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Latin America Climate, Energy and Environment News: 2/11 - 2/17/2012

2012-02-17T19:50:31Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Chile

A glimmer of hope for renewable energy in Chile as recent studies show that the cost of green energy has been cut in half over the past two years. The price decline is a result of manufacturers who have begun to scale up production in addition to overall increases in competition among green technology producers. Experts from the Chilean Renewable Energy Association also point out that claims that it would be economically unfeasible to generate 20% of electricity by 2020 are based on obsolete data about energy prices. (Electricidad 2/16/2012).

Despite significant opposition from local communities, the Riesco Island mining project will commence construction in April. Backed by over $530 million dollars of investment, the mine will harvest coal from the Punta Arenas region. Jorge erals, general manager of the mine says that he has met all agreed upon commitments in his contract including the stipulation for 85% local employment. But opponents assure that they will continue fighting the project. “The legal battle is just beginning,” stated Riesco Alert’s spokesperson, Adolfo Galindo (Diario Financiero 2/15/2012).

The Río Cuervo Dam Project went to court this week due to rising safety and environmental concerns. The project requires large volumes of water installed on a prominent fault line in Chile’s Aysen region. Opponents of the project insist that the risk of seismic and volcanic activity near the reservoirs construction are too great to ignore. The debate remains paralyzed in the Coyhaique Court of Appeals between the Río Cuervo Central Hydroelectric Project and local constituents (Emol 2/15/2012).

Costa Rica

Tourism continues to play a prominent role in Costa Rica’s economy. A recent study showed that whale watching alone generates $21 millions dollars in revenue along with 25,000 jobs. Yet the United Nations Environmental Program recently found that 86% of the world’s whales and dolphins are endangered (El Financiero 2/16/2012). To promote sustainable tourism, Acoprot (The Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals) has created the Interamerican Center for training and Research for Sustainable Tourism Development. The project will promote research and awareness to better guide best practices for Costa Rican tourism (El Financiero 2/16/2012).

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Environment, Energy, and Telecommunication (Minaet) has signed a contract with the Neotrópica Foundation to conduct an environmental assessment of damages caused by the Crucitas mining project. , The studies were required by the court that annulled the controversial mining concession held by Industrias Infinito. The results are to be made ready in two weeks andwill outline the costs of restoring the areas affected by the deforestation and land degradation from the Crucitas mine (La Nación 2/16/2012).

Mexico

Mexico’s Secretary of Environmental and Natural Resources, Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada met with U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton to announce the creation of the Coalition for Clean Air and Climate. The coalition aims to battle global climate change be reducing short-term air pollutants. Mexico is the newest member of this international climate initiative as it joins the ranks of Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, Sweden, and the U.S. The goal in Mexico is to have its 600 municipalities working on specific air quality improvement plans by 2013 (Biosfera 2/16/2012).

The Council of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) will give $1.3 million dollars in grants to help North American communities address environmental problems. The CEC, composed of three member countries, Canada, Mexico and the U.S. chose eighteen projects ranging from the tropical forests of Mexico to the subarctic tundra. All projects are aimed at addressing environmental issues from the community level and represent a broad range of groups and organizations including indigenous people to academic institutions (Cec.org 2/16/2012)

Mexico continues to work toward a clean energy matrix with the goal of generating 15% of their energy from wind by 2020. Last week’s inauguration of the WindPower Forum reinforced Mexico’s investment to a diversified energy mix. The country aims to create 45,000 jobs in the wind sector and generate 12,000 megawatts of electricity. Leopold Rodríguez, a leader in Mexico’s clean energy industry, described the economic and environmental benefits noting that wind could generate $13 million dollars in revenue and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 23 million tons (lainformacion.com 2/14/2012) The Mexican Initiative for Renewable Energy (IMERE) is also leading the effort to push Mexico toward renewable energy matrixes. Comprised of members from the private sector and civil society, IMERE was presented at the National Museum in San Carlos this week. The initiative aims to give businesses a greater hand in Mexico’s energy production and move the country away from hydrocarbon dependence through five main goals: creating a set of energy targets for 2050, facilitating access of renewable energy sources to the electric grid, establishing prices and incentives, reducing fossil fuel subsidies, and revamping overall national policy on renewable energy (economia.terra.com 2/15/2012).

Composed by Amanda Wheat

Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Latin America Climate, Energy and Environment News: 2/4 - 2/10/2012

2012-02-10T22:13:20Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Chile

Michael Moure, the CO of HidroAysén, presented the latest proposal for HydroAysén’s transmission line construction to the Council of Puerto Mont. Moure made light of concerns that construction of the line would clear cut forests, claiming these concerns were based on rumors. Moure insisted the transmission line was the best option for providing stability to the energy matrix, but acknowledged that there must be spaces for debate. HidroAysen expects to present its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the transmission line by the end of the second quarter (Cooperativa.cl 2/8/2012). Meanwhile, the EIA process for transmission lines related to another hydro dam, the 150 MW Los Cóndores dam near Talca, is already well advanced. (Diario Financiero 2/10/2012).

Chile’s recent energy crisis has invited further investment in geothermal energy alternatives generated from its belt of active and dormant volcanoes. Chile has always harnessed imported natural gas in conjunction with hydropower but recent droughts and interruptions in gas supplies have moved geothermal energy into the limelight. Hot Rock, an Australian Energy company, has invested over $50 million dollars into future geothermal projects in Chile (The Santiago Times 2/9/2012). Further investment into Chile’s renewable energy sector will be made by AES Gener which has started the environmental review process for a $572 million dollar solar farm project in the Antofagasta Region. The park will produce 220 MW of electricity with the goal of promoting the use of renewable resources for clean energy production (La Tercera 2/10/2012).

Public outcry and concern about thermoelectric development in northern Chile means that US$5,000 million worth in projects may never see the light of day. As these projects haves stalled, questions are being raised about how this region and it’s energy-intensive mining sector will meet growing electricity demand. (Diario Financiero 2/10/2012).

Costa Rica

Pococi, Costa Rica, a small community of no more than 29 families will be the first rural community in Latin America to aim for carbon neutrality. Under the leadership of Anyelo Moya and Tony Arévalo, the community has implemented various environmental measures including biodigesters which treat waste and provide gas for cooking as well as a new plot of forest to aid in carbon sequestration. They have also created a successful greenhouse which allows the community to grow their own products rather than commuting to the next town over 10 km away (CRHoy.com 2/3/2012).

The Baulas National Park in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste finally has regulations in place to protect its natural habitat. Decree No. 36918-Manaet will regulate public use areas, recreational activities, and designate restricted use areas in an effort to conserve terrestrial and marine habitats as the park is the nesting site of the leather back turtle. The Park’s Tamarindo estuary was also declared a wetland of global importance by the Ramsar Convention. These new regulations seek to find a balance between nature and human activity as the park is a popular tourist destination (La Nación 2/8/2012).

American ecologist, Daniel H. Janzen was honored with the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award for his pioneering work in ecology and conservation biology on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Janzen plans to use the award to fund more taxonomy training for locals and further ecological development research. He stated, “If we do not act in time, man will be living in a broken world empty of life” (El País 2/7/2012).

Costa Rica’s national law for integrated waste management was passed in 2010, but two years later only four out of its eleven stipulations have been put into effect. One of the most important contributions of the new law regards how to manage special waste including e-waste and tires. But because special waste has yet to be properly defined, the law has had little impact and most of these products continue to pile up in environmentally harmful landfills. The law has however, made progress in waste management plans for municipalities where half of the stipulations have been properly carried out (El Financiero 2/8/2012).

Mexico

The Ramsar Convention will soon finalize its analysis of the impacts of the proposed Cabo Cortes tourism complex on Baja California’s Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park and present its recommendations to Mexico. Since visiting the region in November, Ramsar has undertaken an in-depth analysis of the situation and all options remain on the table, including recommending that Mexico grant no further permits to the project. Meanwhile, civil society groups presented President Calderón with a letter demanding termination of the project. (El Universal.mx 2/5/2012).

A new energy forum, “Mexico Wind Power 2012”, will analyze the potential of Mexico’s burgeoning wind sector. In the last five years, investment for Mexican wind energy exceeded two billion dollars and is expected to reach 20 billion in the next decade. The forum will be sponsored by 21 companies expected to invest in the coming years in what Vice President Paul St. Amour from E.J. Krause for Latin America has dubbed, “a clear market opportunity for Mexico and Latin America” (Provincia 2/8/2012).

Mexico’s Secretary of Energy has hastened its efforts to begin exploration of Mexico’s shale gas reserves. The Integrated Development of Infrastructure for the Natural Gas Market will be allocated $1.6 million dollars to initiate exploration studies to know the exact size and depth of the reserves. Officials from the secretary of energy have stated that they will explore these resources with all due haste to optimize economic growth (Excelsior.com.mx 2/6/2012).

The Ramsar Convention has sited Mexico’s wetlands and mangrove systems as crucial to the protection of inland territories from environmental hazards like hurricanes and floods. They also serve vital natural filtration processes for multiple ecosystems. The country ranks number two in the world for wetland territory with over 9 million hectares. While 138 of these territories are on under protection, 50% are still not considered reserves (La Nación 2/3/2012). Many wetland territories still face harsh land degradation and drought. The Churince, a set of lakes that form part of Cuatro Ciénegas Valley of Northern Mexico are currently facing extreme drought as their water levels continue to decline with no rain in sight (elgolfo.info 2/2/2012). Meanwhile, in Oaxaca, the organization “Vive Mar” commemorated World Wetlands Day with a walking tour for local students and other environmentalists to raise awareness about wetland ecosystems (Ciudadanía 2/3/2012).

