AGP Executive Report

El Niño Watch: New research and coral records point to El Niño intensifying as the planet warms, raising the odds of hotter, drier conditions and bigger climate swings across the region. Water Stress in Colombia: IDEAM reports the Cauca and Magdalena rivers are running below normal, with drought risk projected to worsen through late 2026. Drought + Food Risks: Panama’s water stress and the Panama Canal’s strain are framed as a climate-linked warning sign for regional agriculture and supply chains. Tijuana River Pollution: California’s Senate passed SB 1046 to protect outdoor workers from hazardous transboundary pollution tied to the Tijuana River Valley sewage problem. Venezuela Oil Deal: Trump says the U.S. reached an agreement to take control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves, a major move with big geopolitical and climate implications. Hurricane Update: Tropical Storm Dolly has weakened to a tropical wave, with heavy rain expected for parts of the Caribbean and possible re-formation if conditions improve. Glyphosate Policy Shift (Colombia): Colombia annulled a 2015 rule banning glyphosate spraying on drug crops, while requiring prior conditions before any resumption.

El Niño Intensifies: Scientists say human-caused warming is making El Niño stronger than in the last 1,000 years, with Pacific coral records pointing to a major boost in eastern Pacific variability. Hurricane Watch: Tropical Storm Dolly is weakening but could still bring heavy rain and flash flooding to the Leeward Islands, then the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. Amazon Drought Risk: Brazil’s Belo Monte faces rule changes as El Niño-driven drought pressure grows, raising stakes for water management in the Amazon basin. Mining Safety Backlash: Communities in Brazil accuse Anglo American of “tailings dam terrorism” after sirens were activated around the Minas Rio project, echoing wider concerns after past dam disasters. Wildlife Smuggling Crackdown: Mexico’s raids on a fuel smuggling ring in Tamaulipas turned up endangered animals including tigers, jaguars and a green macaw, highlighting how organized crime exploits wildlife. Deep-Sea Mining Legal Threats: A Pacific NGO warns that investor-state disputes could “chill” governments from tightening deep-sea mining rules, citing a Mexico case that won damages. Energy Infrastructure: Tecnimont secured about €110m in engineering work tied to gas and LNG projects across South America and Asia.

Border & Indigenous Rights: The Trump administration has started building a new stretch of border wall in southern Arizona on part of the Tohono O’odham Nation reservation, with the tribe alleging trespassing and damage to sacred land while CBP cites a dangerous smuggling route. Climate & Water Security: Jamaica is intensifying drought response, including more water trucking to vulnerable communities as forecasts show little rainfall ahead of the back-to-school period. Nature Protection: Costa Rica is moving to require wildlife crossings for roads that disrupt habitat, with citizen groups pushing for better real-world impact beyond signage. El Niño Impacts: Studies and reporting highlight how super El Niño conditions are intensifying heat and ocean warming, with coral records and broader climate links raising risks across the region. Caribbean Adaptation: CARICOM and partners are set to host a webinar on climate-resilient agriculture, focusing on adaptation, mitigation, and innovation for the food sector. Venezuela Reforestation: Venezuela’s science and agroindustrial research center joined a “Plant a Tree” day in Yaracuy, planting 70 trees to restore degraded areas. Disaster Risk: Flash floods and landslides after a glacier collapse on the Nepal-Tibet border have killed hundreds and underscore how climate-driven glacier melt can amplify extreme events.

Cybersecurity & AI Misuse: Russian-speaking hackers used SpaceX’s Cursor AI coding tool to help break into a Belgian chemical firm and at least six others, using the agent to generate malicious scripts and support credential theft. Water & Drought Risk: Central American countries declared a state of emergency over severe El Niño-linked drought, while Panama faces mounting pressure as drought threatens the Panama Canal’s operations. Climate Adaptation & Resilience: Over 100 Honduran municipalities are under red alert amid El Niño drought conditions. Amazon & Land Degradation: Brazil relaxes Belo Monte water rules as drought risk grows, even as the country pledges to restore 163,000 km² of degraded land by 2030. Biodiversity & Coasts: Brazil’s Rio mangroves were buried in waste, but fishers helped restore them and report the return of 60 species. Governance & Finance: Brazil’s central bank plans curbs on costly lending as arrears rise, and the finance ministry backs extending a 12% oil export tax for 60 more days. Health & Food Safety: A national outbreak of cyclosporiasis continues to be investigated in the U.S., with Kansas reporting a decline in cases.

