PERSPECTIVES ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR A LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN POST-COVID-19

Latin America and the Caribbean is between regions the world with the highest number of Covid-19 deaths. What is certain is that some factors allow the continent to suffer more damage and have greater difficulty in facing the pandemic, the objective of this research situated in the field of Fundamentals of Environmental Education is to understand this situation at first, and then seek to point out alternatives for the region. These alternatives are found from the horizon of environmental justice for the post-Covid-19. The study follows a methodological approach of Philosophical Hermeneutics. as perspectives the study points to: adoption of Eco socialism, change in the energy mix;change in consumption practices;change in human-nature relations, new ways of bringing nations together, overcoming the colonialist model;strengthening of potential and overcoming the discourse of poverty;Latin American solidarity as a possibility to overcome social exclusion;the reinvention of more democratic political systems with the effective participation of the population;appreciation of Latin American identity, based on the recognition of Traditional Peoples;and facing the postponement of the discussion on climate change. © 2023, University of Cienfuegos, Carlos Rafael Rodriguez. All rights reserved.

Latin American Segment of China's Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21(st) Century Maritime Silk Road, is a strategy of China's entry into international markets through the building of land and sea trade corridors with the necessary infrastructure. According to the Chinese government's statements, any State and any international organization can join the project that creates an inclusive cooperation platform. The aim of this article is to analyze the implementation of BRI in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), as well as to identify changes that occur in this process under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary sources are statistical data, government documents, papers of international organizations and forums, think tank reports, speeches by officials, media publications, etc. In the course of the study, the following results are obtained: recent scientific works on the topic are systematized, the issues considered in them are highlighted;the main documents related to the BRI and China-L.. cooperation are listed and briefly characterized;the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of BRI in the region is identified. The author comes to the conclusion that, on the one hand, the BRI is a kind of rebranding of China's policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean. On the other hand, this initiative strengthens China's presence in the region. It has become especially noticeable in the COVID-19 pandemic context. In addition, there is a strategic expansion of the project itself and its goals, which may lead to a significant increase in tension between China and the USA.

A Review of the Progress and Potential of Energy Generation from Renewable Sources in Latin America

Sustainable energy economics in Latin America has become relevant due to the region's dependence on the oil market and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A systematic review of the ten major economies in the region based on gross domestic product is conducted. We primarily analyze production performance of hydro, wind, and solar energies, in terms of total gigawatt hours produced, current participation levels in energy matrices, and total installed capacity. Current and future trends and legal frameworks for each technology and country are discussed. Our analyses indicate that Latin America and the Caribbean can potentially increase the usage of renewable energy sources given a plethora of natural resources, favorable geographical and climatic conditions, and existing large-scale hydro installations to counteract the inconsistency of wind and solar projects. Therefore, governments in the region must overhaul sustainable policies to increase awareness and reduce energy dependence on foreign powers. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Latin American Studies Association.

Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food Security in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean

Recent analyzes have determined that many countries have not made progress towards meeting the goal of eradicating hunger. The difficulties imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic added to the worsening of the climate crisis, which led to an increase in the occurrence of extreme events and the reduction of food production in many countries, have moved the world away from the path that leads to the end of hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. In 2020, almost one in three people in the world lacked access to adequate food, an increase of almost 320 million people between 2019 and 2020. If these data are analyzed by regions, in this same period approximately 46 million more people suffered from hunger in Africa and 14 million more in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Therefore, this chapter aims to assess the main impacts generated by historical (1950–2021) and future (2050 and 2100) climate change trends on food production and its correlation with the prevalence of undernourishment and moderate and severe food insecurity in Africa and LAC between 2000 and 2022. The results of these analyzes will provide essential information that can be used to promote the development of sustainable food systems in the current context of the socio-sanitary and climate crisis, in accordance with SDGs 2, 13 and 17 of the 2030 Agenda. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Multiculturalism and economic impact in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges and perspectives in the context of Covid 19

The article aims to analyze the socio-economic panorama of the countries that make up the Latin American and Caribbean region, whose main source of study focuses on the predominant multiculturalism in native and indigenous peoples seen from a health crisis approach in full swing of the COVID-19. Thus, despite the current policies to deal with and consolidate the overthrow of the history of oppression and capitalist exploitation in minority communities, the disconnection between the literal nature of the current policies and their implementation by virtue of protection can still be evidenced. and support for the collective and social rights of indigenous populations. In this sense, this research is developed from a qualitative approach under the methodology of grounded theory in an exploratory and descriptive framework of the phenomenal situation of indigenous peoples marginalized as a result of an imposing current neoliberal model. © Encuentros (Maracaibo). All rights reserved.