Regional

Chevron refuses to apologize for the damage caused by oil drilling in Ecuador’s Amazon territory from 1972-1990. The refusal comes on the grounds that Chevron will not claim responsibility for the damage done during this time period by Texaco (which Chevron purchased in 2001). Chevron has no current assets in Ecuador so Ecuador must collect awards abroad (The Washington Post 2/3/2012).

Polices forces in Panama cracked down violently on indigenous Ngöbe Buglé people protesting over mining and hydroelectric concessions in their territory. Two Ngöbe Buglé were killed and dozens more injured before dialogue with the government was finally re-established (Mining Watch 2/8/2012). Following similar clashes last year, the government agreed to respect the indigenous group’s territory as hydroelectric and mining free lands. This most recent clash erupted as Panama’s government appeared to renege on this agreement and the National Assembly dropped from consideration an article in the proposed new mining code that would cancel mining and hydro concessions in Ngöbe Buglé lands (Ciam 2/2/2012).

Composed by Amanda Wheat

Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Latin America Climate, Energy and Environment News: 1/30 - 2/3/2012

2012-02-03T22:25:15Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Chile

In the last three months, Chile’s government has raced to achieve its goal of obtaining a national energy matrix that consists of 20% alternative energies by 2020. Today only 3% of Chile’s energy comes from non conventional renewable energy while the demand for energy output is projected to grow by 50% over the next eight years. Thus in the past three months Chile has approved over US$1,052 million in projects to produce 435.6 MW of additional energy from wind, solar, and hydropower projects (Diario Financiero 3/31/2012). Despite a 5.9% increase in electricity generation in 2011, hydropower was still underrepresented in the energy matrix due to declining rainfall. Recent data further shows that 34% energy generated is distributed to the mining sector while 23.7% goes to industrial, 14.3% to residential, 15.3 % to agriculture and other sources, and 12.4% to trade (La Segunda 1/30/2012).

After two years of postponed construction, Chile’s First Chamber of the Court of Appeals gave to permission to commence construction of the port that would supply the Castilla thermoelectric project in the Atacama region. The Castilla project would create six power plants and desalination facilities on the coast of the Atacama region, 150 miles from a marine conservation site. The court upheld that the environmental impact assessment passed in 2010 is sound and legal despite the controversial response it received from environmental groups. (Emol 2/2/2012).In Chile’s Region V, plans for another thermoelectric project, a gas cogeneration plant proposed by Copec and Enap, are also moving forward again based on new natural gas price forecasts. The project requires a $300 million dollar investment and will now aim to produce 160 MW of power. This projection is a significant decrease from its original goal of 579 MW. (Mundomaritimo 1/30/12)

Lake Cachet in Chile’s Capitán Prat Province is experiencing an alarming water level decrease. According to the lake’s satellite monitoring system, the water level has dropped at a rate of 5.3 meters in the past 28 hours. A team of representatives from the Regional Ministerial Secretary of Public Works and the Regional Water Management group confirmed that the lake has begun the process of emptying. This is a recurring event in the lake’s history due to an environmental phenomenon known as GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood). GLOFs can be attributed to any number of factors including erosion, water pressure build up, avalanche, or seismic activity. (Radiosantamaría 1/31/2012)

In the South of Chile, officials have arrested a man for stealing glacial ice from the Jorge Montte Glacier. It is estimated that the man intended to sell the ice to upscale bars and restaurants to make gourmet ice cubes. The ice, taken from Chile’s fastest retreating glacier, had an estimated value of over $6,000 dollars. (BBC News 2/1/2012)

Costa Rica

A recent report prepared by the Comptroller General of the Republic highlighted the continued neglect of Costa Rica’s wetland territories. Under the Ramsar Convention, 12 of Costa Rica’s 350 wetland territories are protected habitats. But the analysis showed that the Terra-Sierpe Wetlands lost 179 hectares of coverage even after gaining protection under the Ramsar Convention. On the other hand, the wetlands of Palo Verde recovered 3,405 hectares between 1984 and 2005. Overall, the report highlights the drastic lack of funding and manpower necessary to carry out adequate wetland protection despite the positive developments in Palo Verde. (Semanario Universidad 1/25/2012)

The Earth University of Costa Rica has launched the Research and Development Center or Renewable Energies with the goal of spreading knowledge through education on clean energy technology. The unique initiative is funded by Germany’s Ministry of the Environment through a program called “Climate Change Initiative” in an effort to reduce CO2 admissions through strategic training and education. (Costa Rica Hoy 2/2/2012)

Mexico

Environmental experts wrote to Mexican President Felipe Calderon demanding that plans for the construction of the proposed tourism resort, Cabo Cortes, be terminated. The mega tourism project would develop 3,800 hectares of fragile lands, increase pollution, and intensify water scarcity while threatening the Cabo Pulmo National Marine Reserve. The letter requested not only that the project be cancelled but also that Cabo Pulmo be listed as a world heritage site at risk and registered with Montreux under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland in danger. (Greenpeace Mexico 2/1/2012)

Mexico and France united to launch a pilot project that will assess alternative development opportunities for communities living in protected areas throughout Mexico. Work will begin in the Rio Ameca Basin, located between the states of Jalisco and Nayarit, and the Sierra de Los Chimalapas region in Oaxaca. In a continued effort to address climate change, The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, through the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), and the French Development Agency (AFD) signed the agreement that is part of the the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change signed by Semarnat and AFD in 2010. (Cuidadanía Press 2/1/2012)

The degradation of forests in the State of Mexico, due to illegal logging, has meant that the monarch butterfly prefers to settle in Michoacán State, while the sanctuaries of the neighboring state are increasingly depopulated. The head of FUNACOMM said the behavior of the monarch has been altered for the last five years. It has changed the places it used to settle, delayed its arrival in Mexico and the sizes of the colonies are in decline (Primer Plan 01/23/12).

In commemoration of World Wetlands Day, Mexico Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada declared four new wetland sites to be part of Ramsar Convention’s Iist of international important wetlands. These ecosystems were selected based on the importance of their environmental impact and services, including their water supply and their contribution towards reducing climate change. Mexico now ranks second for having the most wetlands covered by the Ramsar list. According to Quesada, the inclusion of the four new protected areas strengthens ecotourism opportunities for Mexico. (Prensa 2/2/2012).

Regional

In preparation for Rio+20, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in June, representatives met this week in Quito, Ecuador for the eighteenth Forum of Environment Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean.. The ministers recognized that as region they face similar environmental challenges and sought to reach a common environmental sustainability agenda before Rio+20. (Agency EFE 2/2/2012)

Composed by Amanda Wheat

Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Citizens Take the Lead in Chile's National Energy Discussion

2012-01-04T21:56:41Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Chileans tired of enduring blackouts, seasonal power shortages and high electricity prices have reason for hope in the New Year. A coalition of citizens, academics, technical experts and members of Parliament has issued a landmark proposal in hopes of jump-starting a national conversation to establish a long-term energy policy for Chile that fosters clean, sustainable energy technologies. Whether the Piñera administration will listen, remains to be seen.

After five months analyzing the energy sector, members of the Citizen, Technical and Parliamentary Commission for Energy Policy and the Electric Grid (CCTP) recently presented their report and recommendations to President Sebastian Piñera. The CCTP’s initiative demonstrates the kind of “we cannot afford to wait any longer” attitude that many people from around the world brought to and away from the UN’s recent climate conference in Durban. This is also precisely the kind of forward-thinking, self-propelled initiative that the world needs to see next year at the Rio +20 Earth Summit.

The CCTP first united in May 2011 to complement efforts by the government’s Advisory Commission on Electricity Development, comprised largely of the usual suspects in Chile’s energy sector – many of the very people who had helped create the system that is now so plagued with problems. Chileans endure black-outs, seasonal power shortages and some of the highest electricity prices in the region, while the energy market is monopolized by a few large companies who make a lucrative profit under this current system. Former Minister of Energy Laurence Golborne recognized the underlying fundamental problem (as did the International Energy Agency in its 2009 Energy Policy Review): Chile has no long-term energy policy.

Setting out to help fill this major policy gap, the CCTP analyzed the current state of the energy sector as well as its future potential growth, and suggested specific legislative and regulatory actions. In doing so, it recognized that Chile cannot continue to rely on the same conventional technologies, weak institutional structures and policies that favor only major corporations. If Chile is to meet its future energy needs and economic goals without sacrificing the environment or public health, it will have to change course.

Their conclusions and ideas are not radical. In fact, several of their recommendations are merely for the government to follow through on existing legislative proposals, such as President Piñera’s 2010 idea to raise the country’s renewable energy portfolio to 20 percent by 2020, and to pass the pending net-metering law. The CCTP states that the government needs to:

reform the General Electricity Services Law to eliminate market distortions and unbalanced pricing procedures.
shut down or retrofit old and inefficient coal-fired and hydroelectric plants that are environmentally harmful and that drive up the market price because they are maintained as “back up” power despite being obsolete.
categorize firewood as a fuel, which would allow adequate regulation of this major source of harmful pollution – especially for the southern half of the country
make thermoelectric plants internalize their environmental costs via a new limit on emissions of heavy metals from these plants; regulations to determine appropriate cooling processes to minimize detrimental impacts on marine life; and a new “eco-tax” based on the plant’s impacts on human health and the environment.

