Latin America and the Caribbean

Written by: David Elliott Mexico’s Cabo Pulmo is buzzing with sea life. Sharks, rays, sea turtles and humpback whales are just some of the species that rely on its vibrant coral reefs. It wasn’t always like this. In the 1990s, the reefs, located next to a...

Written by: Victoria Masterson The bioeconomy is becoming big business in Colombia. By protecting and restoring the Amazon rainforest – and cultivating some of its 80,000 plant species – communities are replacing work that once relied on deforestation. Here, we detail three businesses in Colombia that are...

Written by: Achim Steiner and Tatiana Rosito Human life on Earth is currently at odds with the survival of the planet itself. Human activity – from conflict to commerce and construction to farming and fossil fuel use – is depleting the very natural resources upon...

Written by: Kimberly White  Costa Rica has been awarded the 2019 UN Champion of the Earth award. The Central American country is recognized for its steadfast commitment to the environment and ambitious policies to tackle the climate crisis.  The Champions of the Earth award is the...

Written by: Johan Oldekop, Bowy den Braber, and Marina Schmoeller Although deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon have halved, it is still losing more than 5,000km² every year. That’s an area three times larger than Greater London. By combining satellite imagery for the entire Amazon region with...

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: Gabriel Cardoso Carrero, Cynthia S. Simmons, and Robert T. Walker Imagine that several state legislators decide that Yellowstone National Park is too big. Also imagine that, working with federal politicians, they change the law to downsize the park by a million acres, which...

Courtesy of Forests News Written by: Julie Mollins Indigenous federations and the Peruvian government are confronting obstacles caused by conflicts over land-tenure rights to implement effective climate mitigation programs, raising hopes that their innovative collaborative approach could be replicated in other regions, scientists say. Efforts to introduce REDD+ programs (Reducing...

Written by: Mauricio Rodas As climate change increasingly threatens populated urban areas, cities need to be at the forefront of pioneering sustainable urban development and nature-positive transitions to mitigate environmental challenges. Projects crucial for protecting growing urban centres from the dangers of climate-related threats are...

Courtesy of Forests News Written by: Gloria Pallares Guyana, meaning “land of water,” is one of the smallest, most densely forested countries in South America. It is also an important part of the Amazon biome. In 2009, the country made a landmark pact with Norway to maintain...