Argentina

Latin America is home to 50 percent of the planet's biodiversity, and Argentina is emblematic of the region's abundance of life and ecosystems. The country's 18 eco-regions form a complex territory that includes a sub-tropical zone, Antarctica, the tallest mountains in the Americas, and some of the Atlantic Ocean's greatest depths. According to the National Biodiversity Strategy, Argentina is the habitat of 1,002 bird varieties and hundreds of reptile, mammal, and amphibian species. Unfortunately, 25 percent of them are under the threat of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 

Like many of its neighbors, Argentina faces the many challenges that the continued expansion of industrial-scale agriculture, especially soy and cattle production, has brought about in the last few decades. The ever-increasing global demand for food means that farmed areas keep increasing and that deforestation has become a major environmental issue in the North of Argentina. Land-use changes have affected climate, and thousands of Argentines throughout the country experience flood events every year. And in the growing urban centers of the country, waste management and air and water pollution are becoming serious problems that are only partially addressed. Although favorable commodity-market conditions for soy production make the crop the primary driver of deforestation, insufficient land-use planning and lack of environmental law enforcement also contribute. 

Among the most important ecosystems in Argentina, whose degradation represents a risk not only to the country but globally, are the Gran Chaco and Patagonia, two Iconic Places in Latin America. In these areas, TNC can deliver nature-based solutions at a scale that addresses the next decade's global environmental challenges. Those solutions can provide a triple benefit for biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable growth, and TNC believes that our leadership in place-based conservation, our scientific expertise, and our role as conveners with an extensive cross-sector network of partnerships can help us provide all-encompassing solutions. 

TNC has worked in Argentina since 2010 [MM1] and has a wealth of research, academic publications, and on-the-ground efforts on many fronts.  Our Country Program recognizes the strength of continuing to work in both Patagonia and the Gran Chaco regions and understands that one organization alone can't tackle these issues. We will continue to broaden our collaboration with scientists, non-profits, communities, producers, governments, businesses, banks, social media influencers, and entrepreneurs. 

TNC's approach connects people with nature through science, smart networking, and joint learning. Given the pressing challenges posed by unrelenting poverty levels across the country and Climate Change scenarios, TNC Argentina's actions will contribute toward the national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) agenda.

TNC has been driving initiatives that combine value for nature and production and uses technology and innovation to leverage existing knowledge and expertise to implement solutions that reduce the agricultural footprint. And by involving producers in its efforts to maintain the natural base of productive lands, it demonstrates that conservation and development can not only coexist but boost the preservation of forests, grasslands, wetlands, and other ecosystems across the working landscape.  

 [MM1]maybe better to change for "since 2010" - because we dont know how frequently we are going to update this page...´