Latin American Segment of China's Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21(st) Century Maritime Silk Road, is a strategy of China's entry into international markets through the building of land and sea trade corridors with the necessary infrastructure. According to the Chinese government's statements, any State and any international organization can join the project that creates an inclusive cooperation platform. The aim of this article is to analyze the implementation of BRI in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), as well as to identify changes that occur in this process under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary sources are statistical data, government documents, papers of international organizations and forums, think tank reports, speeches by officials, media publications, etc. In the course of the study, the following results are obtained: recent scientific works on the topic are systematized, the issues considered in them are highlighted;the main documents related to the BRI and China-L.. cooperation are listed and briefly characterized;the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of BRI in the region is identified. The author comes to the conclusion that, on the one hand, the BRI is a kind of rebranding of China's policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean. On the other hand, this initiative strengthens China's presence in the region. It has become especially noticeable in the COVID-19 pandemic context. In addition, there is a strategic expansion of the project itself and its goals, which may lead to a significant increase in tension between China and the USA.

What is post-COVID-19 syndrome? Definition and update.

This work addresses the origin and development of post-COVID-19 syndrome, which consists of the persistence of different symptoms over time as a consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Based on a narrative review of the scientific literature, a brief analysis of the new term is made, specifying the conceptual definition, characteristic symptoms, the various implications for people's health, and the responses to specific care measures that have been implemented. It concludes with a wake-up call to the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean in order for care and surveillance to be provided to this public health problem.

Este trabajo aborda el origen y el desarrollo del síndrome pos-COVID-19, el cual consiste en la persistencia a través del tiempo de diferentes síntomas como consecuencia de la infección por SARS-CoV-2. A partir de una revisión narrativa de la literatura científica, se realiza un breve recorrido sobre el nuevo término y se precisa la definición conceptual, los síntomas característicos, las diversas implicaciones en la salud de las personas y las respuestas de atención específica que se han implementado. Se concluye con una llamada de atención a los gobiernos de América Latina y el Caribe para dar tratamiento y seguimiento a este problema de salud pública.

LATIN AMERICAN SEGMENT OF CHINА'S BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, is a strategy of China's entry into international markets through the building of land and sea trade corridors with the necessary infrastructure. According to the Chinese government's statements, any State and any international organization can join the project that creates an inclusive cooperation platform. The aim of this article is to analyze the implementation of BRI in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), as well as to identify changes that occur in this process under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary sources are statistical data, government documents, papers of international organizations and forums, think tank reports, speeches by officials, media publications, etc. In the course of the study, the following results are obtained: recent scientific works on the topic are systematized, the issues considered in them are highlighted;the main documents related to the BRI and China-LАС cooperation are listed and briefly characterized;the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of BRI in the region is identified. The author comes to the conclusion that, on the one hand, the BRI is a kind of rebranding of China's policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean. On the other hand, this initiative strengthens China's presence in the region. It has become especially noticeable in the COVID-19 pandemic context. In addition, there is a strategic expansion of the project itself and its goals, which may lead to a significant increase in tension between China and the USA. © 2022, Russian Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

What is post-COVID-19 syndrome? Definition and update / ¿Qué es el síndrome pos-COVID-19? Definición y actualización

Resumen Este trabajo aborda el origen y el desarrollo del síndrome pos-COVID-19, el cual consiste en la persistencia a través del tiempo de diferentes síntomas como consecuencia de la infección por SARS-CoV-2. A partir de una revisión narrativa de la literatura científica, se realiza un breve recorrido sobre el nuevo término y se precisa la definición conceptual, los síntomas característicos, las diversas implicaciones en la salud de las personas y las respuestas de atención específica que se han implementado. Se concluye con una llamada de atención a los gobiernos de América Latina y el Caribe para dar tratamiento y seguimiento a este problema de salud pública.

