AGP Executive Report

Climate & Indigenous rights: A new report from Bolivia’s Pando Amazon spotlights Indigenous leaders rejecting “climate solutions” tied to carbon markets, saying communities don’t understand the deals and fear outsiders are turning their forest into a commodity. Marine conservation: Panama is pushing shark and ray bycatch reduction, with biologists onboard and a proposed bill—though experts warn the country still lacks key population data, especially around breeding sites. Water resilience in the Caribbean: The Bahamas’ WSC plans over $200M for hurricane- and flood-proof water and sanitation upgrades, including stronger tanks and protected mains. Policy & multilateralism: UN chief António Guterres urged BRICS to overhaul post-1945 institutions, including the Security Council, to reflect today’s multipolar reality. Extreme weather watch: NOAA warns 2026 El Niño could be historic, with Argentina on alert for rains and floods. Brazil environment litigation: Brazil’s Supreme Court-linked fight continues over Belo Sun’s Volta Grande gold project license, with prosecutors seeking suspension.

Climate & Oceans: Panama is using the Caribbean sargassum crisis as a tool to counter a deadly malaria threat, turning a worsening seaweed problem into a public-health strategy. Conservation Wins: A rare Antiguan racer snake rebounded from just 51 individuals in 1995 to over 1,100 by 2016 after invasive mammals were removed and the species was reintroduced to offshore islands. Air & Atmosphere Research: A NASA/NOAA WB-57 aircraft is operating in Panama to study tropical atmospheric conditions, including aerosols and ozone—data meant to improve climate models. Deforestation Finance: Brazil’s Tropical Forest Forever Facility aims to reward countries for keeping deforestation low, but analysts warn it may not tackle the root drivers. Biodiversity & Heat: Researchers link hotter days to Mexico City’s stubborn air pollution problem, raising stakes for urban health as heat intensifies. Coastal Cleanup: Trinidad and Tobago volunteers collected nearly 4,000 pounds of marine debris in a Port of Spain coastal cleanup, feeding into ongoing debris tracking. Wildlife Spotting: A whale shark was spotted off California during warm-water conditions tied to El Niño.

Climate Diplomacy: BRICS wrapped up its New Delhi summit with a “work order” style New Delhi Declaration (140 paragraphs) pushing practical cooperation on climate, energy, food security and early warning systems, while leaders also flagged critical minerals weaponisation and supply-chain shocks. Global Climate Action: Azerbaijan’s Climate Week in Baku drew nearly 2,700 delegates from 140+ countries, with dozens of events tied to COP30/COP31 priorities and work on adaptation and NDCs. Biodiversity & Food Systems: A new report on Amazon freshwater fish highlights how protecting connected river systems can prevent large-scale biodiversity loss while supporting livelihoods and food security. Water Risk for Food: FAIRR warns livestock firms are under-reporting water scarcity risk, estimating US$6.4B in hidden annual costs from chronic water stress. El Niño Watch (LatAm): NOAA says the 2026 El Niño is intensifying fast, with Argentina bracing for heavier-rain and flood risk in major river basins. Conservation & Community: Volunteers collected 22 cubic metres of waste at Russia’s Lake Shartash, including participants from Mexico, Ecuador and other countries.

Conservation in the Atlantic Forest: A Brazilian artist is protecting about 80 hectares of Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro by keeping land as private reserves, safeguarding native vegetation and water sources that support wildlife. Climate governance at BRICS: BRICS leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration, calling for conflict prevention and opposing forced displacement in Gaza, while also pushing UN Security Council reform and broader Global South representation—issues that intersect with climate resilience and sustainable development. Indigenous forest protection in Ecuador: A new Ecuador Amazon study finds Indigenous territories without formal conservation contracts can maintain forest health comparable to state-protected areas, challenging the idea that only top-down protection works. Workplace safety push in Guyana: Guyana commissioned the Caribbean Occupational Safety and Health Centre of Excellence in Region 6, aiming to train workers and improve safety as the country’s economy grows. Coastal cleanup mobilization in Jamaica: NEPA is inviting volunteers for International Coastal Cleanup Day, with flagship beach cleanups in Kingston and St. Catherine. Oil spill response in Mexico: Mexico deployed 255 naval personnel as Pemex works to stop a Gulf of Mexico subsea pipeline leak and contain the slick.

