NewsTaco

By Amanda Maxwell, La Onda Verde de NRDC

Chile

Chile’s Environmental Evaluation Service (SEA) has sent the Superintendence of the Environment—the country’s environmental regulatory body—several claims regarding Hidroaysén’s alleged breach of its environmental permit. The claims are backed by a SEA-commissioned report, issued in March of this year, that outlines several irregularities pertaining to the drafting of the project’s Relocation Plan, a document that was to be negotiated and agreed to between the developers of the mega-damn project and the families that would be directly affected by the flooding of their properties. (Diario el Divisadero 4/17/2013)

Barrick Gold—the Toronto-based mining company whose Pascua Lama gold and silver mining project was suspended last week amid charges of environmental irregularities—has asked the Copiapó Court of Appeals to reconsider its decision. In the official request, the company claims that the Chilean Superintendence of the Environment, and not the appeals court, has the sole authority to suspend projects for regulatory incompliance—an action that the regulatory body has considered on at least two occasions and deemed not necessary. (Diario Financiero 4/18/2013)

Enel Green Power—a subsidiary of the Italian energy company Enel—has been awarded exclusive rights to develop and operate a 130 MW wind farm, called Sierra Gorda Este, in Chile’s Antofagasta region. The project will add to the 6.4 GW of already installed power generation capacity that the company operates in the country and contribute to the broader target of operationalizing 11.3 GW of renewable capacity by 2020. (AméricaEconomía 4/16/2013)

Chile’s salmon industry has once again been hit by the Infectious Salmon Anaemia virus (ISA), which was detected in a fish farm cage containing 0.12 percent Atlantic salmon stock of major producer Multiexport Foods. Although the virus poses no known risks to human, many major supermarkets have removed Chilean salmon from their shelves. ISA led to a 65 percent decline in salmon stock in 2007, devastating an industry that once supplied 30% of the world’s salmon and trout. (The Santiago Times 4/12/2013)

Costa Rica

Costa Rica lacks adequate legislation to protect its 970 square kilometers of coral reefs, claims a coalition of several public and civil society groups that has mounted an effort to fill the regulatory gap. The groups, which are preparing a decree to regulate fishing, tourism, and other activities, indicate that as much as 97% of the country’s coral reefs are already showing signs of severe damage. The reefs generate approximately $582 million in ecosystems services annually, principally by serving as the birthplace for several high-value fish species, providing natural storm surge protection, and creating tourism revenue. (La Nación 4/16/2013)

Seven Canadian organizations are pressing Infinito Gold to withdraw its April 4 threat to sue Costa Rica for US$1 billion for suspending the construction of the Crucitas gold mine. In a letter sent to the company’s CEO, the organizations call on Infinito Gold to “drop all legal actions against Costa Rica and its citizens and to leave the country.” The Calgary-based company has claimed that the suspension—which was announced following a 2010 nation-wide ban on open-pit mining—breaches a trade agreement between the two countries. (Inside Costa Rica 4/17/2013)

The Constitutional Chamber of Costa Rica’s Supreme Court has agreed to review a zoning plan put forth by the Puerto Jiménez municipality that paves the way for the construction of a large 107-slip marina at the Crocodile Bay Resort in the Golfo Dulce. The marina is part of a larger development project that environmental groups have challenged for years on the grounds that it threatens local wetland and marine ecosystems. (The Tico Time 4/17/2013)

Mexico

Mexico’s Energy Regulatory Commission, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, isdeveloping a new program to encourage the development of solar energy projects in the country. The program will elaborate guidelines for the licensing of solar projects and establish “Electric Power Auctions” for small producers (those generating less than 30 MW). At the close of 2012, Mexico—estimated to have the third largest solar potential in the world–registered 1,640 small-scale generation contracts, representing 61,486 KW of capacity. (El Economista 4/17/2013)

Experts in Mexico are drafting 12 public policy proposals to combat the country’s chronically poor air quality. Proposed measures include updating Mexico’s air quality and clean fuel standards, creating incentives to renew the domestic vehicle fleet, and engaging in greater public discourse. Air pollution is estimated to have cost Mexico over 520 billion pesos (approximately US$42 billion) in 2009, approximately 4.4% of the country’s total GDP. (El Occidental 4/18/2013)

Mexico’s plans to expand domestic shale gas exploration may be stymied by water shortages, noted Miriam Grunstein, a professor at the Centre for Research and Teaching in Economics in a recent interview with IPS. Water is a key ingredient in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking—the primary method to extract natural gas from shale rock formations. The country experienced a prolonged drought in 2012, which threatened the agriculture and livestock sectors and deteriorated living conditions in dozens of rural villages. (IPS 4/18/2013)

This article was first published in NRDC Switchboard.

Amanda Maxwell is a born and bred Jersey girl, but has lived for varying amounts of time in Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and the Czech Republic before moving to Washington, DC. Prior to joining NRDC she received my Masters degree in International Politics and Economics with a focus in Renewable Energy policy from Charles University in Prague. While there, she gained an appreciation for night running, train travel (especially of the high speed variety), and the local pivo. She received a Bachelors degree in history and Spanish from Middlebury College, and also studied in Buenos Aires.

[Photo by ClifB]

By Amanda Maxwell, La Onda Verde de NRDC

Chile

HidroAysén, the company intending to build a 2,750 megawatt dam project on two rivers in Patagonia, announced that it would not present the environmental impact study for its transmission line until the end of 2014, in the most optimistic of scenarios. The company has not shown clarity about how it would move forward since parent company Colbún announced in May 2012 that it recommended halting work on the project. Among the reasons given for the delayed timeline, HidroAysén cited the need to re-evaluate the baselines and other technical studies needed for the transmission line’s environmental impact assessment. At the same time, Chile’s government announced that the Committee of Ministers, which is supposed to rule on the 58 appeals filed against HidroAysén’s dams’ approval, will likely not make a decision this year. Filed in the middle of 2011 and originally set for 2012, the appeals case is viewed as too politically unpopular for the government to take a stance. (Economía y Negocios 3/19/2013, 3/21/2013)

The first stone was laid in the Pampa Elvira Solar project in Antofagasta, a $26 million investment by the Chilean-Danish consortium Energía Llaima-Sunmark. The complex will produce 51,800 MWht annually, allowing the Gaby Mine to replace 85 percent of its diesel fuel and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15,000 tons of CO2 each year. Officials expect Pampa Elvira Solar to be operational during the second semester of 2013. (La Segunda 3/15/2013)

