AGP Executive Report

Biodiversity: Colombia and Armenia launched a global coalition to help endangered species recover in the wild. Brazil, Mexico and Peru are among its 16 founding members. Caribbean Discovery: Researchers identified a new planthopper genus and species on Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire, highlighting how much island biodiversity remains undocumented. Amazon Under Pressure: Brazil’s Amazon deforestation has fallen to its lowest level since 1988, but fires are spreading as El Niño strengthens, and the approaching election could shape whether progress lasts. El Niño Risks: Ocean levels in parts of the eastern Pacific are already up to 40 centimetres above normal. Scientists warn the developing Super El Niño could worsen flooding and erosion from Mexico to Ecuador. Tipping Points: Climate scientist Johan Rockström warns that damage to the Amazon and coral reefs may be nearing irreversible thresholds as global warming accelerates.

Mexico’s Pacific: Forecasters are watching a potential tropical system south of Mexico as Tropical Storm Trudy lingers nearby, with the region’s unusually active basin fueled by a brewing El Niño. Urban Nature: A survey of four Cancun cenotes found 17 phytoplankton and protist species, adding 11 taxa to the Yucatán’s documented biota; researchers warn that litter and development threaten these little-studied waters. Amazon Floodplains: A new study finds more than 6% of Brazil’s Amazon wetlands have been cleared since 1984, with land designations shaping where losses occur. Brazil’s Forests: Amazon deforestation has fallen to its lowest level since 1988, but fires, El Niño and the looming election put those gains at risk. Caribbean Reefs: A global assessment finds 44% of reef-building coral species threatened with extinction, rising to 50% in the Atlantic, including Curaçao. Dutch researchers also warn that extreme heat, heavy rain and rising seas put Caribbean health, reefs and infrastructure at risk. Border Pollution: San Diego County named Bridget Premont its first pollution crisis chief to coordinate the response to Tijuana River sewage, a crisis estimated to cost the regional economy up to $503.5 million annually.

El Niño Watch: Agencies agree the current El Niño is very strong but differ on how it ranks historically; they use different measures, and its final strength will be clearer after it ends. Amazon Forests: Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon fell 42% to its lowest level since 1988, but the coming election and El Niño-related fire risks could threaten progress. Carbon Finance: Google and McKinsey will buy 320,000 tonnes of carbon-removal credits over 10 years to help restore degraded pasture in the Amazon and Cerrado using tree-rich cattle systems. Wildlife: Paraguay joined a four-country effort to protect jaguars, as Colombia and Armenia launched a global alliance to speed recovery of endangered species. At COP17, governments face warnings that they are off track on nearly all global nature targets.

Climate Finance: Mexico’s draft 2027 budget cuts climate spending by about 52 billion pesos from this year’s allocation, raising questions about how the country will meet its commitments ahead of COP31. Wildlife: Fishing gear kills dolphins, porpoises and seabirds across Latin America. Researchers are seeking ways to protect marine life while supporting coastal livelihoods; reported losses include more than 200 Guiana dolphins a year in Lake Maracaibo. Amazon: Indigenous leaders are urging the UN to confront criminal networks threatening the forest. Meanwhile, Brazil’s Amazon deforestation fell 42% to a record low, though fires linked to El Niño remain a growing concern. Extreme Weather: El Niño-driven downpours have flooded parts of South America, affecting communities in Paraguay and Argentina as the region braces for further climate shocks.

Amazon Crime: Indigenous leaders from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru are heading to a UN conference in Vienna to push governments to target the financial networks behind illegal mining, logging and drug trafficking, and give Indigenous communities a stronger role in protecting their lands. Canal’s Water Cost: A planned reservoir in Panama would flood more than 11,000 acres and displace at least 1,600 people to secure water for the canal, including communities and cemeteries along the Indio River. Waste Crisis: Argentina generates at least 517,000 tonnes of electronic waste a year but recovers only 3%, highlighting a growing recycling challenge. Forest Gains, Fire Risks: Brazil says Amazon deforestation fell 42% to its lowest level since 1988, even as fires and suspected arson threaten the forest. El Niño Floods: Heavy rains have flooded parts of South America, forcing evacuations in Paraguay and Argentina as the powerful climate pattern intensifies.

