Environment

Saturday, October 22nd 2011 - 11:14 UTC
Germany sets aside 130bn dollars for renewable energy to replace 28% nuke power

German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced on 30 May that Germany, the world's fourth-largest economy and Europe's biggest, would shutter all of its 17 nuclear power plants between 2015 and 2022, an extraordinary commitment, given that they currently produce about 28% of the country's electricity.
Saturday, October 22nd 2011 - 10:49 UTC
Ozone hole over Antarctica reached its ninth largest on record in September

The Antarctic ozone hole, which yawns wide every Southern Hemisphere spring, reached its annual peak on September 12, stretching 10.05 million square miles, the ninth largest on record and equivalent to three times the area of Brazil: 3.3m.
Saturday, October 22nd 2011 - 04:23 UTC
Bolivia’s Morales yields to Amazon Indian protests and scraps plan to build highway

President Evo Morales said Friday that he was scrapping plans to build a highway through a nature reserve in Bolivia's jungle lowlands, bowing to public pressure after a two-month protest march by Amazon Indians.
Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 06:48 UTC
Repsol invites US to check its oil rig standards before drilling in Cuban waters

Repsol YPF SA, which is scheduled to begin exploratory drilling in Cuban waters, has offered US agencies an opportunity to inspect the vessel and its equipment before it arrives at the well site, US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Director Michael R. Bromwich said.
Tuesday, October 18th 2011 - 18:42 UTC
As volcanic ash cloud recedes air traffic returning to normal in Argentina and Uruguay

Regular operations have gradually resumed at the main airports of Buenos Aires and in Montevideo’s Carrasco air terminal, where most flights had been cancelled since Sunday due to ash cloud generated from Chile's volcano eruption, authorities said.
Tuesday, October 18th 2011 - 13:50 UTC
New environmental forum brings Falklands’ oil industry and environmentalists together

Representatives of local conservation organisations, the oil industry, and the Falkland Islands Government recently attended the first meeting of the Falkland Islands Offshore Hydrocarbons Environmental Forum held on the 27th September in Stanley.
Monday, October 17th 2011 - 21:46 UTC
Spanish corporation will construct 70ml bio-ethanol plant in Uruguay

Spain’s Abengoa has announced that it will construct a bio-ethanol plant in the department of Paysandu, Uruguay, for Alcoholes de Uruguay, or ALUR. The contract, which includes the construction of an adjoining power cogeneration plant, is worth 120 million dollars.
Monday, October 17th 2011 - 03:57 UTC
Volcanic ash forces flights’ suspension at Argentina and Uruguay main airports

Argentina and Uruguay suspended flights at major airports Sunday due to dangerous ash from neighbouring Chile's Puyehue volcano, which has disrupted global travel since it erupted earlier this year.
Thursday, October 13th 2011 - 05:43 UTC
Massive car crash in Chile involves 51 vehicles kills 5 and injures over 50

In Chile a massive car crash involving 23 trucks, 17 smaller vehicles and 11 buses left at least five dead and many others injured Wednesday morning, local authorities report. The accident occurred just past 7 a.m. at the turnoff for Algarrobo on the eastbound side of Route 68, which connects coastal Valparaíso to Santiago.
Thursday, October 13th 2011 - 05:40 UTC
Chile ranks last for income and education in OECD report

Chile was ranked last for income, education and the quality of environment, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development or OECD report on well-being released Oct. 12.