Executive Director of the Chilean Renewable Energy Association (ACERA), Carlos Finat, spoke to the Energy and Mining Commission in the Chamber of Deputies of ACERA’s support for the proposed “20-20 law”, which would mandate that 20 percent of Chile’s energy generation come from renewable sources b 2020. He argued against the executive branch’s recent statements that the law would be too difficult to achieve, saying it is both technically feasible and economically beneficial. He further said that the “20 by 2020” goal would allow renewables to compete in upcoming distribution tenders. (Cámara de Diputados de Chile 3/21/2013)

Community members in Puchuncaví and La Greda fear that the opening of the new coal-fired power plant in AES Gener’s Ventanas will create even higher levels of industrial pollution in the already-saturated area. The addition of the new 270 MW plant will make AES Gener’s Ventanas complex the largest coal power plant in Chile, at 885 MW. (El Mercurio de Valparaiso via Terram.cl 3/20/2013)

High energy costs and low water levels are pushing Chilean winemakers to invest in innovative ways to run their wineries. The Morandé winery has installed solar panels at its Añade vineyard, and is assessing the feasibility of using solar energy at other vineyards, too. The De Martino winery says it has already achieved savings by using energy more efficiently, and is looking to optimize insulation and natural light uses. The Montes winery also reports considerable savings after employing various energy efficiency strategies. (Diario Financiero 3/15/2013)

Mexico

The city of Cancun will be host to the 2013 Solar World Congress during November 3-17th this year, making it the first time the congress will be held in a Latin American nation. The 50 year-old Congress will be attended by over 110 countries and organizations, such as the International Agency of Energy and the International Agency of Renewable Energy. At this year’s event, the congress will encourage energy reforms among member countries, pushing governments to make the transition to renewable energies as soon as possible. (Tiempo en Linea 3/20/13)

The Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA), the Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG) as well as international experts have contacted President Enrique Peña Nieto about the already high and growing mortality rate of sea turtles off the coast of Baja California Sur. According to CEMDA, more than 2,000 turtles died in 2012 – a 600 percent increase from the mortality rates in the past few years – placing it among the highest turtle mortality rates in the world. Many of these deaths can be associated with high levels of accidental kills associated with small-scale fishing in the Gulf of Ulloa. (Hispanically Speaking New 3/13/13)

At the Fourth High Level Dialogue between Mexico and the European Union (EU), Marie-Anne Coninsx, the head of the EU’s delegation, recognized President Peña Nieto for the country’s new environmental policies. Among the advances highlighted in the meeting was Mexico’s recent adoption of the Climate Change Law. At the meeting, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources also announced a new forest program which would plant 180 million trees to increase the awareness among Mexicans of the need to manage forest resources sustainably and rationally. (El Economista 3/19/13).

Regional

Mountainous communities in the Andes have been experiencing climate change’s impacts on glaciers first hand, as melting glaciers are increasingly causing dramatic flooding events that can threaten communities. The Risk Management Office in the Peruvian municipality of Huaraz recently warned that water levels in the glacial Palcacocha Lake are again at record highs, indicating that the lake’s walls –formed by loose rocks and debris—could rupture and cause a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF). If it were to happen, the equivalent of 240,000 Olympic swimming pools (approximately 17 million cubic meters of water) would rush down the valley and to the city of Huaraz, home to over 110,000 people. The threat of the GLOF has citizens calling on the government to take preemptive action. (E&E News, Climatewire 3/14/2013)

This article was first published in NRDC Switchboard.

Amanda Maxwell is a born and bred Jersey girl, but has lived for varying amounts of time in Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and the Czech Republic before moving to Washington, DC. Prior to joining NRDC she received my Masters degree in International Politics and Economics with a focus in Renewable Energy policy from Charles University in Prague. While there, she gained an appreciation for night running, train travel (especially of the high speed variety), and the local pivo. She received a Bachelors degree in history and Spanish from Middlebury College, and also studied in Buenos Aires.

[Photos: Mexican Sea Turtle by Quiltsalad; Palcacocha Lake courtesy University of Oregon; Puchuncavi La Greda Chile courtesy Prensa.cl]

By Amanda Maxwell, La Onda Verde de NRDC

Chile

Endesa and Colbún, the companies behind the controversial mega-dam project HidroAysén, have announced that the Committee of Ministers has until the end of April to reach a decision on the 35 claims submitted against the project. The statement comes two days after the Committee announced that it will not meet in March to review the claims, delaying their decision yet again. If the case is not settled in April, the companies will consider legal recourses to force a final decision. (Diario Financiero 3/8/2013; La Tercera 3/6/2013)

Although Santiago has made strides to combat air pollution—implementing new standards for public buses and prohibiting the burning of firewood during winter—air quality in the Chilean capital remains far below international standards. Measurements recorded during the first two months of this year show pollution levels between two and three times the “safe” limit recommended by the WHO. (The Santiago Times 3/1/2013)

Power generation from coal reached an unprecedented 30 percent of the SIC’s energy matrix, shows new data from the central electric grid’s system operator. The figure, which reflects an average for the first two months of this year, is partly a result of reduced hydroelectric production due to low snowmelt and dropping water levels in some of the country’s largest reservoirs. (Nueva Minería y Energía 3/6/2013)

With an aim to divorce economic growth from higher electricity consumption, Chile is seeking to meet 12 percent of the projected rise in domestic demand with improvements in energy efficiency by 2020. The target represents about 1,500 MW of avoided capacity increases, equivalent to nearly four thermal power generation plants or more than half of the proposed capacity of HidroAysén. (Pulso 3/5/2013)

Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Energy and Environment has tightened environmental controls in the Caño Negro, a nationally protected wildlife refuge located in the country’s north. The enforcement is a response to increased illegal logging, fishing and pollution in the area. In just January and February of this year, authorities seized 13,000 inches of wood, 665 fish and two turtles, and issued closure orders to eight pineapple plantations that were encroaching on park territory. (El Financiero 3/5/2013)

Seven businesses have become the first to receive carbon-neutral certification from Costa Rica’s Ministry of Energy and the Environment—a label they can place on their products and use in marketing materials. The companies, which include Florex, Café Britt, Travel Excellence, Geocycle, BAC, Euromobilia, and Mapache Rent a Car, reduced their carbon dioxide emissions by an average of 18 percent to receive the certification. (El Financiero 3/7/2013)