Amazon Fires: NASA satellite monitoring shows fires surging across Brazil’s central and eastern Amazon, with El Niño-linked drought driving smoke over areas near Manaus and Santarém. Forest Loss: Brazil says Amazon deforestation fell 42% to its lowest level since 1988, a major gain even as fires threaten the forest. In the Chaco, meanwhile, 1,800 hectares of native forest were reportedly cleared beside a provincial park. Flood Emergency: El Niño-driven Paraná River flooding has affected 2,000 people in Paraguay and forced 222 evacuations in Argentina’s Corrientes province. Oil Legacy: Guatemala is seeking bids to close and decommission the former Xan oilfield inside the Maya Biosphere Reserve, including plugging wells and reducing environmental risks. Climate Finance: Antigua and Barbuda is working with the OECS to strengthen its ability to secure funding for resilience projects.

Amazon Forests: Brazil says deforestation fell 42% to 3,335 square kilometres in the year to July, the lowest since records began in 1988. The milestone comes days before a presidential runoff that could shift forest policy. Floods and El Niño: Rising Paraná waters have displaced families in Paraguay and Argentina, with about 2,000 people affected in Paraguay and 222 evacuated in Corrientes. Forecasters warn El Niño could intensify extreme rain across South America. Chaco Clearing: Conservationists report 1,800 hectares of native forest cleared beside Argentina’s Loro Hablador Provincial Park, despite protections against deforestation. Wildlife Recovery: Colombia and Armenia launched a coalition to restore endangered species, backed by a separate $500 million initiative targeting 100 species in 30 countries. Caribbean Energy: Nevis’s premier urged greater energy independence, highlighting a planned 30-megawatt geothermal plant to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.

Amazon: Brazil says deforestation fell 42% to 3,335 square kilometres in the year to July, its lowest level since records began in 1988. But El Niño-driven drought is fuelling fires, with smoke disrupting life in Manaus and researchers warning of wider risks. Climate & Water: New research suggests reaching net zero sooner could limit future extreme El Niños. In Puerto Rico, drought-triggered rationing exposes a deeper crisis: aging infrastructure and unequal access leave rural communities without reliable water. Coastal Communities: Colombia’s Pacific and Caribbean shores are eroding, damaging homes, roads and water systems and disrupting fishing and Indigenous traditions. Cross-Border Pollution: Ten U.S.-Mexico projects will target sewage, flooding and water quality in the Cali-Baja region, as San Diego County appoints a crisis chief to coordinate the response to the Tijuana River pollution emergency.

Border Investment: NADBank launched a program offering up to $300 million for environmental projects along the U.S.-Mexico border, including water, waste, air-quality and clean-energy improvements. Amazon Fires and Oil: Fires are surging in Brazil’s Amazon as El Niño raises concerns; authorities are investigating suspected arson, while Indigenous groups oppose plans for a new oil auction in the region. Nature Finance: Ahead of COP17, countries remain short of biodiversity funding goals. A new initiative with the Inter-American Development Bank aims to draw private investment into conservation and restoration across Latin America and the Caribbean. Extreme Weather: El Niño-linked heavy rain has caused evacuations and isolation along Argentina’s coast, while rising rivers forced access restrictions at Iguazu Falls. Climate Accountability: Brazilian prosecutors are suing Shell for $108 million over deadly 2024 floods, adding to a growing wave of climate litigation.

Amazon Fires: Wildfires are surging in Brazil’s Amazon as El Niño and climate change raise the risks; authorities are investigating whether some blazes were deliberately set. Illegal Mining: Peru and Ecuador are coordinating intelligence and cross-border operations to curb illegal mining and logging, targeting criminal networks that shift across their shared border. Forest Loss: Global forest loss fell 15% in 2025, and Latin America and the Caribbean saw a 28% drop. But the region still lost about 2.54 million hectares, and Brazil’s election could put recent conservation gains at risk. Wetland Warning: Residents near Uruguay’s Laguna de Rocha say development could cost the protected area nearly a third of its land. Sargassum Response: The Dominican Republic has presented a regional declaration promoting sustainable solutions to the seaweed influx affecting Caribbean coasts.

Indigenous Lands: A new tool tracking Bolivia’s Amazon finds more than 186,500 hectares of forest lost in Indigenous territories from 2003 to 2023, with over 90% cleared illegally. Land invasions were reported in 28 of 30 territories surveyed. Brazil’s Amazon: The runoff between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro could reshape forest protections. A recent report warns Brazil’s election could undo fragile gains as global forest loss remains far off track; authorities are also investigating suspected criminal causes of fires in Amazonas. Extreme Weather: El Niño-driven heavy rain has raised rivers in northeastern Argentina, forcing evacuations and closing Iguazú Falls’ Devil’s Throat circuit. In Mexico, research finds climate change amplified Hurricane Polo more than El Niño did, adding about 6 mph to its winds. Climate Accountability: Brazilian prosecutors are seeking $108 million from Shell over deadly 2024 floods, adding to a growing wave of climate lawsuits.

