Environment

• Saturday, December 30th 2023 - 07:04 UTC

  Octopus DNA helps to discover evolution of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse

  

  Scientists, including from British Antarctic Survey, have used octopus DNA to discover that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) likely collapsed during the Last Interglacial period around 120,000 years ago – when the global temperatures were similar to today.

• Wednesday, December 27th 2023 - 10:29 UTC

  Lowest rainfall in over 40 years affects Amazon basin rivers

  

  A recent study from the European Union Science Center showed that rivers in the Amazon basin have been severely affected by historic poor rainfalls, Agencia Brasil reported. The region's biodiversity has also been hit by the meteorological conditions, particularly in the headwaters of the Solimões, Purus, Juruá, and Madeira rivers (Brazil's Amazonas state) and also in parts of Peruvian and Bolivian forests.

• Wednesday, December 27th 2023 - 07:38 UTC

  Fears of 'deforestation rush' in tropical rain forest if Brazilian congress passes bill to pave Amazon highway

  

  The lower house of Brazil's Congress passed a bill that allows the paving of highway BR319, which crosses the heart of the Amazon basin and which scientists and environmentalists claim threatens the future of the world's largest tropical rainforest. The bill still has to be approved by the Senate.

• Wednesday, December 20th 2023 - 20:22 UTC

  Falklands, new confirmed avian influenza case: black browed albatross

  

  On Tuesday 28 November 2023 a black-browed albatross, that was found dead on Steeple Jason, was swabbed for highly pathogenic avian influenza. A positive result was returned.

• Tuesday, December 19th 2023 - 10:09 UTC

  Falklands' Patrol HMS Forth visits South Georgia as part of its protection and bio diversity duties

  

  The Falkland Islands patrol vessel HMS Forth, has paid a visit to the island of South Georgia, where it met some of its permanent residents, penguins and seals, to look after their well being and the environment.

• Tuesday, December 19th 2023 - 09:30 UTC

  South Georgia ensures environmental protection for its maritime zone until 2028

  

  In a significant step towards supporting marine conservation efforts in the South Atlantic, the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) has announced the successful transition of ownership of Pharos Marine Limited (part of the Falklands based Byron group) to Workboat Services Limited, WBS, ensuring the continued operational presence of the vessel MV Pharos SG in the South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands Maritime Zone.

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

  Unprecedented storm: Roof collapses in Bahía Blanca killing 13

  

  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

  

  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

  

  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

  

  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.