Mexico

The municipality of La Paz, Baja California Sur, is home to at least 33 active gold mining concessions, confirms the Mexican Ministry of the Economy. The concessions, which cover nearly 60,000 hectares, worry environmental groups because the city lacks a current Local Ecological Program (POEL). Development of the POEL—an instrument that is to govern natural resources exploitation in the area—has been dragging since 2006. (Peninsular Digital 3/6/2013)

Marking the Global Energy Efficiency Day, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has published an updated guide for renewable energy development. The resource includes 24 programs—a mix of public, private and international—that can provide technical and financial assistance to local governments and civil society organizations that pursue green energy projects. Last month, several organizations promoting renewable power generation called on the government to provide clarity regarding the regulations that govern investment the sector. (Tiempo 3/5/2013; El Economista 2/21/2013)

Nissan has announced that it will begin using wind energy to power its assembly plant in Aguascalientes, aiming to meet 50 percent of the facility’s total energy requirement through the renewable resource by 2016. In 2012, it became the first automotive plant in the world to introduce electricity generated from biogas into its manufacturing process. By the year’s end, biogas accounted for 9.3 GWh of electricity, or 5 percent of its total consumption. (Grupo Fórmula 3/6/2013)

Regional

Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Honduras have joined the E.U. and the U.S. to call for tighter regulations on the capture and trade of several shark species. The countries are seeking the addition of scalloped hammerhead sharks, porbeagle shark, oceanic white tip shark to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which is being negotiated this and next week in Bangkok. The international shark fin trade is placing increasing pressure on the species—100 million sharks are caught annually to satisfy demand, coming primarily from China and Japan. (El País 3/6/2013)

This article was first published in NRDC Switchboard.

Amanda Maxwell is a born and bred Jersey girl, but has lived for varying amounts of time in Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and the Czech Republic before moving to Washington, DC. Prior to joining NRDC she received my Masters degree in International Politics and Economics with a focus in Renewable Energy policy from Charles University in Prague. While there, she gained an appreciation for night running, train travel (especially of the high speed variety), and the local pivo. She received a Bachelors degree in history and Spanish from Middlebury College, and also studied in Buenos Aires.

[Photo by  Walmart Corporate]

By Amanda Maxwell, La Onda Verde de NRDC

Chile

Persistent drought in Chile’s central region has caused water levels to drop in six major reservoirs used for power generation. According to the SIC—operator of the country’s central electric grid—the largest deficit has been observed in the Chapo reservoir, where the water level is 5% below its historical average. This has reduced the proportion of electricity generated from hydropower in the region, from 45.8% in January 2012 to 40% in January 2013. (Electricidad 2/25/2013)

The Chilean Government has issued an international tender to support the construction of a Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant in the country’s sunny north. The facility will boast 50 MW of installed capacity and come equipped with thermal storage, a system that will allow it to operate without sunlight for three hours at 85% capacity. Although 2,500 MW of CSP capacity is installed worldwide, the plant will be the first such facility in Latin America. (AméricaEconomía 2/28/2013)

Forty six false killer whales were found stranded on Caleta Susana beach in the Strait of Magellan. The whales, also known as black orcas, were discovered by local fishermen, who alerted the navy. Although 20 of the whales had already died, authorities were able to return 26 to sea. Scientists are still working to determine the cause of the beaching. (Santiago Times 2/26/2013)

Costa Rica

Between December 20, 2012 and February 15, 2013, thirty-five leatherback turtles came to nest on the beaches of the Las Baulas National Marine Park. Although this figure is consistent with the seasonal averages observed over the last decade, the number of nesting turtles in the area has plummeted 97% since 1988. The drop is largely a result of the uncontrolled egg harvesting that was rampant in the region throughout the 1980s. (La Nación 2/27/2013)

Jorge Jiménez Ramón, director of the MarViva Foundation—an organization that encourages the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal resources—has penned a new guide to marine management. The publication, which aims to be a technical reference and an input into Costa Rica’s official Marine Spatial Planning Guide, will be distributed across Latin America and the Caribbean. (El Financiero 2/28/2013)

Wastewater runoff is threatening Costa Rica’s largest rivers, claims a new report published by the Comptroller General of the Republic. Of the country’s 34 watersheds, 25 were found to have some level of fecal, chemical, or solid waste contamination. The report attributes the problem to a lack of a national policy on wastewater disposal and poor central and local monitoring. Estimates show that a staggering 95% of the wastewater that enters some of the country’s largest rivers is untreated. (La Nación 2/28/2013)

Mexico

A housing project under construction in Guadalajara will come equipped with solar power stations and solar lighting, claims Solar America Corp, a Mississippi-based company that has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the housing development’s principal contractor. Mexico is already a leader in solar power within Latin America, although experts say that the country continues to have significant untapped potential. (United Press International 2/25/2013)

According to a recent report released by ASF, Mexico’s federal audit authority, the country’s gasoline, diesel, liquid petroleum gas and power subsidies appear inconsistent and ineffective. The report criticizes the schemes, which are managed by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, for their lack of transparency and poor targeting. For example, ASF estimates that, in 2011, the richest 20% of households received 52.3% of gasoline and diesel subsidies. The poorest 20% received just 3.6%. (BN America 2/26/2013)

Legal troubles are mounting for Paraiso del Mar, the resort development in Baja California Sur that recently had its environmental impact assessment nullified by Mexico’s Federal Court for Fiscal and Administrative Justice. CEMDA—an NGO that seeks to strengthen the country’s environmental legal system—has now filed a complaint with the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) stating that the project has been operating without a valid environmental permit since 2010. The complaint requests that PROFEPA investigate this claim and take appropriate action against the project. (Peninsular Digital 2/26/2013)

Regional

Countries in Central America have pledged to phase out inefficient lighting by 2016. The target is part of en.lighten, a UNEP and GEF-supported initiative that assists countries around the world in accelerating the transition to more efficient lighting technologies. Achieving greater lighting efficiency in the residential sector represents an energy savings of 1.41 TWh per year and can reduce Central America’s carbon dioxide emissions by 0.52 metric tons. (El Financiero 2/26/2013)

This article was first published in NRDC Switchboard.

Amanda Maxwell is a born and bred Jersey girl, but has lived for varying amounts of time in Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and the Czech Republic before moving to Washington, DC. Prior to joining NRDC she received my Masters degree in International Politics and Economics with a focus in Renewable Energy policy from Charles University in Prague. While there, she gained an appreciation for night running, train travel (especially of the high speed variety), and the local pivo. She received a Bachelors degree in history and Spanish from Middlebury College, and also studied in Buenos Aires.