Extreme Weather: Tropical Storm Trudy threatens Mexico’s Pacific coast, while heavy rain pushed Iguazu River flows to nearly eight times normal, closing walkways and trails in Argentina and Brazil. El Niño-driven flooding has forced evacuations in Argentina and Paraguay; Colombia is preparing capital cities for the climate risks ahead. Fires and Forests: Fires are spreading across Peru’s Andes and Amazon, threatening communities. Brazil is investigating suspected criminal causes of fires in Amazonas. Global forest loss eased in 2025, but the Congo Basin saw rising losses, and analysts warn Brazil’s election could reverse fragile gains. Climate Accountability: Brazilian prosecutors are suing Shell for $108 million over its alleged role in deadly 2024 floods, putting corporate responsibility for climate damage in focus. Energy and Land: Ecuador has revived plans to expand Amazon oil production, while Argentina is seeking international intervention to halt an oil project near the Falkland Islands.

El Niño Floods: Record river flows have forced evacuations in Argentina’s Corrientes province, while Paraná River flooding has displaced residents in Paraguay. Iguazú Falls reopened after a safety shutdown linked to high water. Climate Preparedness: Colombia has presented a roadmap to prepare 32 capital cities for El Niño risks, as the country braces for impacts on water and food supplies. Amazon Fires: Brazil says human activity is driving fires in Amazonas state, which have worsened air quality around Manaus. Oil Dispute: Argentina has asked an international tribunal to halt UK oil and gas exploration near the Falkland Islands, escalating a dispute over offshore development. Land and Nature: A report in Argentina warns that valuable forested land in Chubut was marketed to foreign buyers during a brief suspension of land-purchase restrictions. Brazil has also introduced rules for payments for environmental services, while a new report says the world remains far off track on its deforestation pledge.

Brazil’s Climate Stakes: Far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro narrowly leads Lula ahead of an Oct. 25 runoff, while a rightward shift in Congress raises concerns over environmental protections. Human activity is also driving fires in Amazonas state, Brazil’s environment minister says. Forest Watch: Global deforestation fell 15% in 2025, and Latin America recorded a 33% decline, credited in part to Brazil’s Amazon action plan and enforcement. But researchers warn the gains may not last as El Niño intensifies. El Niño Emergency: Flooding along Argentina’s Paraná and Uruguay rivers has forced evacuations, while rising water temporarily closed Iguazú National Park. Oil Dispute: Argentina has asked an international tribunal to halt UK-authorized oil and gas activity near the Malvinas, citing risks to its continental shelf and marine environment. Climate Finance: Caribbean nations have mobilized $58 million for resilience as the region faces an estimated $58 billion in average annual losses from climate disasters.

Extreme Rain: Argentina temporarily closed Iguazú Falls after heavy rain pushed river flows above six times the seasonal average, with El Niño linked to heightened flood risks in the region. Brazil’s Data-Center Boom: State lawmakers are weighing tougher rules on water use, environmental permits and transparency as projects multiply; eight of 16 bills introduced this year would add requirements for operators. Climate Accountability: Brazilian prosecutors are seeking $108 million from Shell over deadly 2024 floods. Amazon Crime Crackdown: An international probe linked 161 companies to forest clearing and led to 233 arrests across Latin America, highlighting the financial networks behind environmental destruction. Cleaner Mining: Latin American startup Giraffe Bio raised $6.4 million to develop lower-impact methods for recovering copper from complex ores.

El Niño Floods: Argentina temporarily closed Iguazú Falls after the river surged to more than six times its average flow; the park reopened as levels fell. Flooding has also forced evacuations along the Uruguay River. Food and Farming: Extreme rainfall may damage cocoa crops more than heat or drought, a study finds, threatening farmers in Ecuador and other tropical growing regions. Public Health: A study in Salvador, Brazil, maps how garbage, unpaved yards and other neighborhood conditions concentrate chikungunya risk. Climate Risks: More than 30 million children in Brazil face health and safety threats from El Niño and climate impacts, UNICEF warns. Amazon Protection: An Interpol probe links 161 companies to forest clearing across Latin America, with 233 arrests reported. Climate Accountability: Brazilian prosecutors are seeking $108 million from Shell over deadly 2024 floods.