The experts, policy-makers and academics on the CCTP also clearly see that with appropriate policies in place renewables and efficiency can contribute a significant amount to Chile’s future electricity grid. In addition to urging the “20 percent by 2020” law, they recommend legislative amendments to reduce market concentration and eliminate barriers for new market entrants such as renewable energy plants. They propose strengthening the Chilean Energy Efficiency Agency so that it can be more effective, introducing minimum energy performance standards (or MEPS) for light bulbs, heating appliances and refrigerators, and passing a decoupling law that would separate distribution companies’ profits from the amount of energy they sell.

My colleague Doug Sims has looked more thoroughly at the government commission’s report. For the present, however, it is clear that their proposal for Chile’s future energy policy –although it contains some solid analysis—can be briefly summarized as a “business-as-usual” model that contains very few new ideas. Its recommendations focus on developing more hydroelectric power, particularly in northern Patagonia (such as the highly controversial HidroAysén and Rio Cuervo projects) and keeping the nuclear energy option on the table. In contrast to the CCTP’s ideas, the government commission does not foresee renewables contributing much to Chile’s energy future, and all but ignores efficiency, which has been extremely successful in other places in driving down energy consumption and creating jobs.

It is precisely this focus on renewables and energy efficiency, as well as other critical components of Chile’s currently troubled system that demonstrates the CCTP’s foresight and vision for the future of their country.

And, it is precisely this type of foresight and vision that countries around the world need to develop now and bring with them to the Earth Summit in Rio next summer. People around the world who are plagued with energy shortages, public health problems and environmental disasters deserve as much, and should not have to wait any longer for clear and concrete solutions from their governments.

Latin America Climate, Energy and Environment News: 12/10 - 12/16/2011

2011-12-19T14:47:09Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

This is the last Latin America news summary before the New Year and the editorial team would like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday – ¡Felices Fiestas y Prospero Año Nuevo!

Chile

Renewable energy development made a lot of news in this week. Ireland-based company Mainstream Renewables announced the purchase of 32 new turbines to install at the “Negrete Cuel” wind farm, adding 34.5 MW to the main electric grid. (El Mostrador 12/9/2011) Mainstream also submitted the environmental impact assessment for a $250 million, 75MW solar plant called Solar Almonte. The project’s 270,000 photovoltaic panels would connect to the northern electric grid. (Diario Financiero 12/13/2011) A new 220-turbine wind project proposed in the Arauco region will transform the town of Lebu from a coal town to a “wind town.” The $1 billion project will be the largest wind farm in South America. (La Tercera 12/16/2011) Mining giant Barrick Gold inaugurated the Punta Colorada wind park in Chile’s Coquimbo region. The $50 million investment will have an installed capacity of 20 MW from 10 turbines, providing power to 10,000 families. (ListoDiario.cl, via FuturoRenovable.cl 12/14/2011) Over 40 international & Chilean scientists asked President Piñera to stop a new wind farm on Chiloe Island, due to its potential effects on endangered blue whales and other local wildlife. The project was approved in August. (Santiago Times 12/15/2011)

Demonstrations took place in the Aysén region’s capital city of Coyhaique, where residents marched and asked the Supreme Court to rule against the environmental approval of HidroAysén’s proposed dams. (Radio Universidad de Chile 12/11/2011) The Supreme Court asked lawyers appealing the dams’ approval to present their arguments on Friday, December 16. (Prensa Latina 12/16/2011) Various members of Parliament expressed their optimism that the Court would rule against HidroAysén. (Cámara.cl 12/15/2011)

A new collaboration between the Ministry of Environment, forestry giant Arauco and environmental NGO Ética en los Bosques aims to protect the endangered Darwin fox in the Nahuelbuta mountain range, in the BioBio and Araucanía regions. Bernardo Reyes, Director of Ética en los Bosques, stated: “we have a unique treasure in the Nahuelbuta Range which was the Blue Fox, the Fox of Dreams or the Guide to Magical Knowledge for the Mapuches,” an indigenous community. (La Tercera 12/14/2011)

Costa Rica

Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla will travel to the 38th Summit of Heads of State of the Central American Integration System to discuss the impact of climate change on the region. Heavy rains in October cost Central America approximately $2 billion in losses. The regional leaders and delegations from multilateral financial institutions and developed world countries will discuss how to strengthen efforts to prevent disasters and climate change impacts. (La Nación 12/16/2011)

Expanding agriculture can drive away birds, but in Costa Rica researchers have found that birds and farmers can indeed co-exist. Managing farmland sustainably by planting a mixture of crop species and leaving some trees standing in the field can help sustain both birdlife and bring benefits to farmers. Based on ten years of data, the research found that traditional, low-intensity farms had more insect-eating, seed-dispersing and pollinating birds than industrialized farms. (Physorg.com 12/15/2011)

Mexico

Mexico’s national petroleum company, Pemex, is gearing up to increase gas shale exploration despite mounting evidence of the negative impacts of natural gas fracking techniques used to extract gas from shale rocks. Pemex plans to drill 175 wells by 2015 and hopes to operate 6,500 wells within fifty years. In the northern state of Coahuila, Pemex has been extracting 85,000 cubic meters of gas shale since February. An expert from the Instituto Tecnólogico y de Estudios Superiores in Monterrey, México, cautions against expanding gas shale exploration, noting that that fracking is very controversial and that the gas in Mexico is found in areas with little water. (IPS News 12/16/2011)

A study by Mexican researchers found that the real estate project Cabo Cortés will severely affect Cabo Pulmo National Park, located in Baja California Sur. They warn of the tremendous environmental impact in the area due to the large-scale tourism. (Once Noticias 12/16/11)

The Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico (Semarnat), Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada, noted that the conclusions from the 17 Conference of the Parties (COP17) on Climate Change, in Durban, South Africa, are insufficient to safeguard the future of humanity but will allow progress in mitigating and adapting to this phenomenon. He reiterated that Mexico will intensify efforts in 2012 to comply with voluntary goals in the fight against climate change and demonstrate the capacity and leadership of the country to take the seat of Green Climate Fund. (Semarnat 12/12/11)

Mauricio Limón Aguirre, Assistant Secretary for Environmental Protection Management at Semarnat reported that Phase I of the Plan for the Elimination of hydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) in Mexico, will potentially eliminate 351 tones --a reduction of 30 percent of the national consumption-- of these pollutants , by 2018. (Semarnat 12/14/2011)

Regional

Federal prosecutors in Brazil filed an $11 billion suit against Chevron and Transocean Ltd. in response to last month’s deep water oil spill. During the spill nearly 3,000 barrels of oil poured into the waters off the coast of Rio de Janeiro state. The prosecutors pointed to a lack of environmental planning and management by the two companies. While the spill was small in comparison to the Deepwater Horizon disaster, it has focused attention on the environmental risks posed by developing oil in Brazil’s deep water “subsalt region”. (CNN 12/15/2011)

Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

HidroAysén's Transmission Line, Finally Made Public, Reveals and Raises Challenges

2011-12-15T23:12:36Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

HidroAysén, the company proposing to build five hydroelectric dams on two of Chile’s wildest rivers in Patagonia, made the route for the project’s transmission line public last week after years of speculation. Although there is very little new information in the route –this narrow country offers only so many options—the map of the line illustrates the numerous geographic, technical and human challenges to the line. It also provides a visual demonstration of the fact that the HidroAysén scheme is neither the only nor the best option for the country’s future energy security.

This route should have been announced in August 2008, when the company presented its environmental impact assessment for the dams. Yet HidroAysén managed to fragment the two components into two separate reviews, making their approval easier than it would have been together. International standards require high-impact projects (e.g. large dams) to be evaluated as one project with their auxiliary components (transmission lines). The 2010 revisions to Chile’s Environmental Law (Ley 20.417) made this mandatory as well, but by then it was too late to apply to the evaluation of HidroAysén proposal.

So after the dams’ three year review process, which was technically deficient and full of procedural irregularities and resulted in a highly contentious approval this past May that is still being challenged in the Supreme Court by the Patagonia Defense Council and others, HidroAysén is trying to smooth the way for the high-voltage transmission line’s approval. By making the route public now, three months ahead of when it plans to submit the line’s full environmental impact assessment, the company can talk openly with the affected communities in hopes of minimizing popular opposition to the full assessment.