By Anamda Maxwell, La Onda Verde de NRDC

Chile

4.80 GW of non-conventional renewable energy projects were approved by Chile’s environmental impact system in 2012, more than four times the 943 MW that were approved in 2011. Of the total approved, 3.14 GW were proposed solar projects, which surpassed the capacity of proposed wind projects for the first time. Another 2.40 GW of renewables projects are still under evaluation, including wind, solar, mini-hydro and geothermal plants.(Business News Americas 1/30/2013)

According to a new study, coal fired power plants represented 25 percent of the energy generation in Chile’s main grid, the SIC, in 2012 – the highest percentage in the last 11 years. At the same time, hydroelectric power fell to its lowest generation in a decade, at 41 percent. The study’s authors noted that imports of hydrocarbons grew to a record amount in the past year as well, and that they expect the role of coal power to grow over the coming years particularly as the country’s low rain levels continue for a fourth straight year. (Economía y Negocios 1/28/2012)

Borja Prado, the head of Endesa España –one of the companies that owns the controversial HidroAysén—said last week that the future of the hydroelectric project depends on the government’s approval, and that once the project has passed all of the necessary steps, the company will study the project’s profitability. “We have invested a lot of money in HidroAysén, but it is a project that has to undergo the government’s process,” he said. (El Mercurio 1/25/2013) The municipality of Chile Chico, located in the same region as HidroAysén’s proposed dams, rejected the project. The town’s mayor, Luperciano Muñoz, spoke out against the project and lamented that some members of the community had accepted money from the company. (Radio Universidad de Chile 2/1/2013)

The Transport Ministry announced a new regulation on auto emissions which will go into effect later this year, limiting some of the riskiest air pollutants to public health: nitrous oxide and sulfur oxide. The newly amended Decree 149 makes the current regulation 10 percent more demanding as of June 25, and will become 20 percent more demanding in 2015. Authorities say that approximately 100,000 vehicles in Santiago –of the area’s 1.6 million – will likely not comply with the new standard. (El Mercurio, via Terram.cl 1/26/2013)

Mayors of Chile’s Metropolitan Region near Santiago asked the government to nationalize Chile’s waters after a massive water shortage last week caused by the company Aguas Andinas left many in the country’s capital without water for hours. According to Article 19 of the Constitution, the rights for Chile’s waters are privatized, allowing private parties to buy and sell them as property. The petitioners, members of the Chilean Municipalities Association, argued that the government should manage all water resources and be charged with their environmental protection and sustainable use. (El Dinamo 1/24/2013)

Costa Rica

Costa Rica was recognized as an international model in marine conservation at an event organized by the National Geographic Society during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The event acknowledged Costa Rica’s leadership in the creation of the Eastern Tropical Pacific marine corridor, a four-country initiative that includes Cocos Island, Malepelo Island and the Galapagos Islands. (La Nación 1/28/2013)

Costa Rica’s Agromonte pineapple company received carbon neutral certificationfollowing a two year accreditation process under the in the international PAS2060 system. The certification process included accounting for emissions from fertilizers, herbicide, water and other resources used during the cultivation stage but did not consider other stages of production such as transportation. (El Financiero 2/1/2013)

Mexico

According to a new study by Bloomberg New Energy Finance and Vestas, nearly 92 percent of Mexicans favor renewable energy over conventional alternatives. The study also found that 65 percent of the people surveyed would pay up to 10 percent more for power generated by renewable sources. However, sixty-three percent of respondents also said they felt they had little access to information about energy consumption. (Informador 1/29/2013)

President Peña Nieto launched an Interagency Commission on Climate Change charged with defining a joint agenda and creating guidelines for a national policy on climate change.  The commission is composed of 13 federal agencies and will include the participation of civil society, private and academic leaders. The interagency effort will have a budget of 34,500 million pesos. (Diario Crítico de México 1/29/2013)

By 2020 renewables could represent a fifth of Mexico’s installed capacity, attract over 350 million pesos in investment, generate 50 million jobs and help cut 13 million tons of CO2, according to Mexico’s Undersecretary of Energy Planning and Transition Leonardo Beltrán who spoke at the  Mexico Windpower Congress and Expo. Speaking at the same event, the head of the Mexican Wind Association, Leopoldo Rodriguez, highlighted that in 2012 wind power represented over  two percent of the nation’s total installed capacity, or 1,4000 MW. (Noticias 1/31/2013)

This article was first published in NRDC Switchboard.

Amanda Maxwell is a born and bred Jersey girl, but has lived for varying amounts of time in Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and the Czech Republic before moving to Washington, DC. Prior to joining NRDC she received my Masters degree in International Politics and Economics with a focus in Renewable Energy policy from Charles University in Prague. While there, she gained an appreciation for night running, train travel (especially of the high speed variety), and the local pivo. She received a Bachelors degree in history and Spanish from Middlebury College, and also studied in Buenos Aires.

By Amanda Maxwell, La Onda Verde de NRDC

Chile

Chile’s Minister of Energy, Jorge Bunster, proposed a new tender system for renewable energy, which would competitively bid out renewable energy contracts to independent generators. This proposal would replace the government’s previous one, called “the 20-20 law,” which would have required that 20 percent of Chile’s electricity supply to come from renewables by 2020. If implemented, the new tendering scheme would mean that traditional large generators would no longer need to meet the current obligation of obtaining between 5 percent and 10 percent of electricity from renewable sources. Instead, specialized renewable energy suppliers would compete to supply this power but without set obligations. (Plataforma Urbana 01/09/13)

Chile’s Committee of Ministers, its highest administrative authority, delayed ruling on the controversial HidroAysén mega-dam project again, this time until March. The Committee must assess the almost two thousand appeals that were filed against the project’s environmental approval, by civil society and by the company itself. Environment Minister Maria Ignacio Benitez says that the committee may need more time to review the appeals, while environmental groups feel the decision is political and not technical. (Radio Universidad de Chile 01/10/2013) The Catholic Church’s Bishop of Aysén, Luis Infanti, delivered letters to the five ministers in the committee, urging them not to rule on the HidroAysén based on purely economic interests, but to also consider social interests. (Cooperativa 01/09/2013)

Chile is warming, claims new evidence from Catholic University’s Institute of Geography. Attempting to quantify the impact of global warming on the country over the past three decades, the research determined that the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Santiago have increased between 0.19°C-0.32°C and 0.07°C-0.15°C per decade, respectively. These figures are in line with climate projections that show Chile’s average temperature increasing between 2°C and 3°C by the end of the century in the worst-case scenario. (La Tercera 01/06/2013)

