GEO-6 Regional Assessment for Latin America and the Caribbean


The “Integrated Programme for Clean Beaches” and the National Information System on Water Quality at Mexican Beaches started to monitor bacteriological quality in 2003. The Ministries of Marina, Environment and Natural Resources, Health and Tourism participate in this initiative that includes 17 coastal States. According to WHO´s criteria, samples with values higher than 200 enterococci per 100 millilitres show water quality not recommended for bathing.


In 2003, 226 beaches in 35 touristic destinations were monitored; in 2015, this increased to 267 beaches in 62 tourist destinations, with 364 monitoring sites. In general, water quality has shown acceptable values in the majority of locations (97.8% in the first trimester of 2015, see Figure below). Results are publicly available at http://www.gob.mx/ semarnat/articulos/programa-playas-limpias.


In Brazil, reports on water quality in beaches are under responsibility of the State Environment Agencies. They are based on random sampling and analysis of beach water related with their faecal coliform content. Research on beach water quality for bathing shows a great daily variability as a


Water quality at selected beaches in Mexican touristic destinations


result of factors such as ocean and marine currents, rainfall, urban sewage and the amount of people present at the beach at the time of sample collection (Inmetro 2016).


There is no official site for statistics about the suitability of beaches for bathing in the main cities situated in the Brazilian coastal area. Particular initiatives show water quality status of around 500 beaches in the Atlantic Brazilian Coastal zone, during summer. However, it is supposed that only a small number of people use this kind of information to make their choice for holidays and vacation places.


23. Chile: Native forest substitution by plantations


The export of natural resources is one of the pillars of Chile’s economy. The forestry industry is currently the third most important exporting activity in the country, and its main markets are the US, China and Japan (INFOR 2014). Chile’s main source of timber is government-subsidized forest plantations with fast-growing exotic species (Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus spp.) (Altamirano et al. 2013; Lara et al. 2012; Altamirano and Lara 2010; Aguayo et al. 2009). Forest plantations currently cover approximately 25 thousand square kilometres of the country (INFOR 2014). They have been established in former agricultural areas, but have also replaced native forests (Miranda et al. 2015; Zamorano- Elgueta et al. 2015; Altamirano et al. 2013; Lara et al. 2012; Altamirano and Lara 2010; Aguayo et al. 2009; Echeverría et al. 2006).


Source: COFEPRIS et al. 2015; CONAGUA 2014 196


Chile’s native forests represent more than 50 per cent of the southern hemisphere’s temperate forests (Donoso 1993). The country’s native temperate forests have a large number of endemic species that are threatened by human activities, making them a conservation priority (Brooks et al. 2006; Myers et al. 2000). The main causes of forest loss and fragmentation are the expansion of the agricultural frontier, and since the 1970s conversion into plantation forests (Zamorano-Elgueta et al. 2015; Miranda et al. 2015; Altamirano et al. 2013; Lara et al. 2012; Altamirano and Lara


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