SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia–Only a year after the Paris Climate Agreement was adopted in 2015, Latin American countries quickly gained recognition for boosting existing “green energy” initiatives and paving the way for new ones to follow. Yet, over the past six years, negative environmental consequences from projects like hydroelectric dams and mining operations to supply the manufacturing side of sustainable power, have cast a shadow across the landscape of green energy use in the region. When it comes to conservation, regional governments have largely overlooked the threats created by rapid growth in the energy sector and poor production infrastructure. Troubling Evidence Against Dam Projects Hydroelectricity is one of the oldest forms of renewable energy, and for years has been a go-to method for addressing water shortages in the Americas. Nevertheless, the environmental blowback from these initiatives can actually create water shortages, according to some scientists. One study on the relationship between drought and …
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