Climate & Oceans: The Atlantic hurricane season is setting a record-quiet pace, with no hurricanes yet as El Niño and Sahara dust suppress storm formation—still, forecasters warn one late system could be catastrophic. Marine Heat: Marine heat waves are reshaping ocean life, with “record ocean heat” linked to major shifts in marine food webs. Colombia Anti-Drugs Policy: Colombia is restarting limited aerial spraying to eradicate coca, using a different herbicide and a temporary test after past legal and health concerns. Wildlife Protection: In Argentina’s Salta province, illegal hunters who cornered and injured a giant anteater reached a reparative agreement to fund reserve fence repairs. Himalayan Risk: An environmental advocate calls for decommissioning vulnerable hydropower projects in the Himalayas ahead of rising glacial lake outburst flood threats. Brazil Biodiversity Research: A study maps ancient, 4,000-year-old termite mound patterns in Brazil, revealing long-running underground engineering by soil termites. Regional Diplomacy: BRICS leaders meet in New Delhi under a sustainability theme, with declarations pushing for UN reform and resistance to unilateral trade barriers.

Indigenous Land Under Fire: In Brazil’s Ituna/Itatá Indigenous Land, more than 500 people have invaded in recent weeks, opening illegal roads, setting deliberate fires, and threatening federal agents—while a federal court order to deploy security forces within 48 hours still hasn’t been fully met. Climate Shock in the Tropics: A new warning flags a “super, mega” El Niño building in 2026-27, with early impacts already showing in Central and South America—fish migrating in Ecuador, seabirds shifting in Panama, and farmers facing planting and drinking-water stress. Water Security Deal: The U.S. and Mexico signed a new Colorado River sharing agreement, cutting Mexico’s deliveries by 250,000 acre-feet (about 17%) for 2027-2028 to match a severely depleted river. Marine Life Breakthrough: Researchers tracked a whale shark off Mexico’s Yucatán for nearly a decade, logging over 34,000 miles with repeated satellite tagging—new data to guide conservation of an endangered species. Caribbean Food Systems: OECS held a Youth and Women in Agriculture symposium in Grenada, pushing regional commitments to boost food security and agricultural transformation.

El Niño Impacts: Eight Colombian capital cities are on red alert as El Niño-driven water shortages and vegetation-fire risk intensify, with the highest vulnerability flagged in Santa Marta, San Andrés, Riohacha, Quibdó, Cúcuta, Ibagué, Neiva and Pasto; officials warn the worst could hit late 2026 into early 2027. Biodiversity & Restoration: Belize is pushing reef restoration after storm damage, outplanting 100,000 coral fragments in a bid to help reefs recover as marine heat waves keep pressure high. Wildlife & Habitat: A white caiman was found hiding under a rental car in Gran Canaria, underscoring how stressed ecosystems can spill animals into unexpected urban spaces. Agroecology: Argentina researchers report strawberry leaf extract can act as an organic post-harvest citrus treatment against fungal diseases, aiming to cut reliance on resistant fungicides. Pollinators: Embrapa and partners say simple color-coding and entrance layout changes can reduce “drifting” in stingless bees, protecting colony health and pollination. Illegal Deforestation Oversight: Angola’s environmental youth group EcoAngola argues current plans fall short and calls for stronger monitoring and enforcement to curb illegal forest loss. Climate Governance: A new study highlights how coral reefs can recover, but relentless marine heat waves are undermining that resilience.

Colombia Wildfires: Colombia’s 2026 wildfire season has scorched over 31,000 hectares in Tolima and about 22,000 hectares in National Parks areas, leaving wildlife injured and displaced as many smaller animals die before they’re even found. Colombia Coca Spraying: Colombia’s National Narcotics Council ordered a limited aerial fumigation pilot to test glufosinate spraying in Putumayo, while excluding protected and environmentally sensitive zones and requiring health and environmental sign-off. Colombia Hippo Safety: A court ordered authorities in Puerto Nare to control invasive hippos after schoolchildren faced repeated boat-route threats, highlighting gaps in warnings and local management. El Niño Impacts: El Niño is strengthening and raising odds of a wetter, stormier winter for California, with another wave-driven sea-level bump expected to worsen coastal damage. Brazil Coffee Watch: Brazil’s coffee harvest end and rising exports are weighing on arabica prices, while weather risks in Vietnam keep robusta supported. Monarch Highway (Mexico link): A “Monarch Highway” concept—restoring milkweed along roadsides—targets habitat loss along the migration route that spans the U.S. and central Mexico. Guatemala Reforestation: Remote-sensing work around Lake Atitlán shows about a 30% tree-cover increase over four decades, pointing to large-scale reforestation progress.

