CO2 Emissions Increase from Brazilian Industry and Transport
Thursday, August 27th, 2009The Environment Ministry (MMA) is considering further measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from industry and the energy sector. Estimates released today by Environment Minister Carlos Minc shows that industry and power generation and consumption are increasing their share of Brazil’s total GHG emissions. The new estimates suggest that Brazil is moving towards an […]
Greenpeace’s Recipe for an Energy Revolution in Chile
Sunday, August 2nd, 2009Greenpeace Chile recently presented to the government the Chilean version of its Energy [R]evolution scenario. To refresh memories, in the past GP [in cooperation with the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC)] released a report, Global Energy [R]evolution, to show, through scenarios (both global and regional), that a global energy revolution is technically and economically feasible […]
Latin America’s First Hydrogen Bus
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009Brazil is known for many “green” experiments and firsts in transportation. Think of Curitiba’s groundbreaking work on bus rapid transit, Brazil’s pioneering work on sugarcane ethanol and use of flex-fuel vehicles, the country’s aggressive biodiesel program, Vale’s trains run on biodiesel, Itaipu’s development of electric cars that can be charged from biodigestors, and the use […]
Thermal Power Plants Will Have to Compensate for Carbon Emissions
Friday, March 20th, 2009Brazilian Environment Minister Carlos Minc says he will sign in April an administrative rule (portaria) that will require all thermo-electric power plants (burning petroleum or coal) seeking environmental licenses from the national environment agency, IBAMA, to provide for compensation (abatement) measures for their carbon emissions before they will be granted a license. The portaria will […]
You Know Climate Change Has Arrived as an Issue in Brazil…
Friday, February 20th, 2009…when a prominent Rio samba school arranges for carbon offsets so that it can declare itself Brazil’s first “carbon neutral” entrant in the Carnaval competition! All kidding aside, the Niterói-based Unidos do Viradouro samba school has announced that when it competes in Rio’s famed Sambódromo, all greenhouse gases emissions associated with its performance will be […]
Mexican Consumer Group Demands Vehicle Efficiency Labeling / Los consumidores mexicanos exigen etiquetado de eficiencia y de las emisiones de los vehículos
Wednesday, January 14th, 2009Synopsis in English: A Mexican consumer group, The Power of the Consumer (El Poder del Consumidor – EPC) is calling upon automobile manufacturers to label all new vehicles sold in Mexico regarding their fuel efficiency [kilometers (km) per liter consumed] and greenhouse gas emissions [primarily grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted per km], similar to […]
Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Rio de Janeiro State
Wednesday, January 7th, 2009In its recent report on activities and issues it confronted in 2008, the environment secretariat (SEA) of Rio de Janeiro state (RJ) included a summary graphic from the so-to-be-released state greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory that I though I’d share with you here: By sources, the biggest GHG emitter in RJ is industry at 33.8%, followed […]
Some Eye-Opening Graphics on GHG Emissions & Carbon Credits
Sunday, January 4th, 2009There’s a wonderful resource for graphics related to environmental issues run by the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) GRID-Arendal center in Norway. I started browsing it regularly for their maps, but have found their graphical depictions of tough issues to be quite useful. Recently I came across several regarding climate change that I thought I’d share […]
Minas Releases Its Own Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Sunday, November 30th, 2008Earlier this year the Brazilian state of MInas Gerais (MG) released an inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2005. I found this inventory interesting and this you might too. MG has a more diverse economy than most Brazilian states, being a leader in agriculture, mining and industry, all with different impacts on GHG emissions. […]
Eco-Shopping for Cars in Mexico
Sunday, November 23rd, 2008Recently Mexico launched an initiative to promote consumer purchases of vehicles with better fuel efficiency and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that is, as far as I can tell, unique to Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The Environment Secretariat (SEMARNAT), via the National Ecology Institute (INE), the Office of the Federal Consumer Prosecutor (Profeco) […]
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