Latin America and the Caribbean

Written by: Karla Mendes Brazilian authorities announced the seizure of almost 29 tons of shark fins in June, exposing the extent of what they described as illegal fishing in the country. It was apparently the world’s largest confiscation in history: The largest previous seizure reportedly...

Written by: Natasha Ferrari and Klara Nilsson Decisions made by governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will determine the future health, wellbeing and resilience of people and planet. New policy recommendations offer governments around the world the chance to maximise the economic opportunities that lie in nature,...

Written by: Kimberly White Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, and Paraguay have joined the battle against marine plastic pollution this week at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi, Kenya. The three nations joined the UN Environment Programme’s Clean Seas campaign. Launched in...

Written by: Kimberly White Indigenous groups in Brazil are calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate President Jair Bolsonaro for genocide and ecocide.  The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples from Brazil (APIB) filed a statement with the ICC accusing the Bolsonaro administration of genocide and...

Written by: Emily Kelly and Paula Cristina Sierra-Correa Mangrove ecosystems bridge the line between land and sea. They are precious biodiversity hotspots, home to hundreds of threatened and endangered species. They also protect more than 15 million people globally and reduce property damage by $65 billion. Yet, since 1996,...

Written by: Elizabeth Alberts Belize, a tiny Central American nation nestled beside the Caribbean Sea, is making giant strides in its ocean conservation efforts. In the short space of a month, the government made two big decisions to help protect its oceans: it expanded an...

Written by Kimberly White  The future of one of the world’s most biodiverse countries may become a little greener following a surprising electoral victory. Gustavo Petro and his running mate, Goldman Environmental Prize-winning environmental activist Francia Márquez, won Colombia’s 2022 presidential election, marking a significant...

Written by: Kimberly White  Panama’s plastic bag ban has gone into effect. Panama became the first Central American country to ban single-use plastic bags in 2018.  As of July 20th, retailers, supermarkets, and pharmacies can no longer use polyethylene bags. Similar to other single-use plastics bans, businesses...

Written by: Kimberly White On Thursday, April 11th, President Sebastián Piñera launched the COP25 climate change summit. Chile will be the host of the 2019 UN Climate Change Conference this December. President Piñera called for tougher and more ambitious steps to be taken to combat...

Written by: Alex Kirby If the climate crisis keeps you awake at night, the impact of what we casually throw away is sure to have you worried: it makes global heating a lot worse. But Chile’s waste bus is managing to change behaviour in a...