El Niño Impacts Across Latin America: A strong 2026–27 El Niño is already shifting fish and weather patterns, with Ecuador crews traveling farther for tuna and Panama seeing earlier-than-usual seabird movements as sardines and anchovies move north; farmers also report planting trouble and growing worries about dry-season drinking water. Climate Risk & Preparedness: A new resilience ranking highlights how cities can face a dangerous gap between climate hazards and adaptive capacity, underscoring the stakes for heat, drought, flooding, and storms. Water-Energy Stress From AI: Brazil’s Paracatu is facing backlash over a planned 1 GW data center that locals say was never consulted, with concerns it could strain Cerrado water sources amid already high groundwater demand. Clean Transport Push: Chile’s first fully electric public bus system expanded with 121 electric buses, a sign of how electrification is spreading through Latin America. Caribbean Climate Finance: In Trinidad and Tobago, lenders and institutions are reframing how small-island states fund adaptation, transition finance, and blue financing. Cyber Threats: Check Point reports rising cyber attacks and phishing, with Latin America topping regional volumes—an indirect risk to climate and infrastructure systems.

Colombia’s Coca Crackdown: Colombia announced a one-week trial coca eradication effort using aerial fumigation in undisclosed areas, capped at 1,000 hectares and avoiding glyphosate, with restrictions around sensitive ecosystems and communities. Climate Impacts on Food: Colombia’s El Niño-linked drought and wildfires are already pushing up staple prices, with some products reportedly rising as much as 60% as crop supply and quality drop. Panama Canal Bottleneck: Panama Canal transit caps and low water levels threaten up to $10 billion in CARICOM non-fuel imports, raising shipping costs and squeezing inventories into the 2027 dry season. Biodiversity Under Pressure: A coalition of U.S. state attorneys general, including Colorado’s AG, sued over proposed Endangered Species Act changes that would make habitat harm easier for development projects—an issue that could ripple into wildlife protection across the Americas. Wildlife & Habitat Monitoring: Colombia is expanding biodiversity monitoring using camera traps, aiming to strengthen how the country tracks species under mounting environmental pressures. Conservation Tourism: Colombia’s La Guajira is leaning into astrotourism, banking on low light pollution and protected desert landscapes to diversify its nature-based economy.

Climate Diplomacy: Brazil’s climate chief Ana Toni says “Climate Week” in Baku marks the shift from building Paris Agreement architecture to implementation—an urgent theme as countries push for faster delivery of finance and action. El Niño Impacts: A new report warns a “super El Niño” plus Pacific heatwave could intensify storms and flooding risks in California and disrupt weather and marine life across the region. Biodiversity Under Threat: Colombia’s spectacled bear could lose up to 60% of its population by 2050 as warming and drying hit páramos; researchers call for climate-adjusted corridors and stronger protected-area management. Marine Monitoring: St. Kitts and Nevis received three SOFAR spotter buoys to boost wave and sea-temperature observation for coastal resilience across the Caribbean. Plastics Treaty: Civil society says the plastics treaty “Aid to negotiations” draft by INC chair Julio Cordano falls short on ending pollution across the full plastics life cycle. Energy & Finance: Trinidad and Tobago’s stock exchange launched Green, Social and Sustainability Plus (GSS+) bond guidelines to channel private capital into renewables, climate-resilient infrastructure, and housing. Security & Environment: Colombia and Mexico face rising drone use by armed groups, raising risks for civilians and ecosystems.

Marine Conservation: Appleby Cayman is sponsoring Sea Turtle Tracker KY, using acoustic and satellite tracking to map sea turtle movements across Cayman waters and the wider Caribbean. Climate & Food Security: FAO reports global food prices rose in August to the highest since late 2022, warning that climate shocks and geopolitical disruptions are returning a “risk premium” to staples markets. Sargassum Response: Belize’s Blue Economy ministry says it’s moving toward waste-to-energy projects to tackle record sargassum blooms, starting in the north while also planning for erosion impacts in the south. Biodiversity & Parks: Venezuela and India’s agreement aims to modernize national parks and zoos into conservation, research, and rehabilitation centers, framed as part of ecosocialism and ecological education. Restoration Results (Mexico): Mexico’s forestry restoration program reports plant survival rising from 33% to 64% after support and technical help were paired with local participation. El Niño Pressure: UN-linked reporting warns the current El Niño could intensify extreme weather, with knock-on risks for Latin America’s food and water systems. Mercury Threat (Amazon): New analysis maps mercury risks to hundreds of Amazon communities across three countries, highlighting pollution impacts on staple fish.

