Environmental Issues

in Uruguay
The biggest Environmental issues in Uruguay are:

Water pollution

Climate Change
 Water pollution in Uruguay

Main causes:

-Levels of nitrogen
(Agricultural contribution: fertilizers and agrochemicals )

Nutrients needed for the creation of

-Levels of phosphorus
algal blooms, cyanobacteria which
(domestic, agricultural and industrial discharges) may bring cyanotoxins

-Insufficient sanitation in populated places out

of the capital city

Algal blooms are bigger if the nitrogen

comes together with climate change
Water pollution in Uruguay

Most affected rivers by 2016, according to UCU:

Rio Santa Lucía
Laguna del Sauce

2019-2020:
Rio Negro
Rio Uruguay
Most of the coasts in Montevideo
Algal blooms are bigger if the nitrogen
comes together with climate change…
Climate Change in Uruguay
Evidence:

Floods: now more usual and intense. In December 2019, more than 5000 people had to
leave their houses

Unusual temperatures: very high in winter (even 30°C), higher in summer

Causes of Climate Change:

Human expansion of the Greenhouse Effect

What is the greenhouse effect?
Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Produced by: deforestation, and burning fossil fuels

Methane (CH4)
Produced by: agriculture (especially rice cultivation), as well as livestock / cattle
raising

Nitrous Oxide (N20)

Produced by: Soil cultivation, the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil
fuel combustion and nitric acid production

a ton of methane will absorb 28 times

as much thermal energy as a ton of carbon dioxide
 Another issue…
Economy is based on:
● Agriculture
● Cattle raising

● the agriculture sector contributes to about 80% of Uruguay’s greenhouse

gas emissions

However…
The country has committed to low methane emissions
 For reflection:

● Do you think that the water on the beach is ugly or that could be better?
● Do you see differences in OSE water when comparing to water from years ago?
● Have you ever seen the cyanobacteria/discharges/pollution on the beach?

● Are floods now bigger and in places that never had been before?
● Can you feel temperature differences when comparing to temperatures of previous
years?
IF MOST ANSWERS IF MOST ANSWERS
WERE: YES WERE: NO

● THERE ARE BIG ● NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN
URUGUAY
For discussion:

Nowadays…

Do people give importance to

Environmental issues?

Do you think there is misinformation

or lack of it among uruguayans?
 As a closure:
Is the role of teachers
important?

How can they contribute?

 Resources

● https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/4-consecuencias-del-cambio-climatico-que-ya-se-pueden-ve
r-en-america-latina-2019123214713
● https://radiouruguay.uy/el-agua-principal-problema-ambiental-de-uruguay/
● https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases
● http://www.aae.com.uy/es/contaminacion-del-agua-en-uruguay/
● https://ladiaria.com.uy/rioabierto/articulo/2019/3/el-fosforo-un-contaminante-permanente-del-agua-
en-uruguay/
● https://climate.nasa.gov/
 Thanks!

Melina Pérez, Language II

CeRP del Sur

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