A study completed by Solarbuzz, a solar energy market research company, has named Chile a regional leader in solar energy, indicating that the country will represent more than half of all photovoltaic energy generated in Latin America and the Caribbean by 2017. Although the country’s total solar capacity is still relatively low—the estimate includes both currently operating facilities as well as proposed projects—there is substantial interest in expanding the role of solar power in energy generation. Upon completion, plans currently being considered would add close to 760 MW to the Chilean grid. (La Tercera 01/07/2013)

Costa Rica

The Environment Commission of Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly will consider a proposal to create a new canton (a Costa Rican administrative division) joining Corcovado with Bahía Drake and parts of Sierpe. The idea of a new “ecological” canton was presented by local residents as a popular initiative with the goal of strengthening environmental conservation in the Osa region. (El Financiero 1/7/2013)

A group of about 100 false killer whales are visiting Caño Island, about 20 kilometers off of the coast of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Some individuals have stayed in the vicinity up to a month and a half. Generally this species is found in deeper waters far from the coast. Costa Rica’s Osa is an exception, making the region an important site to study the species. (La Nación 1/11/2013)

Mexico

Scientists announced that they expect fewer gray whales to be born off the Baja California Sur coast this year than normal, due to the lack of food available to the whales in the Arctic. A biologist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Wayne Peryman, says that these whales found less food in the Arctic and that this will affect their reproduction. Around 20,000 gray whales make the 15,000 kilometer trip every year from the Arctic to Mexico’s Baja California Sur to give birth and raise young. (Octavo Día, 1/03/13).

The new Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (Sermanat), Juan José Guerra Abud, stated that Mexico has a responsibility to ensure that all future economic growth is sustainable. “Economic growth has to be sustainable, that is our responsibility, we are not going to permit development to violate environmental laws…” To achieve this Guerra Abud wants to fortify the human capacity of the Federal Attorney of Environmental Protection (Profepa) with staff from Semarnat to allow Profepa to better monitor compliance with environmental laws. He also noted the upcoming release of new policies that will bring emissions in line with levels permissible in the U.S. and prevent the use of cars that do not meet new emission standards. Finally, Guerra Abud will look to achieve the goal of protecting 17 percent of the nation’s surface area and 10 percent of its oceans. (Veracruzanos.info 1/08/13).

The CEO of International Power Expo, Alberto Segura Larios, noted Mexicans’ increasing awareness of renewable energy and sustainability and how that will contribute to Mexico being a large driver of renewable energies this year. The growing awareness has led an increasing number of people to participate in sustainable energy programs. Many Mexican businesses are also finding new technologies and practices that promote intelligent consumerism and environmental protection. (Reve 1/2/13).

Regional

The town of Río Negro diverged from the national government of Argentina with itsdecision to ban all unconventional exploration or extraction of hydrocarbons, including fracking. The Cinco Saltos City Council’s seven members all voted unanimously for the ban, using health and potential negative environmental effects as the main reason for this ban. The town, which has already had its share of contamination with mercury, is most concerned about the water supply safety. Because fracking utilizes so much water in its process, as well as so many chemicals, the town believes that there is no fail-proof way of containing all of the possible contaminates. Cinco Saltos leads the way as the first jurisdiction in Latin America to pass such a ban. (The Independent Argentina 1/10/13).

A new report highlights that Latin America has excellent opportunity for wind power growth. The region’s current and future wind projects could have a total installed capacity of 46 GW by 2025. Brazil will lead have a significant lead in the region, with 31.6 GW of installed capacity by that time. Mexico is likely to have the second highest installed wind capacity in 2025, with 6.6 GW. (Renewable Energy World 01/10/2012)

This article was first published in NRDC Switchboard.

Amanda Maxwell is a born and bred Jersey girl, but has lived for varying amounts of time in Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and the Czech Republic before moving to Washington, DC. Prior to joining NRDC she received my Masters degree in International Politics and Economics with a focus in Renewable Energy policy from Charles University in Prague. While there, she gained an appreciation for night running, train travel (especially of the high speed variety), and the local pivo. She received a Bachelors degree in history and Spanish from Middlebury College, and also studied in Buenos Aires.

By Amanda Maxwell, La Onda Verde de NRDC

Chile

Fifty half-dressed activists covered in blue paint greeted Senators on their way into the congressional building on Wednesday, advocating for the politicians not to pass a controversial fishing law. The activists, organized by GreenPeace, said that the proposed new law would lead to serious miscounts of the number of fish caught, thereby skewing official numbers and threatening the health of Chile’s fisheries. A 2010 study by the Undersecretary of Fishing found that 13 of the 22 types of commercial fish are highly or over-exploited. The fishing law was passed in July in the lower house, and the Senate is expected to vote in mid-November. (Santiago Times 10/31/2012)

Companies submitted plans for eighteen new salmon-farming projects to the environmental impact system in October alone, totally $41 million in investments. The majority of them propose to expand existing salmon feedlots. The company that contributed half the number of projects and the investment is Ventisqueros S.A., which submitted nine proposals to expand its salmon feedlots, for a total of $20.8 million. (Aqua.cl 10/31/2012)

Costa Rica

Based on 2011 data gathered by Costa Rica’s National University, air pollution levels in the San José greater metropolitan stayed the same over the past year, but there’s an increasing chance of acid rain. The data was gathered as part of air quality improvement program launched in 2008 which seeks to reduce particulate emissions and meet air quality standards by 2013. (El Financiero 10/29/2012)

Costa Rica will seek to join the Global Carbon Fund, an initiative created by the United Nations to help developing country address climate change. By 2020, the Fund aims to have $100 billion in resources. According to Alvaro Umaña from the Environment for Development Center and a former Costa Rican Minister of Environment this fund will need to layout clear parameters, long term policies and allow for coordinated and varied financing options including a carbon tax, an area where Costa Rica has already set an example.  (El Financiero11/2/2012)

Mexico

Mexico could cover its entire electricity demand by only utilizing 4 percent of its potential capacity of solar power, according to Carlota de las Mercedes Cagigas Castello, Advising Coordinator of the Ministry of Energy. She stated that Mexico’s solar generation potential is currently almost 6,550 terawatts hours (TWh) daily, making it a necessity to take advantage this resource. It will be a challenge for Mexico to reduce greenhouse gases and create a cost-competitive clean energy sector in the next 15 years, as the lack of investment and the prioritization of fossil fuel plants are preventing solar’s development. Cagigas Castello said that non-fossil fuel sources should contribute 35 percent of total energy generation by 2026. The Ministry of Energy has created three scenarios to meet that goal. The first is to develop all possible energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar; the second focuses on investing in nuclear energy; and the third combine the first two. (El Universal 10/03/2012)

