Environment

• Friday, August 23rd 2019 - 09:56 UTC

  Bolsonaro creates a “crisis cabinet” to address the Amazon forests fires and criticisms

  

  Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro following a Thursday meeting with his ministers at the Planalto Palace announced the creation of a crisis cabinet to address the Amazon rainforest situation.

• Friday, August 23rd 2019 - 09:54 UTC

  France and UN lead battle for the protection of fire plagued Amazon rainforest

  

  France and the United Nations called on Thursday for the protection of the fire-plagued Amazon rainforest as Brazil's right-wing president blamed NGOs for promoting an “environmental psychosis” to damage the country's interests.

• Friday, August 23rd 2019 - 09:40 UTC

  Forest fires in Bolivia: half a million hectares, 1.700 fighters and a Super tanker

  

  Bolivian authorities warned this week that 70% of the department of Santa Cruz — where more than a quarter of the country's population lives — is under “extreme risk” from forest fires. According to the government, nearly 500,000 hectares of forest have now been turned into ashes.

• Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 15:51 UTC

  Microplastics in drinking water, “low risk” for human health, says WHO

  

  Microplastics contained in drinking water pose a “low” risk to human health at current levels, but more research is needed to reassure consumers, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

• Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 09:56 UTC

  Bolsonaro suggests green groups started the blaze in the Amazon to blame him

  

  Wildfires in the Amazon rainforest in northern Brazil have ignited a firestorm on social media, with President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday suggesting green groups started the blazes. Images of fires purportedly devouring sections of the world's largest rainforest have gone viral on Twitter.

• Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 09:00 UTC

  Ecuador combats pollution: recyclable plastic bottles exchanged for money to buy local transport tickets

  

  Looking after the environment is paying off in Ecuador, at least for public transport users in the business hub of Guayaquil. A new scheme aimed at combating garbage and pollution allows people to exchange recyclable plastic bottles for money to buy bus tickets.

• Wednesday, August 21st 2019 - 09:55 UTC

  Daytime smoke blackout in Sao Paulo blamed on Amazon rainforest fires

  

  Brazil's Amazon rainforest has seen a record number of fires this year, according to new data from the country's space research agency. The National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) said its satellite data showed an 83% increase on the same period in 2018.

• Wednesday, August 21st 2019 - 09:50 UTC

  Deforestation: Brazil Amazon states want to deal directly with Norway and Germany

  

  Brazilian states containing the country’s Amazon rainforest said they want to negotiate directly with European nations who fund projects to curb deforestation after changes proposed by the federal government led Norway and Germany to suspend donations.

• Wednesday, August 21st 2019 - 09:39 UTC

  Chile ski stations appeal to snow cannons to fight the ravages of climate change

  

  Once deep in powder, this time of year, Chile's ski stations are fighting the ravages of climate change and pollution that have brought less and less snow to the central Andes. Just a few decades ago, the Andes mountain range could be buried under 4 meters of snow, forcing the closure of access roads and requiring the use of tractors to get around.

• Wednesday, August 21st 2019 - 09:24 UTC

  China hopes to welcome the US at the climate change UN summit in Chile

  

  China hopes to welcome the United States “back to the negotiating table” to discuss global efforts to limit climate change at a United Nations summit to be hosted by Chile in December, its top climate change envoy said on Tuesday.