1. Environmental Issues in Latin America

2. Countries of Focus MEXICO BRAZIL VENEZUELA

3. Air Pollution In Mexico City Major environmental concern in Mexico is air pollution in Mexico City. CAUSES Overcrowding Industrialization Vehicle Emissions Location- why location?

4. Mexico’s Physical Features

5. Pollution in Mexico City Since Mexico City lies in a bowl-shaped valley surrounded by mountains, air pollutants are trapped.

6. Mexico City

7. A panoramic view of Mexico City, taken from high up in the tallest building in Latin America. Note the tremendous amount of air pollution...

9. BRAZIL

10. Amazon Rain Forest

11. BRAZIL The Amazon at Risk CAUSES Deforestation – process of cutting and clearing away trees from a forest Slash and Burn

12. Why Does This Matter? Contains 20% of the world’s fresh water Provides one-third of the earth’s oxygen Loss of habitat to numerous species of plants and animals Many plants used for medicines Loss of homeland for indigenous groups

13. The Amazon at Risk

14. Native Indians of the Amazon

15. Jungle Fauna

16. Minerals of the Amazon Region Diamonds Amethyst Quartz Bauxite

17. Deforestation in the Amazon

18. Original Forest Cover Future Forest Cover Current Forest Cover

19. VENEZUELA Oil Pollution CAUSES Oil drilling results in the following major environmental hazards: Oil spills Tanker leaks

20. Oil Drilling

21. Why is oil important to Venezuela?

22. Oil Drilling Oil production results in toxic wastes, air pollution and occasional oil spillage. Streams and rivers are polluted, along with their associated fish and other animals. The people in oil-producing regions suffer from high levels of cancer, skin problems, and breathing problems.

23. Venezuela is best known for being a major oil producer – the world's fifth-largest. Most pollution is created by oil extraction and transportation.

24. One of Latin America's largest lakes, Lake Maracaibo is polluted as is the coast along the Caribbean.

25. During the 1990s Venezuela was cutting down its forests twice as fast as the rest of South America. Venezuela burns more energy, and puts out more carbon dioxide, than any other country in Latin America. Money from selling oil is the country's main source of income, so Venezuelans are motivated to keep producing, selling and burning oil-and polluting.

26. Oil drilling operations has lead to… Oil and urban pollution of Lake Maracaibo Deforestation Soil degradation urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast

27. People however, are becoming aware that the cost in the long term may be too great. Various groups are calling for renewable energy resources and the clean up and prevention of pollution caused by oil.

30. Influence of oil in Lake Maracaibo