The government of the Federal District in Mexico City awarded the Spanish power company BMLMX the rights to develop a biogas generation plant at the Bordo Poniente landfill for 25 years. BMLMX will invest 2.121 billion pesos to close the landfill, capture the biogas and build an energy plant. The closing of Bordo Poniente will save Mexico City 800-1,000 million pesos, 90 million pesos in compost and more than six billion pesos in energy costs. Fernando Aboitiz, Secretary of Public Works, stated that this investment will help the city reduce greenhouse gas emissions and free up money to use for other projects such as public transportation. (Milenio 11/01/12)

Mexico’s Green Ecology Party (PVEM) highlighted the environmental and health risks at the heart of the proposed open pit mining project by Desarrollos Zapal called Los Cardones. The gold and silver mine, proposed on September 5th on 44,000 hectares of land, would be located in the state of Baja California Sur, and PVEM claims it represents a “danger” to ecosystems in the biosphere reserve of Sierra de la Laguna, a protected area since 1994. PVEM noted that this project has already been submitted for evaluation twice, under different names, and both times it was rejected due to its lack of compliance with the required environmental standards. PVEM is urging the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to reject it again. (La Informacion 10/30/2012)

One of the world’s largest cement companies, Cemex announced their participation in an investment fund aiming to raise $300 million for clean energy projects in Mexico  by offering capital development certificates in the Mexican stock exchange. The first projects Cemex plans to propose for the fund are two wind parks, named Ventika and Ventika II, which would be built in the northern state of Nuevo León, cost around $550 million and have a capacity of 250 megawatts. (Terra 10/30/12).

This article was first published in NRDC Switchboard.

Amanda Maxwell is a born and bred Jersey girl, but has lived for varying amounts of time in Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and the Czech Republic before moving to Washington, DC. Prior to joining NRDC she received my Masters degree in International Politics and Economics with a focus in Renewable Energy policy from Charles University in Prague. While there, she gained an appreciation for night running, train travel (especially of the high speed variety), and the local pivo. She received a Bachelors degree in history and Spanish from Middlebury College, and also studied in Buenos Aires.

By Amanda Maxwell, La Onda Verde de NRDC

Chile

Chile’s Energy Undersecretary, Sergio del Campo, announced that the government will begin studying the potential for building nuclear power plants again. The government had been analyzing this option but stopped after the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. Del Campo underscored that the administration does not intend to start a full nuclear program, but rather wants to generate information in case future administrations want to pursue nuclear energy options. (Santiago Times 10/24/2012)

New problems at a major CMPC cellulose plant in central Chile led to another episode of air contamination on Tuesday. That morning, citizens noticed a horrible stench that caused headaches, nausea and vomiting, which the company says was caused by a mechanical failure in the ventilation system. CMPC, a company belonging to the Matte group, has had similar problems in the past, for example in Nacimiento where citizens continued to suffer from ongoing pollution even though the plant there had been fined for contamination and bad odors. (Radio Universidad de Chile 10/25/2012)

Government and industry representatives announced that they expect liquefied natural gas, or LNG, to supply a third of Chile’s electricity demand by 2020, due to $4.5 billion of investment in new projects in the coming years. Currently, LNG meets 23 percent of the demand in the central main grid, and 10 percent in the northern grid.  (La Tercera 10/21/2012)

In 2012, growth in the installed capacity of Chile’s main central grid will be four times what it was in 2011, with new generation projects adding 931 MW of new power. Two of the major projects contributing to this total are the Santa María coal-fired power plant, from the Chilean energy company Colbún, with 350 MW, and the Bocamina II coal-fired power plant from international energy company Endesa, with 350 MW. (La Segunda 10/22/2012, CentralEnergía.cl)

Chile was rated among the top ten countries with the most “green” stamped buildings. Seventeen of Chile’s existing buildings meet the energy efficiency and environmental requirements needed to qualify for LEED’s (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) stamp of approval, and the evaluation included the 152 buildings in total (in construction or already built). The first place country was the United Arab Emirates, which had more than 700 projects already LEED certified or in the process of certification. (La Tercera 10/22/2012)

Costa Rica

Based on one analysis, Costa Rica could achieve carbon neutrality by 2021 by cutting emissions by 26 percent, a total of about 5,800 gigatons of carbon dioxide. The country’s greenhouse gas inventory predicts that by 2021 Cost Rica will emit 21,700 Gt of CO2 – 61% of which would come from transportation, 24% from agriculture, 11 % from waste management, and 4% from industry. The nation’s forests will offset about 15,900 Gt of these emissions leaving 5,800 gigatons that will need to be cut. The country could achieve these emission reductions in transportation and industry (3,300 Gt), cement production (100 Gt), agriculture and waste management (2,425 Gt).  (El Financiero  10/19/2012)

Large energy users and the private electricity generators in Costa Rica see a dark futureif there’s no action to increase energy production and lower rates. Criticizing the government for its lack of vision for the energy sector, they pointed out that while the country is importing electricity from its neighbors at increasing prices, the national electricity company is prohibited from buying additional power from local private generators that produce hydro and wind power. They also questioned the wisdom of focusing 75% of the hydroelectric expansion in the country on just two dams – the Diquis and Reventazón projects – both of which face delays.  (El Financiero 10/24/2012)

Mexico

Toyota and the Mexican Automotive Industry Association (MAIA) took legal action to stop the passage of proposed regulations, called NOM 163, to improve Mexico’s fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks. NOM 163 would harmonize Mexico’s fuel efficiency standards with those of the U.S. and Canada, and help the country meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020. Toyota and the MAIA argue that the new regulations would be too strict and would raise the price of producing cars, thereby reducing sales. The government says that reducing the amount of fuel that Mexico’s fleet uses could reduce CO₂ emissions by 160 million tons by 2030. (Reuters Africa 10/26/2012)

