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    The Changing Face of Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon

    Tuesday, September 11th, 2007

    With much fanfare a collection of Brazil’s Ministers — Environment (MMA), Agrarian Development (MDA), Agriculture (MAPA) — and the chief of President Lula’s Civil Cabinet held a joint press conference a few weeks ago to announce the latest deforestation data and projections for the Brazilian Amazon (“Amazônia Legal” as Brazil calls it, comprises 9 states […]

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    Amazonas “Visionary” on Climate Change?

    Friday, September 7th, 2007

    In June Amazonas became the first Brazilian state to adopt a state law on climate change, together with one creating a State System of Conservation Units (UCs). The laws were widely praised by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working on environment and conservation issues. A Greenpeace spokesman even declared them to be “almost visionary, but perfectly capable […]

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    Aluminum Recycling Reconsidered

    Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

    A Sixth Year as Aluminum Can Recycling Champion The Brazilian Aluminum Association (ABAL) recently announced that Brazil recycled 139,100 metric tons (Mt) of aluminum cans (about 10.3 billion cans) in 2006 for a recycling rate of 94.4%, assuring the first-place position for Brazil for the sixth year in a row, ahead of Argentina, Japan, Switzerland, […]

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    Gold Mining in Guyana (Re)visited

    Wednesday, August 8th, 2007

    In an earlier post I examined a diagnosis of the environmental and health problems posed by current practice in small- and medium-scale gold mining in Guyana and the recommendations for addressing those problems and improving the policing of mining practices. Guyana’s official news service, GINA, reports that last week Cabinet members ventured out to see […]

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    Digitizing Environmental Enforcement

    Saturday, August 4th, 2007

    Minas Gerais is moving to accomplish something no other Brazilian state — or probably any Latin American/ Caribbean (LAC) nation, for that matter — has yet done: digitize its environmental inspection and enforcement. Currently Minas is winding up a pilot project in which its 21 waste and sanitation inspectors do much of their work utilizing […]

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    The Mercury Threat Posed by Mining in Guyana

    Monday, July 23rd, 2007

    Not long ago I discussed the various environmental and health challenges posed by gold mining in Guyana in the context of a Harvard study on the issue. Now comes word of a new study presented last week at workshop in Guyana co-sponsored by the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) and WWF on “Mercury […]

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    Cleaning Up Gold Mining in Guyana

    Thursday, May 31st, 2007

    In March the International Human Rights Clinic of Harvard Law School‘s Human Rights Program (HRP) issued an indictment of the failings of Guyana’s gold mining regime and its adverse impacts on Amerindians in that country. With a catchy name like “All That Glitters,” the report’s PR caught the attention of several bloggers and regular media […]

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    Loan for Environmental Management for Argentine SMEs / Préstamo para la gestión ambiental de las PyMEs Argentinas

    Friday, May 18th, 2007

    From the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): IDB approves US$40 million loan for environmental management in Argentina Program will promote sustainable production The Inter-American Development Bank today announced the approval of a US$40 million loan to Argentina to promote environmental sustainability in the productive sector. The program will foster the adoption of cleaner production practices by […]

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    Argentina Gets a Mine Safety Regulation

    Friday, March 30th, 2007

    Synopsis in English: After a wait of nearly three decades, Argentina finally has a Regulation on Safety and Hygiene in Mining Activity. When Argentina passed its Workplace Hygiene and Safety Law in the 1970s creating its Workplace Risk Superintendent (Superintendencia de Riesgos del Trabajo – SRT) and unusual occupational safety and health (OSH) system, it […]

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    A Free Online Library of Environmental Education Videos / Filmes para Educação Ambiental Grátis na Internet

    Saturday, March 24th, 2007

    This week the Brazilian Environment Ministry (MMA) announced the creation of an online “videoteca” (video library) of environmental education videos that have been made over the years with funding from the National Environment Fund (FNMA). The videos are free for download and use for non-commercial purposes. The first tranche of 80 videos and animations can […]

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