LatinNews Daily - 06 June 2024

*Honduras’ government led by President Xiomara Castro has announced L19bn (US$770m) in funding for a strategy lasting until 2029 to combat deforestation in the country, where deforestation levels remain high due to illegal logging and forest fires resulting from the expansion of agricultural products. This follows a state of climate emergency declared by President Castro on 22 May to defend protected areas and water production zones. In line with the declaration, a new commission tasked with eliminating deforestation was set up – to be headed up by the environment ministry (Serna). Announcing the funding, President Castro also said that since the start of her government (which took office in January 2022), L1.6bn had been invested in protecting the environment. She said that this had yielded significant results with regard to the protection of Lake Yojoa, the largest natural lake in the country, located 75km to the south of San Pedro Sula city (Cortés department), where the departments of Comayagua, Santa Bárbara, and Cortés converge; the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, the largest protected area in the country, located in the Mosquitia region; and the protected area of El Cajón reservoir, Cortés department.