President Calderón initiated a new Law on Dumping in Mexican Marine Zones to increase the Marine Secretary’s abilities (Semar) to prevent and reduce pollution in Mexican waters. The law would give Semar the power to enact preventative and security measures, grant and rescind dumping permits, and destroy vessels that are not in accordance with the law. Permission for dumping would only be granted if it presented no serious effects to the ecosystem or to human health, and any material that is too toxic or that can be treated or recycled would be refused. The new law would comply with international standards and the objectives of the National Development Plan 2007-2012. (Hoy Tamaulipas 10/25/12)

Thanks to $50 million in credit from the North American Development Bank (NADBank), El Provenir is investing $51 million in a new wind park for Victoria City in the state of Tamaulipas. The company has been studying the possibility of installing four 20-KW turbines in the area for three years, and hopes to initiate its project next year. Nine companies have expressed interest in wind projects in Tamaulipas, and those projects’ combined capacity could reach 1,600 MW. (Terra 10/22/12)

Also in renewable news, the governor of Coahuila de Zaragoza, Rubén Moreira, and the General Director of Spain’s National Renewable Energy Center (CENER) signed an agreement allowing the two groups to work together on renewable energy. According to the two-year agreement, CENER will advise Coahuila on the use of renewable energy as the focal point of social and economic development, on studies of the potential for renewable energy, and on the evaluation of potential project sites. (Reve 10/23/12).

Mexico’s Green Ecologist Party (PVEM) expressed concern about new oil wells that the state oil company, Pemex, has started drilling off the coast of Matamoros in the Gulf of Mexico. Humberto Rangel Vallejo, head of PVEM’s northern office, believes that drilling can be done responsibly, or it could done with ruinous consequences, as has happened at the Coatzacoalcos River and the Champayán Lagoon. He stated that “that is what worries us, that there are spills, and with them pollution; we want Pemex to come and take advantage of this area, but with great responsibility to the Matamoros coast.” (Conexión Total 10/24/12)

This article was first published in NRDC Switchboard.

Amanda Maxwell is a born and bred Jersey girl, but has lived for varying amounts of time in Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and the Czech Republic before moving to Washington, DC. Prior to joining NRDC she received my Masters degree in International Politics and Economics with a focus in Renewable Energy policy from Charles University in Prague. While there, she gained an appreciation for night running, train travel (especially of the high speed variety), and the local pivo. She received a Bachelors degree in history and Spanish from Middlebury College, and also studied in Buenos Aires.

By Amanda Maxwell, NRDC Switchboard

Chile

The Senate’s Mining and Energy Commission vowed to continue pushing for proposed “20/20 bill,” which would require 20 percent of Chile’s energy to come from non-conventional renewable energy by 2020, despite the president’s recent abrupt withdrawal of support for the initiative. The bill passed in the Senate earlier in 2012 with broad support but has remained in stuck in the Chamber of Deputies ever since. “We don’t share the government’s pessimism about this issue, we think it is possible to reach that percentage without making special allowance…” stated Senator Carlos Cantero. (Pulso 10/15/2012)

A new study shows that Chile’s northern electricity grid, the Great Northern Interconnected System, or the SING, could today handle just 750 MW of additional renewable energy projects –450 MW of solar and 300 MW of wind power—even though there are more than 7,000 MW of renewables projects in the pipeline.  Daniel Salazar, Executive Director of the SING dispatch center, which conducted the study, said that the total capacity of the proposed renewable projects is 7,218 MW (1,617 MW of wind, 5,551 MW of solar and 50 MW of geothermal), which “surpasses the requirements of this decade.” He added that it would be illogical to pursue such aggressive numbers given the current limitations of the system. (Diario Financiero 10/18/2012)

The Committee of Ministers, the highest administrative authority in Chile to rule on controversial decisions in the environmental review process, announced that it will make its decision about appeals to HidroAysén’s approval at the end of the year. Headed by the Minister of Environment, the Committee will decide on an appeal filed by HidroAysén against several conditions of the approval, and on 34 appeals filed by civil society regarding issues that were not addressed during the environmental approval process for HidroAysén’s five proposed dams. (La Tercera 10/14/2012)

The clear skies and dry air of Chile’s northern Atacama Desert made San Jose del Atacama the ideal location for the first ever international light pollution conference, called Noche Zero. Experts from around the world gathered for three days to discuss problems associated with light pollution –ranging from hormone disruption in humans to impacts on sea turtles—and potential solutions. The event culminated in the signing of the “Atacama Manifesto” which outlines programs for studying artificial lighting based on the event’s discussions. (Santiago Times 10/18/2012)

Costa Rica

A new study conducted on behalf of Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment, concludes that if a proposed international airport is constructed in Costa Rica’s Southern Zone it should be part of a comprehensive regional planning process. The airport is proposed near a major wetland area and the Osa Peninsula and critics fear it could open the region to unsustainable tourism development, impacting fragile natural areas. The study found that analysis of the airport, local tourism trends and regional development is currently dispersed between various entities. In addition to this lack of coordination, key information about the risks and opportunities related to the project is missing. While many local people feel the airport would strengthen the local economy, this may not necessarily be the case. A massive increase of tourism in the region could change the existing model of small, low-impact businesses without necessarily translating into greater benefits for local communities. (El País 10/18)

A proposal to build a 250-slip marina in Costa Rica’s Golfo Dulce has divided the inhabitants of the town of Puerto Jimenez.  While some people feel the project would bring needed jobs, others warn about the environmental risks that could arise. In 2008 a legal appeal temporarily halted the project, but the appeal has now been rejected.  The court must now decide if it will require the developer to submit further studies about the marina’s impact on marine mammals in the gulf.  (La Nación 10/19/2012)

As part of the country’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality, the Costa Rican government plans to offer tax incentives that would allow taxi and bus drivers to switch to cleaner vehicles.  The government is also in discussions with manufacturers of hybrid vehicles in an attempt to lower the cost of importing these vehicles into Cost Rica. The government is also looking at emission reduction from fuels and the agricultural sector. (La Nación 10/18/2012)

Mexico

Researchers from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur (UABCS) haveproposed a model for analyzing the sustainability of tourism activities in small coastal communities , using Cabo Pulmo as a case study. The model can be used in small fishing communities around the country to analyze the socioeconomic and environmental impact   of tourism development. The researchers used methodologies of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the World Tourism Organization of Tourism, and the Association of Caribbean States to develop 42 sustainability indicators. (Peninsular Digital, 10/18/2012)

The director of Mexico’s Energy Efficiency Trust (FIDE), Juan Manuel Carreras López, is working to strengthen programs that help energy consumers transition toward renewable energy use. FIDE already helps finance up to 100% of photovoltaic systems for some customers. In addition, the National Association for Solar Energy (ANES) will be initiating a training program for the installation and maintenance of facilities utilizing solar thermal and PV energy.  Meanwhile the creation of three new research centers should help drive solar, geothermal and wind energy. To help support renewable energy in Mexico,  the National Foreign Trade Bank and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) signed a loan agreement for $100 million in October. (El Universal, 10/18/2012).

