Illegal Mining & Mercury/Arsenic Crisis: France is pushing for a joint response with Suriname after AFP reported border gold extraction along the Marowijne river is driving extreme contamination—mercury and arsenic levels far above WHO limits—while Indigenous communities say they’re exposed daily through water and food. Maritime Disaster Watch (MV Barima): Search and recovery off Guyana’s coast continues after the ferry sank with 179 aboard; with dozens still unaccounted for, divers say harsh Atlantic conditions and darkness inside the wreck make navigation dangerously difficult. Salvage vs Memorial: Guyana’s PM says the government will consult survivors and families before deciding whether to salvage the sunken MV Barima or preserve it as a memorial site. Forensic Tools Against Illegal Gold (Brazil): Brazil’s “gold fingerprinting” lab uses chemical signatures to trace seized gold back to protected areas, aiming to strengthen enforcement against illegal mining that fuels deforestation and mercury pollution. Space for Earth Monitoring (French Guiana launch): Avio plans a Vega C launch from Kourou to deploy Copernicus Sentinel-3C and ESA’s FLEX vegetation mission, boosting satellite data for climate, weather, and environmental monitoring. CARICOM Tax & Sustainability: At COTA in Georgetown, CARICOM leaders urged smarter, data-driven and AI-enabled tax systems to secure more resilient, home-grown financing as climate resilience and regional priorities—including French Guiana’s associate membership—move forward.