Abstract This work addresses the origin and development of post-COVID-19 syndrome, which consists of the persistence of different symptoms over time as a consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Based on a narrative review of the scientific literature, a brief analysis of the new term is made, specifying the conceptual definition, characteristic symptoms, the various implications for people's health, and the responses to specific care measures that have been implemented. It concludes with a wake-up call to the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean in order for care and surveillance to be provided to this public health problem.

Overview of the use of big data for official statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean

In 2020 and 2021, the challenges related to the decline in the financing of statistical production and the cooperation of respondents was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This scenario led national statistical offices (NSOs) to accelerate consideration of alternative data sources to complement or even replace traditional survey data. In this context, the use of big data to produce statistics has become promising. The use of big data for statistics is already in practice in many parts of the Global North and has also been spreading rapidly in the South. Part of the success of this trend is due to the support of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UNCEBD), in particular its four Regional Hubs for Big Data. To learn the extent of the use of big data for official statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean, the United Nations Regional Hub for Big Data in Brazil conducted a study of the practices of NSOs in the region. A very promising scenario was found regarding the use of big data from satellite imagery, web scraping and other big data sources, for applications such as the production of price statistics, land use and cover patterns and migration. [ FROM AUTHOR]

Latin America and the Caribbean SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance: Longitudinal Trend Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented stress on economies, food systems, and health care resources in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Existing surveillance provides a proxy of the COVID-19 caseload and mortalities; however, these measures make it difficult to identify the dynamics of the pandemic and places where outbreaks are likely to occur. Moreover, existing surveillance techniques have failed to measure the dynamics of the pandemic. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to provide additional surveillance metrics for COVID-19 transmission to track changes in the speed, acceleration, jerk, and persistence in the transmission of the pandemic more accurately than existing metrics. METHODS: Through a longitudinal trend analysis, we extracted COVID-19 data over 45 days from public health registries. We used an empirical difference equation to monitor the daily number of cases in the LAC as a function of the prior number of cases, the level of testing, and weekly shift variables based on a dynamic panel model that was estimated using the generalized method of moments approach by implementing the Arellano-Bond estimator in R. COVID-19 transmission rates were tracked for the LAC between September 30 and October 6, 2020, and between October 7 and 13, 2020. RESULTS: The LAC saw a reduction in the speed, acceleration, and jerk for the week of October 13, 2020, compared to the week of October 6, 2020, accompanied by reductions in new cases and the 7-day moving average. For the week of October 6, 2020, Belize reported the highest acceleration and jerk, at 1.7 and 1.8, respectively, which is particularly concerning, given its high mortality rate. The Bahamas also had a high acceleration at 1.5. In total, 11 countries had a positive acceleration during the week of October 6, 2020, whereas only 6 countries had a positive acceleration for the week of October 13, 2020. The TAC displayed an overall positive trend, with a speed of 10.40, acceleration of 0.27, and jerk of -0.31, all of which decreased in the subsequent week to 9.04, -0.81, and -0.03, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Metrics such as new cases, cumulative cases, deaths, and 7-day moving averages provide a static view of the pandemic but fail to identify where and the speed at which SARS-CoV-2 infects new individuals, the rate of acceleration or deceleration of the pandemic, and weekly comparison of the rate of acceleration of the pandemic indicate impending explosive growth or control of the pandemic. Enhanced surveillance will inform policymakers and leaders in the LAC about COVID-19 outbreaks.

Learning from the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: Comparing policy responses in Uruguay with 10 other Latin American and Caribbean countries.

A range of public health and social measures have been employed in response to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Yet, pandemic responses have varied across the region, particularly during the first 6 months of the pandemic, with Uruguay effectively limiting transmission during this crucial phase. This review describes features of pandemic responses which may have contributed to Uruguay's early success relative to 10 other LAC countries - Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago. Uruguay differentiated its early response efforts from reviewed countries by foregoing strict border closures and restrictions on movement, and rapidly implementing a suite of economic and social measures. Our findings describe the importance of supporting adherence to public health interventions by ensuring that effective social and economic safety net measures are in place to permit compliance with public health measures.

Increased Detection of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales Bacteria in Latin America and the Caribbean during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

During 2020-2021, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean reported clinical emergence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales that had not been previously characterized locally, increased prevalence of carbapenemases that had previously been detected, and co-production of multiple carbapenemases in some isolates. These increases were likely fueled by changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including empirical antibiotic use for potential COVID-19-related bacterial infections and healthcare limitations resulting from the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases. Strengthening antimicrobial resistance surveillance, epidemiologic research, and infection prevention and control programs and antimicrobial stewardship in clinical settings can help prevent emergence and transmission of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales.