Amazon Drought Watch: Brazil temporarily loosened Belo Monte’s water rule, letting Norte Energia cut reservoir flow to protect electricity while keeping downstream Volta Grande flows—an uneasy tradeoff as El Niño-driven dryness threatens water quality and river life. Land & Forest Justice: Argentina’s courts ordered a record seizure over illegal clearing in Salta, targeting funds to restore 11,000 hectares of native forest after alleged bulldozing. Marine Pollution: A CONICET study using deep-sea robotics found 29 types of human waste on the Argentine Atlantic seabed, showing plastics and fishing gear can persist for centuries. Biodiversity & Restoration: UNCCD’s COP17 in Mongolia awarded three “land rejuvenation” flagships aiming to restore nearly 5 million hectares by 2030, with Brazil’s Cerrado savannah restoration highlighted. Climate Seasonality in the Caribbean: Researchers say warming is blurring wet/dry boundaries, extending harsher dry spells and making rainfall shorter and more volatile across the region. Digital Safety with Environmental Links: Brazil sued Discord over child safety failures tied to livestream harm, underscoring how online risks ripple into public health and community wellbeing.

Coastal Bioinputs in Brazil: A new red seaweed aquaculture push in Santa Catarina is helping Brazil produce its own biostimulants from Kappaphycus alvarezii, aiming to cut reliance on imported seaweed inputs and raise farmgate value. Ecosystem Restoration Push: The UN’s UNCCD COP17 announced three new “Restoration Flagships” led by UNEP and FAO, targeting nearly 5 million hectares by 2030 to fight drought, desertification, and land degradation. El Niño’s Marine Hit: NASA reports El Niño is already suppressing chlorophyll in the Central Pacific, signaling weaker phytoplankton and potential knock-on effects for fisheries and marine food webs. Storm Watch for the Caribbean: Forecasters say Tropical Storm Dolly could form soon in the Atlantic, with residents urged to prepare early. Central America Drought Emergency: Several Central American countries declared a state of emergency over severe drought, underscoring climate stress on water and livelihoods. Colombia Wildfire Toll: Colombia continues battling major forest fires, including reports of thousands of hectares burned in the Tolima region. Energy Storage in the Region’s Supply Chain: While not Latin America-focused, COMAX’s completed 57 MW/114 MWh BESS portfolio in France highlights the broader push for grid flexibility that many LatAm grids will need.

Renewables Finance: Kuwait’s KFAED signed a KD 3m loan for El Salvador’s San Matías 11MW solar plant, aiming to boost clean power, grid supply, and climate resilience for industry and communities. Mining & Permitting: Brazil’s St George Mining has lodged its Araxá EIA/RIMA to start Minas Gerais’ licensing process for a rare earths and niobium project—an early step in a multi-stage approval path. Wildfires & Criminal Links: Colombia officials say criminal groups may have set Tolima forest fires, as the region battles ongoing blazes and rising recovery costs. Climate Signals: A “Super El Niño” is forecast to be among the strongest on record, with knock-on risks for drought, storms, and supply chains across the Americas. Aviation Emissions: LATAM secured $505m financing for 11 new aircraft (A320neo/A321neo and E195-E2), with part of the deal tied to emissions intensity performance. Caribbean Resilience & Media: Guyana’s president urged Caribbean broadcasters to use AI while keeping journalism human-centered and accountable. Energy Security & Trade: Gas prices are rising amid Middle East conflict pressures, underscoring how geopolitics can quickly feed into fuel costs.

Earthquake Recovery: ECLAC says reconstruction spending after Venezuela and Colombia’s deadly quakes could give a modest boost to both economies in 2027, but progress depends on mobilizing financing and getting housing and infrastructure projects moving. Climate & Health: A large Brazil-based study links drought during pregnancy to higher preterm birth risk, and extreme heat can compound the danger. El Niño Watch: Forecasters warn a likely “super” El Niño could bring major impacts, with California again flagged as an epicenter for damaging weather. Water Stress: Colorado River planning remains tense as drought deepens; Arizona and Nevada push back legally over how cuts are handled. Biodiversity Under Threat: Bomb fishing is destroying coral reefs in Indonesia’s Coral Triangle, with researchers estimating thousands of blasts annually. Conservation in Action: Patagonia’s Darwin’s rhea rewilding effort adds more birds, while Colombia reports large-scale tree and beehive restoration in the Andes. Mining & Environment: Colombia’s seabed mining review is expected after leases are sold, raising fresh concerns about marine impacts. Energy Transition: Brazil’s lithium push continues as Lithium Argentina secures $180m funding from JV partner Ganfeng.

