FONTAGRO to Fund IDB Studies on Climate Change Impact on Agriculture
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009From the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB):
FONTAGRO extends agreement with IDB
The Bank will manage the Fund until 2011 and finance climate change impact studies
The Inter-American Development Bank and the Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology (FONTAGRO, for its initials in Spanish) have extended until 2011 their agreement whereby the IDB will continue to manage the Fund, [...]
Eye on Ads: Promoting Handwashing
Thursday, April 30th, 2009It’s a relatively simple thing that it’s too often overlooked by local sanitary authorities and technical assistance programs, but soooooo important in improving public health and hygiene: getting everyone in the habit of regularly (and properly) washing their hands with soap.
Below are two public service ads (PSAs) sponsored by Colombia’s Environment Ministry (MAVDT), originally released [...]
Culmina armonización andina de requisitos para productos de higiene doméstica y absorbentes de higiene personal
Monday, April 20th, 2009Synopsis in English: The Andean Community (CAN) is putting the finishing touches on the new Community norm to harmonize member states’ (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) sanitary control regimes regarding household and personal hygiene products, such as soaps, detergents, fabric softeners, surface cleansers, stain removers, bleaches, air fresheners, sanitary towels, disposable diapers, tampons, towelettes, etc.
To refresh [...]
An E-Waste Bill for Colombia
Wednesday, April 15th, 2009After months of rumbling on the issue (here and here), Colombia finally has its first formal proposal to regulate waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE or “e-waste” or “e-scrap”) — in this case, in the form of a bill introduced in the Colombian Senate. Whether or not the bill manages to pass before the 2010 [...]
Colombia Imposes Take-Back for Expired Medicines
Monday, March 2nd, 2009Two years ago Environment Minister got the attention of industry when he published for public comment two draft decrees imposing extended producer responsibility (EPR) for end-of-life batteries and medicines.
Now, after nearly two years of discussions between the Environment Ministry (MAVDT) and industry groups representing the pharmaceutical sector in Colombia — namely the Colombian Pharmaceutical Industry [...]
Cleaning Up the Medellín River / Limpieza del río Medellín
Friday, February 27th, 2009From the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB):
Medellín will complete historic river clean-up with IDB financing
$450 million loan will help turn Colombia’s second largest city into one of Latin America’s cleanest urban areas
The City of Medellín will complete an ambitious program to rehabilitate a vital river and improve the quality of life of local communities with up [...]
Colombia: Mining, Yes, But Not in National Parks
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009“Mining in Colombia, yes, but not in national parks,” insists Colombia’s Environment Minister Juan Lozano Ramírez. “Mining in Colombia, yes, but environmentally responsible. Mining in Colombia, yes, but not that they rob everything of value and leave us with deserts and zones of erosion.”
He announced a total prohibition on all granting of mining [...]
Economic Growth Model is Rapidly Transforming/Degrading the Amazon
Thursday, February 19th, 2009From the UN Environment Programme (UNEP):
A Strong Impact is Made on the Amazonia by its Economic Growth Model
However, responses by the governments of Amazonian countries indicate that efforts are under way on concrete action to deal with their environmental challenges.
The population is increasing, reaching a level of 33.5 million inhabitants in 2007.
Cities grew at an [...]
Colombia Invites Japanese to Build More Biodiesel Plants
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009When Colombian President Uribe visited a plant built in Santa Maria, Magdalena, to process palm oil for biodiesel production yesterday, he not only thanked the Japanese company Odin Energy for their investment in the plant (completed a year ago), but urged them to build another. Uribe appears convinced that Colombia has a bright future as [...]
Bolivia Bans Dozens of Pesticides, Activists Call for Rest of LAC to Follow
Monday, February 2nd, 2009At the close of the meeting of the Latin American section of the Pesticide Action Network (known by its Spanish acronym RAP-AL) in La Paz last week, host country Bolivia announced that it was banning all pesticides with active ingredients classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as extremely (Class 1a) or highly (Class 1b) [...]
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