Since this transmission line is going to be at the center of public debate and government evaluation for many months, it is important to lay out the facts:

This transmission line would be 1,912 kilometers (1,188 miles) long in total. For context, that is longer than the distance from Seattle (WA) to Los Angeles (CA), New Orleans (LA) to Albuquerque (NM), Paris (France) to Belgrade (Serbia), and Hamburg (Germany) to Naples (Italy). It would be one of the longest transmission lines in the world. The first phase would be about 660 kilometers (410 miles) long, from the Patagonia town of Cochrane to the city of Puerto Montt.
The transmission line would cross seven of Chile’s fifteen regions, including national parks, private protected areas, priority conservation sites, wetlands and indigenous communities. It would traverse mountains, run around volcanoes and cross fault lines in Chile’s earthquake-prone areas.
160 kilometers (99.4 miles) of the line would run underwater, starting at Río Yelcho and ending in Puerto Montt, where it would join with the main electric grid, called the Central Interconnected System (SIC). By doing so, the route avoids the Chaitén volcano and Pumalín Park – a nature reserve whose owner strongly opposes the dams.
A 70 meter (76.5 yard) wide service lane would be cut underneath the line, potentially fragmenting critical habitat for endemic species, and requiring consistent maintenance. The company will have to raze about 101 hectares (250 acres) of forest and “prune” about 607 hectares (1,500 acres) more during the construction of the line.
The line would require 1,500 – 1,700 towers, each around 50 meters (164 feet) high. The company tried to plot many of them behind mountains or in areas where they would not be seen, but people who live in nearby communities certainly would not be able to miss them.
HidroAysén must consult with approximately 800 individual property owners to complete the first phase of its plan. The total for the entire length of the line is well over 2000.
The transmission line is expected to cost almost US$3.8 - 4 billion. The most recently-stated price tag for the dams is $3.2 billion, totaling $7–7.2 billion for the entire project. Yet, the CFO of Endesa, one of HidroAysén’s parent companies, announced in May that the project would cost $10 billion. When the dams were first submitted for review, the estimated total was $4 billion. So not only has the price tag risen substantially, but the company itself is quoting different numbers.

Both the transmission line and the company’s presentation of it immediately drew criticism. NRDC’s partners in the Patagonia Defense Council, various members of Parliament, musicians, NGOs and citizens have all come out against this latest development in what has become the largest environmental campaign in Chile’s history. Their arguments are all based on the same foundation: Chile does not need HidroAysén for a secure energy future. The country has better, cost-competitive and more sustainable options, and it would be a travesty to invest so much money, damage so much pristine wilderness and affect so many people’s lives simply for the profit of Chilean and European companies.

Latin America Climate, Energy and Environment News: 12/3 - 12/9/2011

2011-12-09T21:51:41Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Chile

HidroAysén made the proposed route for its 1,200 mile-long transmission line public this week, releasing the route to the media and initiating conversations with 20 of the affected communities. The line would require 1,500 - 1,700 high tension towers to carry electricity from five dams in Patagonia up to the main electric grid near Chaitén. (La Tercera 12/5/2011) Civil society groups in Patagonia and throughout the country criticized the line and the company’s handling of the information. (CNN Chile 12/6/2011, Diario Aysén 12/6/2011, La Tercera 12/9/2011) At the same time, the Commission of Ministers ruled against HidroAysén’s appeal to suspend the environmental conditions placed upon the company in the May 2011 resolution approving its five dams. (Radio BioBio 12/9/2011)

A new study by the Center for Scientific Studies in Valdivia revealed that the Jorge Montt glacier is the fastest-shrinking glacier in Chile. Using a series of photographs taken from February 2010-January 2011, the research team found that the glacier receded over half a mile during that year. Head researcher Andrés Rivera says that this is an abnormally fast melting rate, and that more studies are needed to fully understand the effects of climate change on Patagonia’s glaciers. (Santiago Times 12/7/2011)

Costa Rica

Costa Rica and Japan signed a memorandum of understanding under which the two countries will explore the feasibility of jointly developing a new geothermal plant in Costa Rica. During the signing ceremony in Japan, President Chinchilla highlighted the potential for expanded renewable energy development in Costa Rica. (El País 12/7/2011)

The Costa Rican Constitutional Court reinforced the mandate that the government is obligated to protect and manage wetlands when it ruled that two decrees were unconstitutional because they conditioned the designation of a “wetland” on whether or not that area had been declared a protected area. In its ruling, the court reaffirmed that irrespective of whether or not a wetland has been declared a protected area, it is part of the nation’s Natural Heritage. The court also called on the government to move forward with identifying and classifying the country’s wetlands in order to provide adequate protection and management. (El País 12/9/2011)

The marine conservation group, MarViva, announced the launch of a new public-private conservation trust that will support marine conservation in Costa Rica. The $2 million dollar trust, created in partnership with the private firm Aldesa, will help strengthen monitoring and research activities around Coco Island, one of the worlds’ richest marine habitats. (El País 12/5/2011)

Mexico

Senators from the PRD Party are urging the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), to suspend the Cabo Cortés project, which the company Hansa Baja Investments proposed in Baja California Sur, for threatening the area’s ecosystem and violating Mexican and international standards. The Senators are also requesting that the Secretariat of Public Function present the results of its research on Cabo Cortés’s authorization issued by SEMARNAT, to punish all public officers who are responsible for issuing permits that contravene environmental legislation. (Unomasuno.com 12/4/11)

The Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada, said the government of Denmark will provide Mexico with $9.5 million in financial support for the foundation of the Mexican Centre for Sustainable Economy. The agreement was announced as part of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) in Durban, South Africa, where the head of the SEMARNAT and his Danish counterpart stressed Denmark’s interest in increasing technical cooperation with Mexico and defining public policy efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, as well as the use of renewable energy, a sector in which the European nation is among the most advanced in the world. (SEMARNAT 12/8/11)

During his contribution at the COP17, Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada, Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, announced his hopes that Mexico will soon pass climate change legislation. This bill was approved by the Senate and is in the process of being passed to the Chamber of Representatives. This, Minister Elvira said, will translate into a state policy that will go beyond the six-year plans and provide Mexico with various solutions to mitigation and adaptation problems that can be managed by the Federal Government. (SEMARNAT 12/7/11)

Regional

During the Durban climate negotiations, member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA) called for the launch of a Green Climate Fund which would allow the region to begin to adapt to the extreme weather conditions brought on by climate change. In recent years, Central America’s agricultural sector, the primary economic driver for many of the region’s countries, has been hit hard by droughts and flooding. The region has also seen thousands of deaths due to extreme weather events. (La Nación 12/9/2011)

Brazil’s Senate passed a controversial new Forest Code which critics say will make it more difficult for the country to meet its targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The code decreases the size of buffer areas around rivers and the amount of land property owners must leave forested. It also offers amnesty to prior deforesters if they agree to ecological restoration plans. Before becoming law, the forest code must also pass the lower house of the congress and be signed by the president. (BBC News 12/7/2011)

Protests against a gold mine in the highlands of the northern state of Cajamarca caused Peruvian Presiden Ollanta Humala to declare a 60-day State of Emergency, restricting civil liberties for residents in the area and permitting arrests without warrants. The Conga mine, owned primarily by U.S.-based Newmont Mining Corporation, is the country’s biggest investment. But protesters – including local elected officials and the state’s governor—say that the project would endanger the fresh water supply in the area and affect thousands of people. (Yahoo News 12/4/2011)

Latin America Climate, Energy and Environment News: 11/26 - 12/3/11

2011-12-02T20:25:39Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Chile

President Piñera signed an agreement with the state of Massachusetts last week to strength education, energy and biotechnology initiatives. This alliance is similar to the partnership developed between Chile and California in the 1960’s which saw much success in the environmental field. Piñera highlighted Massachusetts’s dedication to these three crucial sectors during the meeting between the Doctoral Commission of National Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The accord hopes to strengthen partnerships between educational institutions and research centers in the future. (America Economia 12/1/2011)

The Citizen’s Coalition for Aysén Life Reserve announced their plans to revamp protests against the HidroAysén dam in Patagonia. After several months without demonstrations, a number of organizations will take to the streets of Santiago in protest. This new march will last at least until the December 20th when the court announces their final decision regarding a recent investigation into the irregularities that may have lead to permit acquisitions for HidroAysén back in May. (Terram 11/30/2011)

The Department of Environmental Assessment issued its review of the Cuervo Hydroelectric Project in Aysén. The document comprised of 15 observations highlighted the need for continued investigation and assessment of the hydroelectric plant. If the project gains all sectoral and environmental approvals it will begin construction in the Aysén region in late 2012 on the hydro plant which is expected to generate 1,650 jobs and 640 Megawatts of energy. (Diario El Divisadero 11/34/2011)

A recent discovery unveiled over 80 perfectly preserved whale fossils in Chile’s Atacama desert. Thus far research shows that the fossils are over seven million years old. The fossils include adult and juvenile baleen whales, a walrus-whale, an extinct species of sperm whale, and possibly a seal or sea lion. The biggest obstacle toward unraveling the mysteries of these ancient species is that the area is under contract for a road building project and research but my complete by the end of the month before highway construction resumes. (Nature News Blog 11/18/2011)

Costa Rica

Firms within Costa Rica’s agricultural industry are pushing for carbon certifications on their products. Producers of livestock, coffee, bananas and pineapples claim that with so many entities claiming carbon neutrality recently, those that are actually carbon neutral are losing their competitive edge in the green market. In creating stricter regulations and associated carbon neutral certifications these companies hope to advance their products in the green global economy. (La Nación 12/1/2011)

The EARTH University of Costa Rica inaugurated its center for renewable energy, the first of its kind in Central America. The center is a joint project with the Berlin Institute, created to find solutions for energy issues in Central America. The center will train students and professionals throughout the region in the areas of hydro, solar, geothermal, wind and biomass technology which have been adopted to tropical conditions. (Revista Summa 12/1/2011)

