Environment

• Monday, March 24th 2025 - 08:53 UTC

  Unexpected forms of life found under loose Antarctica iceberg

  

  Researchers found unimagined forms of life under the A-84 iceberg nearly 30 kilometers long and 510 square kilometers in area, which broke off from the George VI Ice Shelf in Antarctica earlier this year, exposing a previously hidden stretch of ocean unseen for decades, it was announced last week.

• Thursday, March 20th 2025 - 20:03 UTC

  Amazon railroad project faces ballooning costs and environmental concerns

  

  New data provided by researchers from the University of São Paulo, the Federal University of Minas Gerais, and environmental groups like the Climate Observatory showed that the Ferrogrão railroad, a 933-kilometer project linking Mato Grosso’s grain-producing region to Atlantic ports, could cause significantly greater environmental damage than previously estimated. The study criticizes the government’s feasibility analysis, conducted under former President Jair Bolsonaro, for underestimating deforestation risks and cumulative impacts, especially in the Amazon rainforest and indigenous areas.

• Tuesday, March 18th 2025 - 19:01 UTC

  Nearly 500,000 people affected by oil spill in Ecuador

  

  Local communities in the Ecuadorean province of Esmeraldas were still protesting Tuesday after a major oil spill last week left some 500,000 residents with no access to drinking water, in addition to other environmental damages.

• Friday, March 14th 2025 - 19:42 UTC

  FAO: Coffee production down brings prices up to all-time high

  

  The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released a report on Friday stating that global coffee prices hit a 13-year high in December last year, driven by reduced production in major exporting countries due to adverse weather.

• Thursday, March 13th 2025 - 18:17 UTC

  Ireland donates to Brazil's Amazon Fund

  

  Ireland has joined as the eighth donor to Brazil's Amazon Fund, contributing € 15 million, it was reported Thursday. The fund, managed by Brazil's National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), supports conservation, monitoring, and sustainable development in the Amazon and has financed 123 projects since 2009. In 2024 alone, R$ 200 million (US$ 34.4 million at the current exchange rate) was allocated, aiding efforts to reduce deforestation, which dropped over 45% compared to 2022. Environment Minister Marina Silva emphasized that Ireland's support recognizes Brazil's achievements in combating deforestation and climate change, while the fund continues to attract international partners committed to sustainability.

• Thursday, March 13th 2025 - 10:35 UTC

  Across-Amazon highway to be built for COP30 sparks controversy

  

  As Brazilian authorities prepare for the upcoming COP30 climate summit in November in Belém, constructing a new four-lane highway - Avenida Liberdade - through the protected Amazon rainforest has sparked controversy. The structure seeks to ease traffic for the expected 50,000 attendees, including world leaders. But it has led to significant deforestation, fragmenting ecosystems and disrupting wildlife movement along its 13 kilometers.

• Wednesday, March 12th 2025 - 10:35 UTC

  Brazil outlines guidelines for COP 30

  

  Brazil published this week a letter signed by Ambassador André Correa do Lago and Ana Toni, president and executive director of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), unveiling the South American country's vision for the upcoming gathering in Belem.

• Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 10:55 UTC

  Canada's new PM's past in Brazil comes to light

  

  Canada's new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, may be a novice in politics but not to scandals, given his past at the investment firm Brookfield Asset Management, where he was vice chair and head of transition investing, later becoming chair of the asset management arm. During his tenure, Brookfield's name was linked to deforestation and slave-like labor practices, which seem to clash with Carney’s public stance on sustainability and climate action.

• Tuesday, March 11th 2025 - 09:59 UTC

  Falklands BFSAI stationed, support BAS in reconnaissance mission in Antarctica

  

  The British Forces South Atlantic Islands, BFSAI continue to support the British Antarctic Survey following a reconnaissance mission over the Union Glacier, Antarctica.

• Monday, March 10th 2025 - 10:50 UTC

  Number of fatalities in Bahía Blanca updated to 16

  

  Argentine authorities have updated the number of fatalities from Friday's severe storm in Bahía Blanca, with the final death toll still feared to rise as over 100 people remain missing, with more than 1,000 evacuated. Local and national officials under the Unified Emergency Command are coordinating relief efforts, which involve federal forces, security teams, and the military.