Building the social innovation for health ecosystem in Latin America: Experiences and learning from SIHI-LAC

Social innovation for health has grown in relevance and momentum across Latin America.1-5 Yet, the potential of social innovation for health appears mostly untapped, with one reason for this being the limited investment to build strong ecosystems that can support social innovation initiatives.6-8

Construction and appropriation of urban territory by communities: development of the citizen movement around the defense of heritage neighborhoods in Santiago, Chile

In Cuba, efforts to achieve more significant advances in food security and nutrition are a priority of its economic and social policy. However, the problems that persist aggravated by the appearance of the Covid-19 pandemic, express the need to address the issue with a comprehensive approach that synergistically harmonizes its dimensions. To contribute to this purpose, cooperation is fundamental through the strategic alliances it promotes, so it must be strengthened mainly with Latin America and the Caribbean. The analysis of the status of the agri-food cooperation relations of Cuba with the region 2016-2020 is an objective of the work developed through the theoretical methods analysis and synthesis and the historical-logical, as well as the Empirical method through document analysis and social network analysis with UNICET and NETDRAW 6.645 software. It is concluded that the current cooperation agreements favour joint work;however, it is essential to diversify their typology by being concentrated in commerce. To this end, strategic lines are proposed around trade relations, training, innovation and investment.

Climate-resilient and regenerative futures for Latin America and the Caribbean

Few events have had an impact as the global crisis caused by COVID-19. However, prior to the pandemic, Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries already had severe problems in terms of inequality, environmental degradation, and dysfunctional political systems. Added to this are the growing challenges that climate change poses for this highly vulnerable region. This historic turning point represents a new call to consider future studies to re-imagine and reinvent alternative futures for the LAC region. For this paper, we conducted an in-depth qualitative futures study to identify how Latin American and Caribbean countries could build long-term resilience, focusing on adaptability to climate change risks, considering existing sustainable development challenges and the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic, environmental, and social aspects. This study's findings provide recommendations for policymakers and decision-makers to achieve sustainable futures for LAC. Finally, it reflects on the value of collective action for a future-proof region.

The Every Woman Every Child initiative: supporting countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to reduce social inequalities in health.

The Every Woman Every Child Latin America and the Caribbean (EWEC-LAC) initiative was established in 2017 as a regional inter-agency mechanism. EWEC-LAC coordinates the regional implementation of the Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), including adaptation to region specific needs, to end preventable deaths, ensure health and well-being and expand enabling environments for the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents. To advance the equitable achievement of these objectives, EWEC-LAC's three working groups collectively support LAC countries in measuring and monitoring social inequalities in health, advocating for their reduction, and designing and implementing equity-oriented strategies, policies and interventions. This support for data-driven advocacy, capacity building, and policy and program solutions toward closing current gaps ensures that no one is left behind. Members of EWEC-LAC include PAHO, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN WOMEN, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, USAID, LAC Regional Neonatal Alliance, and the LAC Regional Task Force for the Reduction of Maternal Mortality. To date, EWEC-LAC has developed and collected innovative tools and resources and begun to engage with countries to utilize them to reduce equity gaps. These resources include a framework for the measurement of social inequalities in health, data use and advocacy tools including a data dashboard to visualize trends in social inequalities in health in LAC countries, a methodology for setting targets for the reduction of inequalities, and a compendium of tools, instruments and methods to identify and address social inequalities in health. EWEC-LAC has also engaged regionally to emphasize the importance of recognizing these inequalities at social and political levels, and advocated for the reduction of these gaps. Attention to closing health equity gaps is ever more critical in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic which has exploited existing vulnerabilities. More equitable health systems will be better prepared to confront future health shocks.

