A regional ECPA workshop held in the Colombian capital focused on opportunities to incorporate energy-efficient alternatives into the transportation sector. Participants heard about such recent developments as a fleet of “Biotaxis” in Bogotá and a new trolley system being built in Medellín. The workshop on “Energy-Efficiency Trends for Fossil Fuel Use,” held on September 25, […]

In 2011, armed with a grant awarded under the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), nonprofit organization Trees, Water & People launched an initiative to increase the use of clean technologies in several Latin American countries. That pilot project has since spawned a social enterprise that is making solar lighting products accessible to […]

Scientists issue repeated warnings about the need to protect the planet, but they are not the only ones with concerns. Through an unusual new documentary film, the Kogi people of Colombia are calling on the world to see the environment through their eyes and understand their fears. An indigenous civilization hidden in the Sierra Nevada […]

The Inter-American Committee on Sustainable Development will meet on October 22-23 at OAS headquarters to launch a review and update of OAS priorities and policies on sustainable development and the environment, with a focus on the region’s post-2015 development agenda. The meeting, chaired by Honduras, sets in motion a year-long process that will culminate with […]

The concept of a “circular economy” or “closed-loop” production is attracting growing interest—a reflection of its versatility in application, environmental benefits, and potential for cost savings. As a result of the number of events and developments in the field, the OAS will produce a monthly newsletter, beginning this month, to focus exclusively on the topic. […]

The Latin American and Caribbean region has enormous market potential for energy efficiency, but tapping into that potential will take a coordinated push among actors in both the public and private sectors. That was the conclusion reached by participants in the recent launch of the Regional Energy Efficiency Program, part of an initiative called “Toward […]

Halloween is a time for the imagination to run wild—and with just a little creative imagination the festivities can be less scary for the environment. In the United States alone, consumers are expected to spend $7.4 billion this year on this ghostly celebration, according to the National Retail Federation. And Halloween has become a global […]