Rare Earth Permitting in Brazil: St George Mining says it has started environmental permitting for its Araxá rare earths and niobium project in Minas Gerais, filing an EIA/RIMA with FEAM for the first step of a three-stage license. Ocean Heat Alarm: Copernicus reports record ocean temperatures (21.1°C) driven by El Niño plus climate change, warning of stronger storms, oxygen loss, and food-security risks. Plastic Treaty Pushback: A leaked U.S. diplomatic memo argues for national-security loopholes to weaken global limits on plastic production, despite broad support from many Latin American and EU countries for stronger rules. Venezuela Oil Revival Slows: Major U.S. firms have not fully returned to Venezuela’s oilfields after Maduro’s removal; deals are moving more slowly and skew toward smaller operators and services. Caribbean Conservation: In Guyana, a rare bird sparked a grassroots wildlife effort across 16 villages, combining Indigenous knowledge, monitoring, and community conservation zones. Cuba Solar Under Blockade: With power scarce, Cubans are turning to solar—often unaffordable—while imports of Chinese panels surge and new solar parks expand. Coffee Prices Jump: Tight supplies and slower Brazil harvest progress, plus Colombia’s quake impacts, are pushing coffee futures higher. Hazardous Pesticides List (Brazil): Brazil is considering a “highly hazardous” pesticides list using international toxicity criteria, drawing pushback from farmers and industry.

El Niño and water stress: The Panama Canal is set to cut daily transits from mid-September as low rainfall linked to El Niño reduces water levels, raising shipping costs that could ripple into prices for U.S. consumers. Climate risk and coastal impacts: California braces for record coastal flooding this winter as El Niño-driven higher sea levels stack on king tides and long-term sea-level rise. Land degradation focus: UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia is entering its final ministerial stretch, with land restoration and drought/soil degradation high on the agenda for Latin America and beyond. Biodiversity and Indigenous knowledge in Colombia: In Guainía, researchers documented nearly 120 dragonfly and damselfly species, using ancestral-language naming to link freshwater health with community-led conservation. Colombia wildfire pressure: Colombia’s Ombudsman urged national support as Tolima wildfires burn over 20,000 hectares. Energy transition in the region: IDB and JICA expanded their partnership to $14 billion in financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, adding critical minerals and agriculture as cooperation priorities.

El Niño Watch: Global forecasts warn a potentially record-breaking El Niño could peak in late 2026–early 2027, with knock-on risks for drought, floods, health, and food systems—especially for vulnerable countries including across Latin America. Bird Flu Spillover: Australia reported its first H5N1 death in a mainland mammal (a fur seal), underscoring how quickly bird flu can spread through shared marine environments; the article points to past mass die-offs in southern seal populations. Caribbean Marine Cleanup: Trinidad and Tobago will keep funding its annual International Coastal Clean-Up, with $121,000 supporting nationwide volunteer removals and data used for coastal policy. Venezuela Flood Response: Caracas Metro restored full commercial service after Tropical Wave 40 flooding, while Metrocable stayed closed temporarily for maintenance and crews cleared roads and trees. Water Stress in the Americas: The Colorado River crisis is deepening as Lake Powell and Lake Mead hit very low levels, with new rules and negotiations looming for U.S.–Mexico water management. Wildfire Risk: Canada reported 582 active wildfires as heat and dryness keep fire danger elevated into September. Coastal/Climate Disruption: Rio de Janeiro’s windstorm left deaths and major damage, with early signs tied to expected Super El Niño intensification.

Desertification in Brazil: A new report says about 18% of Brazil’s territory is at risk of desertification, with communities in the Pantanal, Caatinga and Pampa biomes already feeling the squeeze as deforestation and unsustainable land use compound climate stress. Global Climate Diplomacy: Brazil’s civil society and agencies are pushing solutions at COP17 in Mongolia, focusing on protecting vulnerable groups and water-dependent livelihoods. Energy Security & Climate Risk: With Strait of Hormuz tensions again lifting oil prices, a fresh debate is resurfacing across the region on whether EVs and other alternative fuels are finally the smarter bet as fuel volatility hits households. Biodiversity Discovery: Ecuadorian researchers report new terrestrial micromollusk species in the Amazon, expanding known ranges and underscoring how much biodiversity remains undocumented. Marine Health: Conservation groups are also watching bird flu spillover risks to wildlife, while kelp-forest restoration efforts highlight how ecosystem recovery can protect coasts and marine life.