The Civil and Administrative Law Branch of Costa Rica’s Supreme Court issued a ruling that annulled Industrias Infinito’s concession to operate the Las Crucitas gold mine near the border of Nicaragua. The decision is the result of an 18-year-struggle between environmental groups, Infinito, and the Costa Rican governments. The project was proposed in 1993, permitted in 2006, and soon put on hold due to strong environmental opposition. The court also annulled environmental permits and declarations, including a decree declaring the project in the public interest. (Tico Times 11/30/2011)

In the face of increasing energy needs, the government decided to push forward proposed bills that would allow geothermal energy production by the national electric company in the protected areas of Costa Rica’s volcanic mountain range in Guanacaste. Current law prohibits national parks from commercial development purposes but under the proposed legislation, energy would be labeled as a non-commercial public good and therefore development will be permitted. Costa Rica has the potential to generate 865 MW of geothermal energy but has only exploited 166 MW as the remaining sources are located on Indian reservations and within national parks and forest areas. (El Financiero CR 12/1/2011)

Mexico

In the struggle to conserve Cabo Pulmo’s coral reef from threat of the mega hotel project, opponents will turn their pressure on President Felipe Calderon who prides himself on his ecological good will. The project was originally under control of the firm Hansa Urbana, but following financial troubles the company was taken over by the Spanish central bank raising questions about the project’s future ownership. In the uncertainty of where new owners will take this initiative, opponents of the development project continue to worry that they may still lose this biological gem. Exequiel Exurra, former president of the National Institute for Human Ecology stated, "In the coming year or two we are going to see all kinds of changes. Historically in Mexico, when attention turns elsewhere these kinds of rogue projects are approved." (Houston Chronicle 11/29/2011)

Greenpeace accused Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) of inappropriate contact with Hansa Urbana regarding the environmental permitting of the Cabo Cortés project. This accusation came on the heels of Greenpeace’s discovery of internal ProMexico (Mexico’s investment and trade commission) emails that describe communication between SEMARNAT and Hansa Urbana. SEMARNAT refuted the Greenpeace allegation stating that it did not inappropriately communicate with Hansa Urbana. (Milenio 11/25/2011)

Mexico’s Energy Minister Jordy Herrera continues to push exploitation of Mexico’s shale gas reserves as global energy consumption continues to create demand. This week, Herrera stated his intent to move forward in trade negotiations with the US. They will look to solidify cross-border hydrocarbon deposits, defined as the reserves which cross the US-Mexican border and could potentially be accessed from both sides. Thus far no agreement has been confirmed and Mexico remains focused on harvesting its national reserves. (Market Watch 12/1/2011)

This week’s news has been compiled by Amanda Wheat.

Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Latin America Climate, Energy and Environment News: 11/13 - 11/18/2011

2011-11-18T20:29:37Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Chile

At long last, The Council for Electricity Development has announced their final proposals for Chile’s new energy plan. This 200-page proposal will allow the government to compose a new energy matrix to implement over the next 20 years. The plan deemed the following seven sectors to be of crucial importance: development of hydropower, increased state role in generation and transmission, reconstruction of the Economic Load Dispatch Center (CDEC), emphasis on nuclear power, more competition for electrical distribution, improved electrical transmission markets, and a plan for an “electric highway” to connect southern energy sources to northern cities. (Electricidad 11/17/2011) Placing hydropower initiatives at the top of their agenda highlights the future use of hydroelectric energy sources in the Aysén region of Southern Chile. Within the report, experts noted that hydropower from this region is capable of generating 6,000 megawatts of energy. (Diario Financiero 11/17/2011) Greenpeace and other environmental organizations have already declared strong opposition to the fourth tenet of the proposition which highlights proposes increased investments in nuclear energy. Greenpeace called this section of the report deficient and potentially harmful to both society and the environment. (Diario Financiero 11/16/2011). Critics also highlighted the commission’s push to restructure the CDEC. Under this recommendation CDEC would become an autonomous body, completely independent of Chilean government and charged with coordinating the national energy structure. The government is expected to consider the commission’s report and present a final energy plan by mid-December. (Santiago Times 11/16/2011).

A new study from the University of Andrés Bello found that the Humboldt Penguin could soon be an endangered species if harmful fishing practices continue. The study, based on more than 37 net entanglement cases, found that Humboldts are caught in fishing nets while they dive to catch their pray. But this problem could be more serious than currently forecasted as the findings are based only on dead penguins that have washed ashore, not accounting for those lost at sea. (Diario Financiero 11/15/2011)

Costa Rica

President Chinchilla has created a commission to evaluate and recommend best practices for Costa Rica’s fishing sector. The group, overseen by Chinchilla, will consist of four other people, an oceanographer, and representatives for government institutions, artisanal fisheries, and industry. While the top priority is evaluating Costa Rica’s fishing practices, the commission will also be charged with examining urban rivers, and recovering wetlands and mangroves. (La Nación 11/16/2011)

A wind farm which will power 11,000 homes was inaugurated by President Chinchilla yesterday in Los Santos. The $36 million dollar project consists of 15 turbines capable of producing 42,000 megawatts of energy. Chinchilla heralded the project for moving the country one step closer to its goal to produce 95% of its energy from renewable resources. (La Nación 11/12/2011)

Mexico

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) will not issue any more project permits to the Hansa Urbana for mega resort construction in Cabo Cortez. The project has been the focus of major battles between environmentalists and developers due to its close proximity to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage site of Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park. This decision came on the heels of a mega meeting between UNESCO, The Convention of Wetlands of International Importance (RAMSAR) and the International Union for Conservation (IUCN) who met this week to discuss the environmental impact of the pending resort. (El Pais 12/16/2011)

A new program initiated by SEMARNAT will aim to reduce Mexico’s transport emissions. The program includes an evaluation of 8,341 freight and passenger units by 62 companies in hopes of reducing their combined emissions by 796,640 tons of carbon while achieving a fuel savings of 40 percent. (Biosfera 11/16/2011)

The World Bank signed three new emission reduction purchase agreements (ERPA’s) with Bioenergía de Nuevo León to buy 1 million carbon credits. The credits will be put toward lighting projects in Monterrey, Mexico in hopes of generating 70 percent of public lighting from clean biogas produced by the city waste facility.(IISD 11/8/2011)

Regional

In a meeting of representatives of the ALBA countries (Bolivarian Alliance for the People’s of our Americas, Bolivia proposed a tax on financial transactions in order to finance studies on climate change mitigation. Citing a mutual interest in deepening the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, ALBA countries will seek to find a common position in order to strongly represent their member states at the 17th Conference of Parties in Durban later this year and at the Rio+20 conference in Brazil next year. (Prensa Latina 11/17/2011)

This week’s news has been compiled by Amanda Wheat.

Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Positive news for Cabo Pulmo, from international institutions and from the Mexican government

2011-11-16T18:20:49Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Two major and encouraging developments – one from the Mexican government and the other in the international arena– took place yesterday in Baja California, putting wind in the sails of the diverse coalition working to protect Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park from proposed large-scale real estate and tourism projects nearby – namely the massive Cabo Cortés.

First, the Mexican Environmental Authority announced that it would not grant Cabo Cortés anymore permits until 2013, when more data is collected, particularly about the sea currents along the East Cape region of the Gulf of California. The Secretary of the Environment, Juan Elvira Quesada, stated that although land components of the Cabo Cortés plan are authorized (hotels, electricity, access roads), the marine components (marina, desalination plant) are not: “it is like authorizing a soccer stadium without a parking lot.” This move indicates that the government is taking the evaluation of the environmental aspects of the project seriously.

Second, UNESCO, Ramsar and IUCN representatives met with scientists and then with the NGO groups working to protect Cabo Pulmo during their four-day mission to investigate those potential threats. The legal, economic, environmental and social arguments that we NGOs presented were diverse, technical and complex, but the underlying message was clear: Cabo Cortés would devastate the remarkable marine life in Cabo Pulmo as well as the local communities.

A list with every argument against Cabo Cortés would go on for pages, so here is a summary of the major reasons the NGOs presented yesterday about why Cabo Cortés – and similar projects – should not be approved (note: this does not include the issues raised by scientists in their meeting with the mission):