Eduardo Solis, President of the Mexican Association for the Automotive Industry (AMIA) called on President Calderón’s government to enter into talks with industry about a proposed new policy on fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. Solis noted that the industry supports a policy based on the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard in place in the United States. In contrast the policy proposed in Mexico, Norm 163, is more stringent and lacks an incentive mechanism. According to Solis, rather than promoting the purchase of new more efficient vehicles, it would promote the importation of old cars from the United States that emit eight times more CO2. While all auto manufacturers are working on electric and hybrid cars. In Mexico they will continue to focus on making more efficient internal combustion engines since there is a greater market for these than for hybrids or electrics. (La Prensa, 10/17/2012; El Universal, 10/15/2012).

This article was first published in NRDC Switchboard.

By Zach Gonzalez

Brazil, an emerging global economic power, has a lot to teach the world about leadership, according to U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Thomas A. Shannon. He engaged the audience Saturday evening inside the dark amphitheater at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library at The University of Texas, about what exactly Brazil, and even Latin America’s, significance is towards our nation’s future. Statistics like “Latin America has been growing at 6% a year” and “by 2015 economists expect Latin America to grow by 1/3” grabbed students, professors, parents, and other business professionals towards the edge of their seats as some unknown truth about Latin America’s potential was revealed to the audience.

“Twenty years ago Brazil was defined by its inequality. It had military rule for two decades,” Shannon said. “However, as Brazil engages with its problems, it sends a very clear message to the world that it is much more capable to do bigger things than it did 20 years ago.  Shannon further discussed how he believes Brazil has some of the strongest democratic institutions in South America because of the free, fair, and transparent election processes that has been enforced, which ensure that there is no break during a political transition period.

Brazil’s draw dropping population growth that is now just under 200 million people further added to Shannon’s reasons for why economic opportunities are available in Brazil for the United States. Even with 80% of the population living in urban areas, segregation has been essentially eliminated here and isn’t an issue as it is in the United States, he said.

“Brazil holds the only region of no state-on-state conflict, no international terrorist movements, no secessionist movements, no religious strife, and has found a way to turn the diversity and segregation that existed in the past, into a foundation for unity and nationhood.” Furthermore Shannon states, “It has effectively eliminated the basis for large-scale crisis for the nation.”

Apart from just the strength of Brazil’s economy that is beginning to become a popular model across the world, Shannon touched on the nation’s attractive culture and ability to solve deep social problems as two other critical components that we should look with its model of leadership. Ambassador Shannon states how he sees “Democracy as a revolutionary form of government” in world politics and how it’s capable of peacefully transforming your country as shown here in Brazil.

“A huge amount of social innovation has even been found in Latin America in the level of local government, neighborhoods, and religious groups, whose policies have become enacted.” The public’s response to Barrack Obama’s appearance in Brazil was seen as something “more than just friendly,” Shannon said. “It was almost ecstatic.”

Shannon believes the people of both nations can learn something from one another because of the agenda, policies and values that both countries share, especially when it comes to building infrastructure and education. “Even as we think about our hemisphere and the role of Texas in the future, we must remember that these values are part of the world that is building a 21^st century agenda in areas of education, science, engineering, solving social problems, that are immediately relevant to University of Texas, and anything all of us do. There is an opportunity here for enrichment, engagement, and opportunity.”

The bigger question from his visit lies in what we can do to help countries that are in current struggle, such as those involved in the Arab Spring, to “find a voice for themselves or move from a closed economy to own economy where they can connect regionally.” Shannon questioned how we can build our confidence to engage in that world with enthusiasm instead of hostility, as it has been done here in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and even right now in Mexico.

By Zach Gonzalez & Arthur D. Soto-Vásquez

Addressing the question of why the U.S. and Mexico need each other, former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza opened his remarks this morning at the Texas Tribune Festival by addressing how Mexico will profoundly shape the U.S. more than any other country over the next few decades.

The Q&A segment, however, turned to the issues typically associated with the relationship between the two countries. Audience questions focused on immigration and drug issues — topics not explicitly on Garza’s agenda.

Garza said that he would like to believe the debate in the U.S. was moving from an emotion to reason. In a short interview afterwards, NewsTaco asked how students could inspire a new and positive tone in the debate about the future of the relationship.

NewsTaco: With respect that there may be divides in class, language, gender, and other cultural practices between both the United States and Mexico, how do we inspire businessmen, politicians, students, and kids to think about how to work together with the issues that are presented to the affairs and relationship between both countries, especially when our economies are so heavily dependent?

Tony Garza: The truth of the matter is that I’ve seldom seen language stand in the way of two parties that wanted to get something done. They’ve most always found a way to deal with the obstacles. Whether it’s economic, there has been a shared prospect for profit. With culture, there has been a shared prospect for a project. So, where people of good faith are committed to good faith on both sides of the border, I’ve seldom seen language be an obstacle of this.

NewsTaco: How was learning Spanish? Was this something you picked up in Mexico?

Tony Garza: I’ve spoken Spanish on and off most of my life. All my Spanish learning was in the States. All my friends argue and tell me that my Spanish needs polishing, and I’ll argue with them that their English needs polishing. I definitely speak Spanglish though [laughs].

NewsTaco: Immersing yourself in the culture is a big jump for a lot of students or leaders that go and live or do work in different countries, especially where you don’t know the language. Would you push students to get involved in doing this?

Tony Garza: Oh, I’d definitely encourage them! My dad encouraged me in 1982 to spend a summer in Guadalajara and I took a bunch of law school courses and language courses. I loved it too! It was a great opportunity to not only be immersed in the language, but I spent three or four days in Mexico traveling by bus every week, and that was a great way to immerse myself in the culture. It wasn’t just the beaches that were important; it was this immersion in to Mexican culture. I wouldn’t just encourage our students to do it either; I would push for everyone in different countries to do that.

NewsTaco: What is your favorite thing about Mexico?

Tony Garza: People, easily. Food as well. The people I live with are wonderful and there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting down to a good meal with descent friends and spending hours during the “sobremesa” and to me that without a doubt extremely important to me.

[Photo By Tom]