Central and South America

Brazil Develops Cost-Effective Alternative to Gasoline

As a result, the country expects to become energy independent this year.

16 January 2006 - 6:00am

The Wall Street Journal

The Border Boomtown Trend

Increased vigilance forces migrants to cross to US from remote areas, creating new boomtowns.

30 November 2005 - 9:00am

The Christian Science Monitor

Suburban Sprawl Takes Hold In Brazil's Mega-cities

Population densities are decreasing in the razilian mega-cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo as lower-income residents move away from the city centers. The growth aggravates the cities' problems.

29 November 2005 - 11:00am

Inter Press Service News Agency

One of the World's Most Livable Cities Focuses on People, Not Cars

Between its excellent public transit, its dignified approach to providing for the poor and its emphasis on planning for people, not cars, Curitiba Brazil is one of the world's most livable cities, writes Bill McKibben.

9 November 2005 - 10:00am

Common Dreams

Amazon Rainforest Destruction Twice That Of Previous Estimates

Analysis of new satellite imagery shows that the Amazon rainforest is disappearing at double the rate of previous estimates.

22 October 2005 - 11:00am

Guardian UK

Satellite Images Reveal Amazon Forest Shrinking Faster

New methods detect twice as much logging as previously estimated.

21 October 2005 - 7:00am

The Christian Science Monitor

Enrique Penalosa's Approach To Building Public Infrastructure

In just three years under the leadership of Enrique Penalosa, former mayor of Bogota, Colombia, the city built the Trans-Milenio, a bus rapid transit system, rehabbed 1,200 parks, laid 300 kilometers of bikeways, created the world's longest pedestrian street, brought water to all of Bogota's slums, and built new schools, libraries and daycare facilities, all while reducing the murder rate by two-thirds and institutionalizing an annual, citywide car-free day.

3 October 2005 - 11:00am

Urban Revival In Panama

Master plan for Panama’s second colonial-era capital city center calls for “a sustainable, irreversible recovery” of the entire neighborhood.

6 February 2005 - 5:00am

PA Land Use

Brazil's Tree Police

Latin America's biggest environmental police training camp opens in Brazil.

22 November 2004 - 11:00am

The San Diego Union-Tribune

Where 60-Mile-Long Traffic Jams Are Common

What has democracy achieved for this mega-metropolis?

21 August 2004 - 5:00am

BBC News

NPR Profiles Major Latin American Cities

National Public Radio profiles six major cities in Latin America.

27 March 2004 - 5:00am

National Public Radio

Brazilians Live In Fear And Squalor

Brazilians live in fear and squalor while politicans debate what to do about the thousands living in squatter settlements.

22 January 2004 - 12:00pm

The New York Times

Venezuelans Divided Over Who Owns The Land

Venezuela's supreme court ruled last month that one major government-sponsored land invasion was illegal.

15 December 2003 - 11:00am

The Christian Science Monitor

Urban Tours By Rental Car: Sao Paulo

Wendell Cox tours Sao Paulo by rental car, offering a unique perspective on the city most 'reviled by the urban planning community'.

1 October 2003 - 1:00pm

Demographia

Anti-Poverty Program Promotes Recycling for Food

As part of an anti-poverty program in Caracas, food is given to residents in exchange for scrap metal, glass and other recyclable garbage.

14 September 2003 - 5:00am

Yahoo! Newswire

Housing and Land Battles Loom in Brazil

As the backlog of housing in Brazil continues to increase, ranchers and the poor in search of housing outside of urban areas clash.

7 September 2003 - 7:00am

The Washington Post

Designing Transportation For People, Not Cars

Bogotá has become a success story that cities around the world are aiming to copy.

28 August 2003 - 1:00pm

Environmental News Network

A City Is Successful When Its People Are Happy

Enrique Penalosa, the Mayor of Bogota, discusses how transportation has changed the nature of this Colombian city.

8 July 2003 - 9:00am

Yes Magazine

Life Away From The Power Grid

Rural areas of the Dominican Republic are not connected to the nation's power grid but villagers benefit from solar energy powered by the Carribean sun.

6 July 2001 - 6:00am

Wired