Atlantic Weather Watch: The U.S. National Hurricane Center says a tropical wave off Africa has a slowly rising chance of development next week, with conditions improving as wind shear weakens and Saharan dust breaks. Wildlife & Disease: Concerns are growing that bird flu could devastate endangered sea lions as H5 spreads to breeding areas, raising fears for future breeding success. Climate Impacts on Coasts: Miami-Dade experts warn heat is stressing Biscayne Bay corals, with bleaching risk tied to rising sea temperatures. Trade vs. Tourism: Canada-U.S. tariff escalation is framed as a direct hit to travel demand, with Canadians likely to shift spending away from the U.S. Brazil Critical Minerals: AP/Reporter Brasil finds a surge in rare-earth exploration permits, but warns many overlap protected areas and Indigenous territories, raising deforestation and pollution risks. Colombia Forest Recovery: Sesquilé and Guatavita restored 577 hectares with 97,000 native trees plus 190 beehives to boost pollination and community income. Argentina Ecosystem Damage: Tierra del Fuego’s beaver boom—triggered by an 1940s fur plan—has grown past 100,000 animals, flooding forests and killing native trees. Renewables in Health: Argentina’s British Hospital signs a deal for renewable power from Mendoza’s El Quemado solar park, cutting emissions and energy footprint. Hurricane Risk Finance: Hawaii’s “coral reef insurance” paid out after Hurricane Lala, funding reef assessment and repair.

Biodiversity & Habitat Restoration: Parks Canada says Point Pelee National Park in Ontario will host thousands of migrating monarch butterflies for a few fall days, as staff restore savannah habitat by opening areas, planting native milkweed and nectar plants, and maintaining open spaces for the journey south. Climate Risk & Health: A new report warns extreme heat and air pollution are increasing miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth risk, but pregnant people remain largely missing from climate and health planning. Conservation in Action: Asunción Zoo in Paraguay has expanded living space for blue-and-yellow macaws and is preparing new nesting boxes to support breeding, with veterinary teams monitoring native birds after confiscations. El Niño Watch: Multiple outlets flag a rapidly intensifying El Niño that could reach record levels, with knock-on impacts expected across weather and food systems. Energy Transition & Minerals: An analysis argues Argentina is missing a chance to secure sovereignty over critical minerals like lithium and copper, because control over deposits and downstream use is not fully in producers’ hands. Wildlife Relocation: Six lions were flown from Argentina to South Africa as part of an international transfer to safer sanctuaries, highlighting cross-border logistics for animal welfare.

Deforestation & Indigenous Rights (Argentina): Greenpeace Andino and Fundación ASOCIANA urged Salta’s governor to stop bulldozers in San Martín, alleging 11,000+ hectares of native forest cleared in 2026 and harassment of Wichí communities, after land-use planning enabled wider clearing. Climate Communication & Coral Conservation (Global/Latin America links): A Science Advances paper argues art can make coral-reef threats more visible and mobilize citywide action, pairing creative installations with scientific data to boost public support. Water Security (Mexico–U.S. border): Mexico and the U.S. EPA backed $40M+ for water and wastewater upgrades in Nogales, aiming to cut sewage leaks into the Nogales Wash, with completion required by end of next year. Food & Climate Resilience (Caribbean): St. Kitts and Nevis’ agriculture minister highlighted IICA’s role in supporting farmers and fishers amid drought, heat, and soil degradation. Climate Risk Outlook (El Niño): UK Met Office forecasts an unusually powerful El Niño, warning of hotter conditions and more extreme weather that could ripple across global food and water systems. Disaster Response (Venezuela): MINEC said Venezuela is mobilizing firms with screening and segregation tech to help transform earthquake environmental liabilities in La Guaira under the Renace Plan.

El Niño Shockwaves for the Region: UK’s Met Office says this year’s El Niño could be the biggest in over a century, with sea temperatures peaking above 3°C and bringing severe drought risk to South America and the West Pacific, plus heavier rain and storms elsewhere—raising food and public-health concerns. Colombia Coffee Under Pressure: A Reuters interview says Colombia’s coffee harvest is more threatened by El Niño than by a recent 7.4 quake, with production expected to drop 8–12.5% as rainfall patterns shift. Panama Canal Disruption: Reports say El Niño-driven drought is forcing the Panama Canal to cut ship traffic, with knock-on effects for regional trade. Water Stress at the Border: Arizona officials are moving to draw water from Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, while agencies coordinate wastewater concerns along the Arizona–Mexico border. Brazil Potash Legal Win: Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court rejected a bid to halt the Autazes potash project, keeping development on track after a consultation process with the Mura people. Solar for Rural Farms: A CGTN feature highlights solar-powered agriculture in northern China, underscoring the broader push for clean energy in farming systems.