There are serious legal problems with the partial approval Cabo Cortés received in early 2011, including: the fragmented nature of the approval, in which some components were approved and others were not, is not allowed under Mexican Law; the approval allowed construction in and near sand dunes, which is explicitly forbidden in the Ecological Management Plan for Los Cabos; the authority arbitrarily decided not to apply specific policies in the case of Cabo Cortés that it has used as reasons to stop other projects; when faced with the lack of critical information, the authority should have applied the Precautionary Principle, but it did not in this case; there was no evaluation of the effects on the Santiago Aquifer from which Cabo Cortés would draw significant amounts of water (more on this below); and there was no consideration of the carrying capacity of Cabo Pulmo National Park, which would determine how much new activity and how many new visitors the park can handle without being negatively affected.
Cabo Cortés would effectively become a new city just north of Cabo Pulmo, with all of the accompanying infrastructure and public services. It would include 2 million square feet of commercial and office space, a jet port, at least two 27-hole golf courses and an influx of over 100,000 new habitants (and likely more), in addition to the new hotels, 490-slip marina and tourists. Yet it was not evaluated as such. Instead, Cabo Cortés was evaluated component by component, without any integrated approach which would take into account the cumulative and interconnected impacts of all the components together – including social impacts on the communities already nearby.
Cabo Cortés would get about 35 percent of its fresh water supply from the Santiago Aquifer, which is the only aquifer in the area that is not yet overexploited. The most recent analysis of the aquifer (2009) shows that it contains roughly 4.8 million cubic meters annually available for concession. The company has concessions for about 4.5 million cubic meters annually – a huge portion of the aquifer’s concessionable water for just one project. In additional, there was no register of the concessions that were granted from 2002-2009, so the data used to evaluate the Santiago Aquifer’s available water actually dates back to 2002; therefore no one really knows how much of water is truly available and safe to consume. The town of Cabo Pulmo, which draws off of the Cabo Pulmo Aquifer, is already facing a severe water shortage.
The rest of Cabo Cortés’s water supply would come from a desalination plant, which still is not approved as the company must submit an environmental impact assessment for this plant (part of the Secretary’s “parking lot”). Yet, the sheer amount of water the plant would generate –it would generate 65 percent of the fresh water supply for the entire complex—would also create an extraordinary amount of hyper-salinated water, or brine, to be re-injected into the sea. Currents would carry that brine inside the borders of Cabo Pulmo National Park, where it would impact the sensitive corals that form the basis of the ecosystem there.
Cabo Cortés would not necessarily bring good jobs or economic gains to the communities. In fact, in the history of the nearby major resort area of Los Cabos, hotel occupancy has hardly ever surpassed 60 percent, and a recent study by Expedia.com shows that 85 percent of tourists do not return to the area. So Cabo Cortés, which would be less accessible than Los Cabos and would destroy that very natural resource people would travel to see –Cabo Pulmo—is hardly a secure financial investment or economy-boosting project, particularly after the temporary construction jobs end.

One very positive message from the meeting yesterday was that the NGOs and the community are not completely opposed to development in the East Cape Region. It is the size and location of Cabo Cortés that makes it fundamentally unsustainable and incompatible with a healthy Cabo Pulmo. Local groups based in La Paz and the town of Cabo Pulmo are in fact already working on a long-term development plan that looks at the types of jobs, construction, infrastructure and economic activities they want to see come to their area for the best possible future. The UNESCO, Ramsar and IUCN representatives will hear more about that plan today when they meet with the communities later today, as their mission continues.

Latin America Climate, Energy and Environmental News: Week of 11/06 - 11/11/2011

2011-11-11T17:30:25Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Costa Rica

In a victory for Costa Rican environmental NGOs and local residents, Costa Rica’s Environmental Secretariat (SETENA) has determined that it will no longer consider a controversial tuna farm project at the mouth of the Osa Peninsula’s Gulfo Dulce. If the project had moved forward it could have contaminated the region’s biologically rich marine ecosystem and coastal fishing areas. SETENA’s decision is based in part on the expiration of the company’s permit and an existing court order against the project. (Costa Rica Conservation Network, 11/10/2011)

President Chinchilla met with model Leonora Jiménez and environmental activists Randall Arauz and Andrés Jiménez this week to discuss recent issues with shark finning in Costa Rica. This illegal fishing practice consists of capturing sharks, removing their fins, and throwing the live sharks back into the ocean in order to save cargo space. The team of activists and celebrities hope to help President Chinchilla raise awareness in the fight against shark finning. (Costa Rica Hoy 11/3/2011).

As part of Costa Rica’s mission to be the first carbon neutral country by 2021, the Costa Rican Institute of Railways will implement an electric train to connect Cartago, San José, Heredia and Alajuela. The $250 million dollar project will be complete by 2014 with a carrying capacity of 300 to 400 passengers. (La Nación 11/10/2011) Furthermore, The Diamonds Research Institute in Guápiles of Pococí, Limón, which focuses on agricultural research, will be the first research center to advance with plans for carbon neutrality. The project hopes to pave the way for other Costa Rican research centers to go green as well. (La Nación 11/7/2011)

Chile

This week marked a turning point in Chilean energy policy awareness at La Moneda. The Citizen’s Technical and Parliamentary Commission for Policy and the Electricity Matrix (CCTP) launched their new book outlining policy proposals for Chile’s sustainable energy future. (El Mostrador 11/7/2011) On Thursday, they presented their study and recommendations to the president of the Senate, Guido Girardi. (Terram.cl 11/11/2011) One of their main energy proposals is a new law which would give the state a greater control over energy production and distribution. The commission also suggested a tax on coal and oil generation; $60 per a megawatt on coal generation and $20 per amegawatt on natural gas generation. Such a tax would both account for the health and agriculture externalities and help generate capital for further investment in renewable energy. (La Segunda 11/7/2011)

Alternative energy projects continue to thrive in Chile as geothermal and solar energy spark broader investment. Companies including CGE Chile, Colbún, Enel Latinoamérica, Anida Energy, and the Escondida mining company are seeking out permits to explore geothermal resources, that could double the country’s current energy capacity. (Diario Financiero 11/8/2011) In Calama, the solar company SolFocus will install South America’s first solar panel containing Concentrated Photovoltaic Technology (CPV). This technology turns 30% of the suns light into energy as opposed to current panels which are only capable of converting 19% of the sun’s light into energy. (Diario Financiero 11/9/2009)

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature updated its Red List of Threatened Species, and found that in Chile, 55 percent of amphibians, 48 percent of sharks and 18 percent of mammals are in danger. The IUCN’s report looked at 61,000 species around the globe, and also reported that 25 percent of the mammals on the planet are in danger of extinction, 40 percent of the reptiles in Madagascar are on the verge of disappearing, and 20 species of amphibians have gone extinct in the last decade. (La Tercera 11/11/2011)

Mexico

A joint UNESCO and Ramsar investigative mission will head to Mexico’s Cabo Pulmo coral reef from November 14th to 18th. The mission will assess the conservation status of the site, near which tourism developments projects have been proposed. The joint mission will also issue conclusions and recommendations on the environmental impact evaluation process of the proposed tourism projects. (SEMARNAT Press Release 11/9/11)

The Mexican government succeeded in having six additional wetland sites added to the Ramsar Convention’s list of Internationally Important wetlands. These recent additions highlight Mexico’s commitment to conservation of these natural areas and brings the total area Mexican Ramsar sites to eight million hectares. (SEMARNAT Press Release 11/7/2011).

Good news for the yellow turtle of Mexico’s coasts as the Program for the Conservation of the Yellow Turtle has made progress in reducing the bycatch of turtles in the Mexican Pacific and Gulf of Ulloa. Experts met this week to propose a program of increased inspection and supervision in conjunction with the state government and the Fund for the Protection of Marine Resources. (Biosfera 11/10/2011)

This week’s news was compiled by Amanda Wheat

Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

UNESCO & Ramsar joint mission will visit Cabo Pulmo next week

2011-11-09T22:23:28Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

For the first time ever, UNESCO and Ramsar are sending a joint mission to Mexico that will investigate potential threats to Baja California’s Cabo Pulmo – a remarkable coral reef ecosystem and National Marine Park that is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Ramsar Wetlands Site. During the four-day visit next week, the mission will be speaking with government officials, civil society groups, academics and scientists, local communities, and proponents of the tourism projects that threaten this incredible park. With such a full agenda, the UNESCO and Ramsar representatives will hopefully leave Baja with a complete perspective of the park’s importance and health as well as of the immense damage that the proposed tourism projects – such as the massive and controversial Cabo Cortés resort - would incur if allowed to be built.

According to the scientific team behind an August 2011 study from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UC San Diego, Cabo Pulmo is “the most robust marine reserve in the world.” Their data showed that the park’s biomass increased 463 percent from 1999 – 2009. That’s an incredible amount. In contrast, indicators at the other 59 sites studied during the same period either stayed constant or decreased. This is all the more impressive when you consider that Cabo Pulmo’s marine life was nearly decimated in the 1970s-80s due to irresponsible fishing. Realizing what was at stake, the local community organized to protect the area. They successfully petitioned the government to grant it national protection and decided of their own accord to make almost the entire 7,111 hectare (17,571 acre) park a no-take zone – meaning no fishing is allowed inside the park’s borders, period. Today, Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park is a local, national and international conservation success story that the Mexican government and people should be proud of and that others should seek to emulate.

A new threat to the park is now lurking, however, in the shape of a massive proposed tourism and real estate complex called Cabo Cortés, which would rival Cancun or the nearby Los Cabos in its size and scope. Planned by the financially-troubled Spanish developer Hansa Urbana, Cabo Cortés would consist of lots for 15 hotels, the equivalent of approximately 30,000 hotel rooms, a 490-slip marina, at least two 27-hole golf courses, a private jet port, desalination and water treatment plants, two million square feet of commercial and office space, and other infrastructure – all on the property just 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) north of Cabo Pulmo.

You don’t have to be a scientist to see that Cabo Cortés could devastate the now-thriving marine life in Cabo Pulmo. But scientists are among the many people who do understand the irreversible damage that Cabo Cortés would cause. In fact, 22 of the world’s top marine biologists and scientists sent a letter to the UNESCO World Heritage Center’s Director, urging an investigative mission to visit Cabo Pulmo. A coalition of national and international organizations echoed their call to UNESCO, and also reached out to Ramsar for the same purpose.

