest in decades

03-10-2020 16:51 This year is the hottest in the Antarctic Peninsula in the past three decades, a study by the University of Santiago de Chile out Friday found.

Bolsonaro faces growing pressure to green Brazil economy

22-09-2020 08:38 As environmental problems bruise Brazil's international image, bankers, business executives and even agribusiness firms are calling for a greener economy, adding to pressure on outspoken president.

Key EU states fear Mercosur pact may hurt Amazon

21-09-2020 08:22 EU commissioner admits not all EU nations "are aligned" on trade deal with Mercosur nations, as fears historic accord could hurt the Amazon grow.

Marshlands of Paraná Delta hit by worst fires in decades

07-08-2020 16:56 Ravaged by drought, the Paraná Delta is burning like never before. During the first seven months of 2020, more than 11,000 fires were detected in the region.

Pollution turns one side of divided Paraguayan lagoon purple

05-08-2020 23:40 The Cerro Lagoon in the Paraguayan city of Limpio is sharply divided into two parts: one purple, one blue. One part emits a foul odour, the other doesn’t.

Antarctica's splendid isolation keeps coronavirus at bay

19-05-2020 15:23 Antarctica remains the only Covid-19-free continent – thanks in the main to strict security and not a little luck.

Uruguay renegotiates US$3-billion pulp plant deal with Finland's UPM

17-05-2020 08:27 Environmentalists have raised concerns over the plant's impact on Uruguay River, while Argentina lost a challenge in the International Court of Justice.

Website for Latin American whistleblowers launched

20-02-2020 17:45 A secure internet site designed to "train whistleblowers" as well as to facilitate anonymous complaints of corruption and damage to the environment in Latin America where they often face retaliation.

Pope voices 'outrage' over Amazon exploitation

12-02-2020 12:35 In a highly anticipated text, Argentine pontiff on Wednesday pleaded for social justice and environmental respect for the Amazon basin – but failed to recommend the controversial idea of married priests.

Australian bushfire cloud visible in Chile and Argentina

06-01-2020 19:33 The cloud of smoke caused by raging bushfires in Australia has been spotted more than 12,000 kilometres (7,400 miles) away in Chile and Argentina, weather authorities said on Monday.

Mendoza's governor asks legislature to repeal changes to Law 7722

29-12-2019 23:56 Mendoza Governor Rodolfo Suárez asks provincial Legislature to repeal modifications to Law 7722 when they meet on Monday. The reform had been approved just a week ago, prompting massive protests called by environmentalist groups.