MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 25th 2024 - 12:31 UTC

Environment

  • Monday, December 18th 2023 - 10:58 UTC

    Unprecedented storm: Roof collapses in Bahía Blanca killing 13

    “I am perfectly confident that you will be able to resolve this situation in the best possible way, with the existing resources,” Milei told the people of Bahía Blanca

    At least 13 people were reported dead in the city port of Bahía Blanca some 690 kilometers south of the Argentine capital and three others elsewhere in the province of Buenos Aires after Sunday's storms. Parts of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA), where one victim was reported, and other provinces were left without electricity for hours.

  • Monday, December 18th 2023 - 10:17 UTC

    Fallen trees result in two deaths in Uruguay amid storm

    Winds reached gusts of 160 kilometers per hour in Colonia del Sacramento

    Uruguayan authorities confirmed Sunday that at least two people were killed in the city of Colonia del Sacramento as a result of the heavy storm hitting the area. Heavy rains and material damages were also reported in Montevideo, Durazno, Canelones, and other southern areas.

  • Saturday, December 16th 2023 - 10:18 UTC

    Uruguayan president postpones Antarctica trip due to bad weather

    Antarctica has a geopolitical value for Uruguay, García explained

    Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou's trip to Antarctica has been postponed due to bad weather, Defense Minister Javier García announced Friday in Montevideo.

  • Thursday, December 14th 2023 - 10:50 UTC

    COP28 ends up in strong declaration to phase out fossil fuels

    “This is neo-colonialism called carbon colonialism,” Bolivia's Diego Pacheco warned

    Attendees at the closing plenary session of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) reached a final consensus to speed up climate action, it was announced. “It is a strengthened and balanced package,” COP28 President Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber explained. The document also mentioned the gradual suppression of fossil fuels.

  • Wednesday, December 13th 2023 - 10:37 UTC

    Stricter measures against fossil fuels called for at COP28

    Silva was touched by the confirmation of her native Amazon region to host COP30 in 2025

    The Brazilian delegation attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai this week called for stronger measures against the proliferation of fossil fuels, Agencia Brasil reported.

  • Wednesday, December 13th 2023 - 10:26 UTC

    Panama Canal drought hitting world trade

    Things may get worse by February if water levels remain low

    Global trade through the Panama Canal is being severely disrupted by a drought affecting the man-made corridor, which could force shippers to choose other, more costly routes, it was reported. The historic waterway in Central America connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans handles about 5% of international seaborne trade.

  • Wednesday, December 13th 2023 - 10:06 UTC

    New attempt to thwart trading of grains and oilseeds grown in South America's cleared forest land

    The move could bolster conservation for Brazil’s Cerrado, the world’s most bio-diverse savanna, most of which taken for commercial agriculture

    Mercosur and the European Union failed to sign the much-expected and long-awaited free trade and cooperation agreement during the South American block summit in Rio do Janeiro, mainly because of discrepancies over forestry and agricultural land. Brazilian President Lula da Silva said he was committed to signing the agreement with the EU, and will “not give up” until achieved but further hurdles could be in the way.

  • Wednesday, December 13th 2023 - 06:03 UTC

    COP conferences may prove vital, but in days to come

    COP 28 is expected to endorse a resolution to “phase out” fossil fuels — or, in a less ambitious formulation, phase them “down” (but not out).

    By Gwynne Dyer

    The key debate on the last day of the COP28 climate summit at the United Arab Emirates was about whether the conference should endorse a resolution to “phase out” fossil fuels — or, in a less ambitious formulation, phase them “down” (but not out).

  • Wednesday, December 6th 2023 - 10:30 UTC

    Falklands will proceed with Phase Three of Sand Bay Wind Farm

    Phase One of the project enabled three wind turbines to be operational from August 2007, and Phase Two saw a further three turbines online in February 2010

    Following approval from the Executive Council on Monday 27 November, the Falkland Islands Government will be able to proceed with “in principle approval” for Phase Three of the Sand Bay Wind Farm.

  • Tuesday, December 5th 2023 - 10:40 UTC

    RRS Sir David Attenborough meets mega iceberg A23a drifting towards South Georgia

    New video footage shows the enormous iceberg, some 3,900km2 and 400m tall, twice the size of Greater London stretching out into the distance

    Scientists aboard the Falklands flagged RRS Sir David Attenborough collected samples of seawater around the A23a mega iceberg, the largest iceberg in the world. New video footage shows the enormous iceberg, some 3,900km2 and 400m tall, twice the size of Greater London stretching out into the distance beyond the research vessel.