Fortunately, UNESCO and Ramsar listened. Next week’s joint UNESCO / Ramsar mission will be an exciting time for the wide variety of people who want to protect Cabo Pulmo, and an opportunity for the Mexican government to show off its own huge success story. This is what the mission can expect:

from scientists and academics - data about the health and importance of the reef as well as about the variety of ways in which Cabo Cortés would damage Cabo Pulmo’s sensitive marine life
from communities - reasons why Cabo Cortés will not bring the kind of jobs or growth that they want for their region
from civil society organizations – the myriad legal, environmental, and social arguments against Cabo Cortés

I imagine that when they meet with the mission the project’s proponents will try to downplay these risks and concerns. Hopefully, the UNESCO and Ramsar participants will see right through those attempts and recommend to the Mexican government that it stand firm in its commitment to protect this incredible reef and not move forward with risky projects – such as Cabo Cortés – that could irrevocably damage this locally and internationally important natural treasure.

Latin America Climate, Energy, & Environmental News 10/31-11/4/2011

2011-11-04T16:45:55Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Chile

A new energy group entitled the “Comisión Ciudadana Técnico Parlamentaria para la Política y la Matriz Eléctrica (CCTP)” or the Citizens’ Technical and Parliamentary Commission for Policy and the Electricity Matrix, consists of members of Parliament, electric industry experts and local citizen organizations will present their proposals for Chile’s Energy Future next week at La Moneda Palace. The proposals call for reforming the electricity market by including social equity, environmental sustainability and transparency rules in electric sector development. (Terram 11/1/2011)

After months of negotiation, HidroAysén and Energía Austral reached an agreement to share a transmission corridor. By sharing Energía Austral’s existing corridor, HidroAysén hopes to limit the environmental impact of transmitting its energy by land through Chile. (Diario Financiero 11/4/2011) Earlier in the week a proposed underwater cable provided yet another alternative to HidroAysén’s energy transmission quandary. President Piñera met with environmental and energy authorities last week to discuss the feasibility of this idea which would conduct the energy produced by HidroAysén under water to Santiago in an effort to avoid wiring the energy 2400 miles through 66 communities and nine regions, a plan which has been heavily criticized for its environmental impacts. This alternative requires more research and is in consideration along with the recent proposal to route the energy through Argentina. (La Tercera 10/31/2011) But as Chile continues to face difficulties negotiating HidroAysén’s energy transmission through Argentinean territory, President Piñera called for a more integrated energy plan in Latin America. He cited the examples of cooperation amongst European countries and of the energy relationships between Canada, the US and Mexico as models of integrated energy polices. Piñera stated that Latin America is far from these standards of progress as Chile and Uruguay still face difficulties in buying energy from Argentina and Paraguay but with a stronger trust between countries, all of South America could move forward. (Futuro Renovable 11/2/2011)

Pablo Longueira , Chile’s Minister of Finance will now include a new scientific criteria requirement into licensing agreements on fishing quotas. The new criteria will include a tax for resource extraction and will replace the current Fisheries Act, in effect until December 31, 2012. But NGO’s want the complete elimination of bottom trawling to be included in this new policy. Bottom trawling is among the most destructive fishing methods currently in practice which consists of dragging massive nets along the ocean floor crushing important ecosystems along the way. NGO’s say that Longueira’s policy is incomplete without addressing bottom trawling. (Terram 11/2/2011)

Businessman Juan Walker in partnership with the Cánovas family has invested $770 million dollars to develop a new solar energy project in Tarapaca, Chile. This initiative would be the largest solar energy project of its kind and would aim to create 250 MW by 2017. The completed solar park would consist of thee million solar panels and would employ at least 200 local people. Environmental authorities hope that this mega project will enable Chile to not only meet its energy needs but also to have a surplus of energy to export. (La Segunda 11/2/2011)

Costa Rica

National budget discussions are receiving criticism from many environmental interests in Costa Rica as they lack sufficient funding for conservation initiatives. Despite the fact that Costa Rica’s green image is intrinsically laced with its economic prosperity, The Environmental Ministry, charged with the country’s public conservation agenda, is only allocated 0.67% of the national budget (roughly $78 million dollars). Critics state that more funding and attention is needed to areas like the Térraba-Sierpe National Wetlands which provide ecosystem services valued at billions of dollars. (Fundacion Neotropica 11/1/2011)

The National Commission on Biosecurity granted permission to the company LM Veintiuno to expand their experiments on genetically modified pineapple. LM Veintiuno has been working on GM crops since 2005 but never with more than 3 hectares of territory. Opponents worry that if the area planted with genetically modified pineapple is expanded there will be no way of keeping these crops from infiltrating the local food chain. This could lead to the consumption of a product that has not undergone adequate testing. (University of Costa Rica 11/1/2011)

The struggle to secure funding for the Térraba-Sierpe National Wetlands continues amidst repeated warnings of unchecked environmental degradation to the area. A press conference held this week revealed that the Environment Tribunal will only receive a $148,000 dollar budget to work with in 2012 which is $223,500 less than requested. Complicated by the fact that the tribunal is already understaffed and overstretched, its financial handicap makes the fate of Térraba-Sierpe National Wetlands bleaker than ever. (Tico Times 10/27/2011)

Mexico

On the heels of the recent discovery of an estimated 300 trillion tons of shale gas in the Coahuila region, Mexico has abandoned its plans to build 10 nuclear energy plants . Energy minister Jordy Herrera cited that it is cheaper and more efficient at the moment to invest in gas powered energy than nuclear energy. Herrera noted that Mexico will seek $10 billion dollars over the next five years to expand its gas pipelines and accommodate the newly discovered shale reserves. (Bloomberg News 11/2/2011)

Focus Ventures announced the commencement of silver mining exploration in Santa Cruz, Mexico. Exploration will cover 13,500 hectares of silver mining claims and will include widespread trenching and rock chip sampling. The information gained from this initial phase will be used to design the second phase of drilling set to begin in 2012. (istockanalyst 11/2/2011)

As the 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) approaches, President Calderon urged China and the US to reach an agreement on emission reductions. Calderon noted how crucial it is for the world’s largest economy and the world’s largest carbon emitter to reach an agreement before the COP 17 begins in Durban on December 9th in order to assure that concrete climate advances are made at this upcoming mega-meeting. (Reuters 11/3/2011)

This week’s news was compiled by Amanda Wheat.

Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Latin America Climate, Energy and Environment News 10/23-10/28/2011

2011-10-28T18:42:49Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Chile

Chile’s National Emergency Office of the Interior Ministry (ONEMI) has declared a red alert for seismic activity of the Hudson Volcano. The alert affects the areas of Aysén, Río Ibáñez and Chile Chico, and 150 residents within a 20 mile radius of the volcano have been evacuated. The alert comes on the heels of several 4.6 magnitude earthquakes on Tuesday October 25th, just seven miles northwest of the volcano and visible volcanic activity on Thursday the 27th. Nearby towns were already covered with white ash. ONEMI’s director, Vicente Núñez, stated that they will continue monitoring activity and take all necessary precautions. (Nature.com 10/28/2011)

Growing political tension rises as Supreme Court President, Milton Juica, called attention to the 1,700 people detained over the last five months in relation to protests against the HidroAysén dam. Many critics believe such large retention numbers are due to pressure from the executive government to quell the rising political controversy surrounding HidroAysén. (Santiago Times 10/24/2011) President Piñera is not ignoring these tensions. He met with a group of high level advisors to discuss the growing complications of HidroAysén. The meeting highlighted the possible scenarios that will follow HidroAysén’s official announcement of its chosen transmission route. This announcement is scheduled for early November. (El Mercurio 10/25/2011) Representatives from HidroAysén have announced their intentions to begin contacting the landowners along the route of their proposed transition line this December. They will discuss the details of construction and propose various amounts of compensation for the land lost. In the short term, HidroAysén still plans to partner with Xstrata to integrate their transmission routes. Such an action would both limit environmental degradation and reduce overall costs for HidroAysén. (La Tercera 10/25/2011)

To date, Chile’s government has approved 208 energy projects to tackle the country’s growing energy demands. Together these projects would generate 21,321.55 megawatts of energy. 8,400 Megawatts have been added by initiatives during the Piñera administration alone, but many have yet to get off the ground due to judicial entanglement regarding permits and the passing of necessary environmental analysis. (Diario Financiero 10/24/2011)

The Riesco Island coal mine, a joint venture between Empresas Copec and Ultramar, is set to begin operating in April of 2012. The $530 million dollar project will put five coal plants into operation on Southern Chile’s Riesco Island. Many view it as an employment opportunity for thousands of locals as nearly 300 people of the region have already been employed there. (Diario Financiero 10/27/2011)

The Luksic family company will use 25,000 acres of state owned land in Aysén for a 50 year concession to promote the survival of Chile’s national animal, the huemul deer. The Luksics, one of Chile’s wealthiest families, will pay the government $2.7 million dollars annually for the land and invest $739 million dollars to create a reserve for the Huemel population which currently faces extinction. (Santiago Times 10/23/2011)

Costa Rica

The Administrative Environmental Tribunal of Costa Rica sounded an alert about the accelerated degradation of the Térraba-Sierpe wetlands near the Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica. The Tribunal inspected 16 cases of environmental damage to the wetlands with agriculture and real estate projects being the biggest culprits. One growing concern arising from this case study is the health of the Sierpe Lagoon, where water levels are decreasing at a rapid pace due to nearby construction and agriculture. The head of the Tribunal, José Lino Chaves, urged national authorities to take rapid action as these wetlands provide environmental services valued at over $2.8 billion dollars annually. (Tico Times 10/28/2011)