RESUMEN: La iniciativa Todas las mujeres, Todos los niños América Latina y el Caribe (EWEC-LAC, por su sigla en inglés) se estableció en 2017 como un mecanismo interinstitucional regional. Coordina la implementación regional de la Estrategia Mundial para la Salud de la Mujer, el Niño y el Adolescente en América Latina y el Caribe (ALC), incluyendo la adaptación a necesidades específicas de la región, para poner fin a muertes evitables, garantizar la salud y el bienestar y ampliar entornos propicios para la salud y el bienestar de mujeres, niños, niñas y adolescentes. Para promover el logro equitativo de estos objetivos, los tres grupos de trabajo de EWEC-LAC colectivamente apoyan a los países de ALC en la medición y monitoreo de las desigualdades sociales en salud, la abogacía por la disminución de estas y el diseño e implementación de estrategias, políticas e intervenciones orientadas a la equidad. Este apoyo para cerrar brechas actuales asegura que nadie se quede atrás. Miembros de EWEC-LAC incluyen FPNU, OPS, ONU Mujeres, ONUSIDA, UNICEF, el Banco Mundial, el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo, USAID, la Alianza Regional Neonatal para ALC, y el Grupo de Trabajo Regional para la Reducción de la Mortalidad Materna. A la fecha, EWEC-LAC ha desarrollado y recopilado herramientas y recursos innovadores y ha comenzado a colaborar con los países para utilizarlos a fin de reducir brechas de equidad. Estos incluyen un marco de medición de desigualdades sociales en salud, herramientas de promoción de datos incluyendo un tablero de datos para visualizar tendencias en desigualdades sociales en salud, una metodología para establecer metas en la disminución de las desigualdades y un compendio de herramientas y métodos para identificar y abordar las desigualdades sociales en salud. EWEC-LAC ha trabajado en la región para enfatizar la importancia de reconocer estas desigualdades a niveles sociales y políticos, y ha abogado por la disminución de éstas. La atención para cerrar las brechas de equidad en salud es cada vez más crítica frente a la pandemia de COVID-19, que ha agudizado las vulnerabilidades existentes. Sistemas de salud más equitativos estarán mejor preparados para hacer frente a futuras crisis de salud.

Promoting immunization equity in Latin America and the Caribbean: Case studies, lessons learned, and their implication for COVID-19 vaccine equity.

In 2020, the World Health Organization launched the Immunization Agenda 2030: A Global Strategy to Leave No One Behind, which prioritizes high equitable immunization coverage at the national level and in all districts. Achieving high and homogenous immunization coverage, which is all the more important within the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine rollout, requires the strengthening of existing immunization activities and innovative approach to immunization promotion. This research applied a descriptive case study methodology to document the implementation of strategic multi-level alliances to promote equitable immunization access and demand in Colombia, Guyana, and Sucre, Bolivia. Data collection, carried out between September 2019 and March 2020, included documentary reviews, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and site visits accompanied by discussions with relevant stakeholders. Case studies provide valuable examples of people-centered, partnership-based, country-owned, and data-guided approaches to promoting equitable immunization coverage, including multi-level partnerships to build technical capacity for the identification and measurement of social inequalities impacting immunization in Colombia; intersectoral and community collaboration for pro-equity emergency response to regional vaccine preventable disease outbreaks in Guyana; and strategic alliances with the education sector and civil society organizations for the introduction of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine in Sucre, Bolivia. Lessons learned highlight avenues for improving the impact of multi-level, equity-focused capacity building, particularly at the local level; optimizing the use of data and resources, partnerships, and community and stakeholder education and empowerment. While impact studies are needed to better understand the quantitative contributions of such strategic alliances, these case studies illustrate their practical significance and reinforce the value of multi-level, intersectoral collaboration for enhancing equitable immunization access and demand. The experiences of Colombia, Guyana, and Sucre, Bolivia provide evidence-based insight to support pro-equity immunization program planning to ensure that no one is left behind and that everyone, everywhere receives the benefits of vaccines, both routine and for COVID-19.

Intelligent Detection of Suspicions of COVID-19 Using X-Ray Imaging

At the beginning of 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, since in all the countries of the world efforts have been made to stop the rate of infections, with the isolation of the population;Peru was one of the countries with strict isolation, however we are about to experience a third wave;on May 2021, Peru has a fatality rate of 3.55%, it is the 5th country with the most deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean and 15th worldwide. A rapid identification of COVID-19 cases is necessary, for this reason an algorithm has been developed for the identification of CODID-19 in addition to bacterial and viral pneumonia through x-ray images;also, the development of a graphical interface, which helps to quickly diagnose suspected COVID-19 cases. The results shown are optimistic since a rate of approximately 80% has been achieved, however, work continues to further improve the efficiency of the system. © 2021 IEEE.