Climate Overshoot Debate: A new UNEP report argues the world is set to exceed the 1.5°C goal and urges an “overshoot, peak and decline” pathway to limit damage. El Niño Watch: Forecasts warn a potentially “exceptional” El Niño could intensify heat and disrupt weather patterns, with knock-on risks for food and water. Water & Food Security: Coverage highlights how drought and water stress are already biting, including a looming food-and-water squeeze tied to El Niño impacts across Latin America. Biodiversity & Pollution: New reporting flags microplastics in Mexico’s Campeche Coast and ongoing plastic pollution pressures. Geothermal Push: Ireland’s Dublin Seismic Survey signals growing interest in geothermal district heating—an energy resilience angle relevant to climate-ready infrastructure planning. Caribbean Resilience & Governance: Caribbean leaders and finance officials focus on “digital by design” public finance reforms to better withstand climate shocks.

El Niño Watch: The UN and ECMWF warn the current El Niño could become a “super” event, with ECMWF saying Pacific anomalies may exceed 3°C and intensify storms and regional impacts, while the WMO says it’s likely to persist through at least February. Food Prices & Climate Shocks: Cocoa prices keep climbing for a sixth straight month as El Niño-linked drought fears and harvest swings reshape West African supply, alongside broader commodity volatility tied to weather and conflict. Venezuela Oil Push: Chevron plans to invest $7B over five years to expand Venezuela output in the Orinoco Belt, while Eni signed a 25-year deal for Junin 5 heavy oil—both moves deepen the region’s fossil fuel lock-in amid sanctions and political upheaval. Caribbean Governance & Tech: St. Vincent and the Grenadines and CARTAC hosted a workshop urging “digital by design” for public financial management, warning against using AI as a gimmick. Biodiversity & Conservation: El Salvador’s first spider monkey sanctuary continues to grow, with Zoo Boise saying its endangered spider monkey could be among the oldest in human care. Local Environment & Health: Jamaica’s Mico CARE Centre received an upgraded classroom for special needs students, reflecting ongoing investment in inclusive services.

El Niño Warning: The UN’s weather agency says a “supersized” El Niño is likely to persist until February 2027, with rising risks of drought, floods, and extreme heat hitting Latin America and global food and energy markets. Climate Diplomacy: Pacific island leaders meeting in Palau urged COP31 to deliver climate finance, ocean action, and faster renewables—pressure that echoes across small states facing climate-driven costs. Data Centers in Patagonia: Argentina’s Patagonia is drawing mega data-center plans for AI, fueled by cool conditions and energy access, raising questions about impacts on local communities and power demand. Shipping Emissions Talks: London talks at the IMO signaled momentum toward a deal to cut shipping’s emissions, after years of debate over ambition and fairness. Biodiversity & Coasts: Panama’s “dark beach” conservation effort is guarding turtle species amid a rapidly brightening coastline. Rare Earth Supply Chain: Brazil’s Serra Verde rare-earth project is positioned as a non-Asian magnet supply boost, as governments and firms race to diversify critical minerals. Water Security: A new report warns that warming and drought can degrade groundwater quality, increasing contamination risks.

Critical Minerals Policy: Brazil’s critical-minerals permitting is tightening, with permits increasingly shaping project costs and timelines—raising the stakes for copper, lithium, nickel and rare-earth deals. Mining & Courts: A Brazilian court suspended Sigma Lithium’s licenses and canceled environmental permits in Minas Gerais, adding legal pressure to lithium expansion plans. El Niño & Disasters: NOAA warns a very strong El Niño could hit 2026–27, with major knock-on risks for drought, storms and water stress across the Americas. Hurricane Impacts: Hawaii declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Lowell approaches, while Mexico’s central fireworks tragedy killed at least 10 and injured 64. Coastal & Marine Protection: Panama’s “Dark Beach” guards four turtle species as the coastline brightens rapidly, highlighting urgent habitat pressure. Flood Monitoring: China shared daily disaster monitoring data with Nepal after a deadly mudslide, including weather and hydrology updates. Biodiversity & Climate: Colombia is expanding biodiversity monitoring with camera traps, aiming to track ecosystems as climate pressures mount.