Environment

• Tuesday, December 28th 2021 - 20:50 UTC

  Argentine Patagonia in for hottest and driest year since 1961

  

  According to Argentina's National Meteorological Service (SMN), the weather in Patagonia, particularly in the provinces of Neuquén and Río Negro is about to set a new historic record amid high temperatures and low rainfall which have turned 2021 into the region's hottest and driest year since 1961.

• Tuesday, December 28th 2021 - 09:46 UTC

  Boric will not travel to Colombia with Piñera: priority is “organizing my administration's team”

  

  Chilean president-elect Gabriel Boris announced he contacted president Sebastián Piñera to thank him for the invitation to attend the January 26/27 Prosur and Pacific Alliance summits in Colombia, --the current head of government last overseas trip--, but will not join him.

• Tuesday, December 28th 2021 - 09:45 UTC

  Uruguay consolidates climate change policy, minister says

  

  Uruguay's Environment Minister Adrián Peña Monday forecast that by 2035 ANCAP's La Teja refinery will be closed and vehicles will be 100% zero emissions, as the country advances towards its carbon-neutral goals for 2050

• Monday, December 27th 2021 - 09:54 UTC

  18 dead, over 11,000 evacuated due to unprecedented rainfall in Brazil

  

  At least 18 people have been reported dead and over 11,000 evacuated after rain five times the historical average left 19 municipalities in the Brazilian northern state of Bahia literally under mud and water. No Christmas to celebrate.

• Wednesday, December 22nd 2021 - 19:10 UTC

  Brazil: Deforestation in protected areas up 79% under Bolsonaro

  

  A report by the Socioenvironmental Institute (ISA) released Wednesday has shown a 138% increase in degradation in indigenous lands and 130% in Conservation Units, (CUs) compared to three years before President Jair Bolsonaro took office.

• Tuesday, December 21st 2021 - 09:17 UTC

  BAS 2021/22 Antarctic summer field season underway; Rothera/Falklands air link twice a week

  

  Science and support teams from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are gearing up for the start of the Antarctic summer field season. All five BAS research stations will be open and undertaking essential science research after a year’s break caused by Covid-19 last season. This will be another challenging season with ongoing Covid-19 protocols to maintain safety for our staff and collaborators.

• Friday, December 17th 2021 - 21:20 UTC

  Picture of canvas swimming pool to contain oil spill in Argentina goes viral

  

  The picture of a canvas swimming pool designed for the backyard of a modest income family has been used by oil pipeline operators Oldelval to contain a crude spill of over 3 million liters in Argentine Patagonia has gone viral.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2021 - 21:29 UTC

  Uruguay signs deal with FAO to promote sustainable agriculture

  

  Uruguay's Federal Agricultural Cooperatives (CAF) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have signed a letter of agreement to promote agricultural awareness nationwide through the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries, MGAP, it was announced.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2021 - 09:39 UTC

  HMS Protector pays tribute to explorer Shackleton at South Georgia on her trip to Antarctica

  

  Sailors from Ice Patrol HMS Protector paid tribute to legendary Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton – a century after he died pushing the boundaries of polar research. The crew of the icebreaker held a memorial service at his graveside on the island of South Georgia – the latest stop for the survey ship as she heads to the frozen continent for a summer of scientific research.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2021 - 09:18 UTC

  Alarming population declination of the rare Antarctic South Georgia shag

  

  Data collected from a long-term study by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists shows declining populations of an already relatively rare Antarctic seabird, the South Georgia shag. Published in the journal Polar Biology, a 40-year census from Signy Island in the remote South Orkney Islands and a 30-year census from Bird Island, close to the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, have shown significant population declines at both locations.