Minister Rene Castro conducted a round table discussion regarding the Diquís Hydroelectric Projectin southern Costa Rica, a dam that promises to be the largest hydroelectric dam in Central America. The presentation sparked debates regarding the government’s energy model, the lack of coordination with indigenous communities, and the circumventing of concrete environmental analysis procedures. In response to such criticism, the minister presented an ultimatum, “either we win over local communities or we go back to oil.” (Universidad de Costa Rica 10/25/2011)

Johan Ernst Nilson, a professional explorer has been traveling from pole to pole creating documentaries on climate change since 1997. His most recent stop in Costa Rica allowed him to see climate change in real time as the Central American region has battled unprecedented rains. The rain of the past month has significantly affected agricultural, infrastructure and livelihoods, and many attribute its relentlessness to the changing climate. Nilson stated, “I’m not a politician so I can’t change the laws, I’m not a scientist so I can’t prove anything, but I am a window through which people can see the changes that are happening.” (La Nacion 10/26/2011)

Mexico

As part of Mexico’s Sustainable Light Program, President Felipe Calderón handed out the sixth millionth energy saving light bulb. The program highlights Mexico’s effort to tackle climate change by reducing energy use. As an added bonus, families will save up to 75 % in energy bills and the Mexican Federal government will save nearly $200,000 dollars in electricity subsidies. This program is complimented by other Mexican initiatives including the “Trade in Your Old One” program and the Green Mortgages program. (Noticias de Noticias 10/25/2011).

According the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, nearly five million Mexicans live without electricity. This energy problem is not due to a lack of production capability but to issues of limited power grid access in the rural areas of Mexico. Caser Maldonado, a market researcher at the Technology Institute of Monterrey, California has proposed a viable solution via small scale solar and wind plants. Rather than spending millions to connect rural populations to the national energy grid, Maldonado proposes a series of small scale wind and solar energy plants which use the available natural assets to produce local energy at low cost. While no definite plans are underway, Maldonado sites an overall cost of less than one million dollars per village and two companies: Mexico Renewable Energy and Solartec that are producing the necessary solar panels and modules. (Universal MX 10/27/2011)

Over one hundred members of the Huicholes indigenous community of Central Mexico sued the government for mining exploitation on their sacred land. Though 140,000 hectares were declared natural reserves in 2001, mines and plantations continue to destroy this territory. Currently West Timmins Mining company operates in the region with two subsidiaries and is planning on launching a new mine in March. This week the Huicholes held a series of rallies to draw attention to their cause in the Plaza of Angles, home of President Felipe Calderón. (El Pais 10/26/2011)

Regional

In Bolivia, President Morales signed a law to cancel the construction of the proposed 110-mile highway across the Isiboro Secure National Park and Indigenous Territory (TIPNIS). The new law marks a massive victory for the 1,000 protestors who completed a 66-day march from the rainforest to La Paz surviving harsh conditions and police brutality along the way. But Morales noted that there were in fact indigenous groups that supported the highway for development purposes. (IPS News 10/25/2011)

In Brazil, hundreds of indigenous people have gathered at the Belo Monte Dam to protest its construction. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has criticized the Brazilian government for their lack of transparency and inclusion of indigenous rights. Furthermore, a federal judge of Brazil voted that the environmental license granted to this project is illegal as it neglected to consult with affected indigenous communities. Protestors vow to occupy the dam until their voices are heard. (Amazon Watch 10/27/2011)

The Week’s News was compiled by Amanda Wheat.

Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Latin America Climate, Energy and Environment News: 10/16-10/21/2011

2011-10-21T22:17:48Z

Amanda Maxwell, Latin America Advocate, Washington, DC

Chile

Despite gaining official approval from Chile’s government, HidroAysén still faces many challenges on the road to completion. The primary point of contention is how the power will be transmitted from Patagonia to Santiago. A recent discussion between HidroAysén and Energía Austral highlighted HidroAysén’s effort to both save money and minimize environmental impact by sharing a corridor with Energía Austral’s transmission lines. (Electricidad 10/20/2011) However, another alternative has recently been discussed to address the transmission route conundrum. President Piñera’s government has engaged in negotiations with the Argentinean government to transmit the energy through Argentina in what would amount to electricity for natural gas swap. While the government sees this option that could avoid the political controversy and environmental impact of constructing a transmission line through Chilean communities and national parks, HidroAysén is strictly opposed to an Argentinean route for both economic and political reasons. According to sources in the government a delay in the project would be “ideal” as it would prevent the transmission line becoming a political issue during upcoming elections by either renegotiate the transmission route through Argentina or postpone the project until the next party takes office. (La Tercera 10/15/2011)

Chile’s Atacama Desert region has the highest level of solar radiation on the planet making it a key resource for solar energy. Kathy Weis, Chile’s Corporate Vice President of Government Affairs for the U.S.-based company First Solar, noted the region’s unique combination of elements and market demand could make Chile a global energy leader in the coming years. (10/19/2011 Diario Financiero) Other noteworthy solar initiatives in Chile include Combarbalá’s first solar powered neighbourhood where 114 needy families will live in energy efficient houses powered primarily by the power of the sun. The project is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Housing and the National Energy Commission as an effort to reduce energy consumption among vulnerable families. (Santiago Times 10/17/2011)

Chile’s Minister of Energy, Rodrigo Alvarez, declared that Chile will not incorporate nuclear plans into its energy policy. Alvarez acknowledged that Chile’s rapidly growing energy needs will require innovative technology and a diversified energy mix but nuclear would not be included under this government. He also stressed the need for more technological research to find efficient energy alternatives. (Emol 10/17/2011)

The Supreme Court confirmed permission for the construction of the Patache and Pacific Coal Plants south of Iquique. Community organizations had contested the validity of the project’s environmental impact assessment carried out by the Regional Environmental Committee of Tarapacá. But the court overruled the appeals based on unfounded evidence. The $900 million dollar projects will continue as planned. (Diario Financiaro 10/19/2011)

Costa Rica

Costa Rica has entered into a $140 million agreement with Capital Corp Merchant Banking to finance and waste-to-energy plant in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Once completed, this plant will be capable of converting 100 percent of waste into 47.4 megawatts of electricity per hour. This project is intended to aid Costa Rica in its goal to become the first carbon neutral country by 2021 by reducing the country’s carbon footprint by 4 million tons over the next decade. (PRWEB 10/19/2011)

Costa Rica has raised concerns about the impact of Nicaragua’s dredging of the San Juan River on the Caribe Norte Wetland as part of an ongoing border dispute currently at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Yet environmentalists in Costa Rica point out that other wetlands throughout the country are also under threat from fossil fuel exploration, pineapple cultivation, mining and real-estate expansion. One of the wetlands under threat by expanding real-estate development is the Terraba Sierpe Wetland near Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, near which the government has proposed a new international airport. Proponents of the airport have heralded its buffer zone, but critics cite a lack of transparency and communication with the local community. (Semanario Universitario 10/19, 2011)

In a bid to increase tourism, Costa Rica’s Civil Aviation Agency is promoting a new international airport near the Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica. Preliminary studies have already been completed and the agency is now moving forward with acquiring the land where the project would be sited. The project proponent also expects that the full environmental impact assessment will take place in 2012. Despite the agency’s plans for a “green” airport, concerns have been raised about the potential environmental impacts. (Diario Extra 10/17/2011)

Mexico

A recent study carried out by the Mario Molina Center for Strategic Studies on Energy and Environment highlighted that Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico generated 99% of their electricity from renewable energy. The study sited wind, mini-hydro, geothermal, and solar as the main sources of electricity and showed that these regions held the potential to produce 5,000 kilowatts from renewable energy by 2020. The study emphasized the need for further investment in education, transportation and sustainable architecture throughout Mexico to reach their low carbon goals. (Noticiasnet.mx 10/20/2011)

Environmental representatives from Mexico and China met this week at the 2011 International Meeting of Megaflorestais in Oaxaca to discuss their mutual interest in preserving the world’s forests.Mexico’s Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and China’s Deputy Minister of State Forestry Administration began negotiations for a bilateral cooperation for forests, green growth, and a concrete plan for combating illegal logging. (Biosfera 10/18/2011)

Jordy Herrera Flores, the head of Mexico’s Department of Energy called for the exploitation of Mexico’s shale resources to satisfy the country’s growing energy needs. Shale resources are an unconventional oil reserve typically requiring energy intensive extraction processes. Citing the global movement toward “unconventional energy resources,” Flores highlighted the importance for Mexico to follow suit, utilizing its natural oil assets in conjunction with alternative renewable energy methods like wind and solar power. (El Occidental 10/20/2011)

A recent report presented at the 2011 Week of Science and Innovation stated that Mexico City’s air quality is among the worst in the world because of its close proximity to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Experts emphasized the need to better communicate health risks associated with high levels of air pollution to the general public. William J. Román Moguel, National Coordinator of the United Nations Development Program, suggested increased efforts in programs of waste management and environmental education to battle this growing problem. (El Universal DF 10/19/2011)

Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Compiled by Amanda Wheat