Santiago, Chile to purchase more than 700 electric buses in 2020
Chile just order 150 electric buses from BYD to transport people around its capital city of Santiago. Santiago intends to have its public transportation system fully electric by 2040.
South America
Brazil deploys thousands of troops to protect Amazon’s trees
Brazil has deployed thousands of soldiers to protect the Amazon as the government mounts an early response to surging deforestation in the run-up to the high season for forest fires.
Indigenous group in Brazil wins decades-long battle over illegal logging
The Ashaninka indigenous community will receive $3 million in compensation and an official apology from companies. Experts said the case could serve as a legal precedent in other indigenous and environmental lawsuits in Brazil.
A wild tapir gave birth in Brazil for the first time in more than a century
Scientists said video clips of the baby tapir proved the initial success of a re-introduction strategy for the threatened mammal, which is often described as “a forest gardener” because it plays a vital role in the dispersal of seeds.
Chileans now consume a lot less sugar after landmark public health law
The world’s toughest controls over the promotion of sugary drinks, brought in by a nation beset by obesity, have cut purchases by nearly a quarter in two years, research has shown.
Peru to plant one million trees around Machu Picchu
President Vizcarra said the ambitious target of one million trees is “a commitment from the government, the region, the municipality and all the citizens who want to protect this world wonder.”
Humpback whales in the South Atlantic have recovered from near-extinction
A new count shows the population off Brazil went from about 450 in the 1950s to 25,000 now
Chile’s largest metro network to be powered by solar and wind
Santiago’s metro system – which transports approximately 2.4 million passengers each day – will become one of the first subways in the world to source most of its power needs from renewable energy.
Colombia’s capital city of Bogota elects first female mayor
Claudia López won the race for mayor of Bogota on a platform promising to combat corruption and advance equal rights for minority communities.
Seven South American countries sign Amazon forest protection pact
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname signed a pact, setting up a disaster response network and satellite monitoring amid massive fires in the world’s largest tropical forest.