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Loading ...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 […]
IDB Funds Coal-Fired Power Plants in Brazil / O BID vai financiar usinas termelétricas a carvão no Brasil
Friday, March 20th, 2009From the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): Brazil expands energy supply in Northeastern region with IDB financing Innovative agreement will partially offset CO2 emissions by promoting renewable energy projects and greenhouse gas reduction research Brazil will add 1,080 megawatts (MW) of electric power in the Northeastern states of Ceará and Maranhão with the construction of two […]
An Energy Loan to Panama with Environmental Components / Un préstamo al sector energético panameño con componentes ambientales
Thursday, March 19th, 2009From the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): Panama to consolidate energy sector reforms with support from the IDB US$100 million loan will underpin the country’s growth and help reduce poverty Panama will consolidate reforms needed to ensure the sustainability of its energy supplies, underpin economic growth and reduce poverty with financial and technical support from the […]
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 […]
Paraná Promotes Energy from Biodigestors
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009If you’ve been reading The Temas Blog for awhile, you might recall a prior post about an idea promoted by the hydropower firm Itaipu Binacional (IB) to create a network of farm-based biodigestors across MERCOSUR (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay) that would generate electricity to power electric vehicles (built at facilities by the Itapu Dam) used […]
ECLAC on Elements for Formulating Public Policy on Biofuels
Thursday, February 5th, 2009The biofuel programs in the developed countries — particularly those in the US and the European Union (EU) — represent a series of opportunities, challenges and risks for the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). If biofuel production is to create economic growth in LAC nations without jeopardizing its natural capital and social […]
Mexico Plans to Cut 12 Mil. mT of Methane Emissions Per Year
Thursday, January 29th, 2009During the just-concluded 2009 meeting of the international partners of the US’ “Methane to Markets” Partnership Program (MSM) in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico’s Environment Minister, Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada, declared that his country has identified 42 methane mitigation projects that should reduce Mexico’s CH4 emissions by 12 million metric tons (mT) carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) […]
Trade in Used Cars in the Americas: Good for the Environment?
Tuesday, January 27th, 2009A recent working paper by two US economists looks at the environmental consequences of international trade in durable goods through data regarding trade in used cars between the United States and Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). [A tip of the hat to Rob over at Globalisation and the Environment for alerting […]
World Bank Case for a Stronger LAC Commitment on Climate Change
Sunday, January 25th, 2009Earlier this month the World Bank made a presentation to the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG) preparing the draft Declaration of Commitment to be adopted by heads of state and government at the upcoming Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on why the Declaration should include stronger commitments by […]
Mexico City’s Sustainable Housing Units Program
Thursday, January 15th, 2009Mexico’s Federal District (DF) — essentially Mexico City and its environs, where a large percentage of Mexico’s population resides — has launched a Sustainable Housing Units Program. The program will finance the installation of solar water heaters in housing, not only to reduce residential electricity and gas consumption (and thus homeowner’s utility bills by as […]