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Repeated figurine: garbage, conflicts and San Roque lake

The project “Centro Ambiental Carlos Paz” presents serious irregularities and violates environmental regulations and participation. It would affect Lake San Roque and would not be a definitive regional solution to the historical problem related to the integral management of solid urban waste.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

 In the province of Cordoba, our officials continue to fail to provide an adequate and committed response to the problem of solid urban waste management. As in the elaboration of many other public policies deaf ears are made to the recommendations of science, technology and the needs of the citizens.

The management of urban solid waste is considered one of the main environmental problems of our society. And as a consequence of this, Argentina has an Integrated Management Program for Urban Solid Waste (GIRSU) -AR-L1151 financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The Program finances works for the integral management of urban solid waste (MSW) and the recovery of degraded areas due to the poor disposition of such residues. The total cost of the program is 150 million dollars within the same is the Environmental Center Villa Carlos Paz, whose name is already biased since it would be more accurate to talk about a landfill. A landfill is a place destined to the final disposition of trash, in which multiple measures are taken to reduce the impacts to the environment. In short, it seeks to reduce and isolate waste and develop mechanisms to treat liquids and gases produced by the decomposition of organic matter.

The questioned Environmental Center Villa Carlos Paz pretends to be a landfill where there is now an open dump. The autoconvocado neighborhood group, opposes the construction of the landfill in the selected place and approved by the Secretariat of Environment and Climate Change of Cordoba. Since the beginning of this year we are working together with neighbors and neighbors of the area. The reasons why we require the relocation of this project of more than 200 million pesos are varied. The guidelines of science and technology have not been followed for the elaboration and construction of this type of works and are violating environmental norms and citizen participation.

First, the environmental impact study (EIA) presents inconsistencies.

* Probable outdated baseline studies: There is a high probability of a mismatch of baseline description of water quality, soil, air as a function of the behavior of natural and environmental variables and impacts evaluated . The exact date of its elaboration is not known, but the EIA was presented by TecnoMak S.A. On March 30, 2015, had an opinion of the Technical Interdisciplinary Committee on February 29, 2016 and was submitted to a public hearing on April 6 of that year. In this context, both for the instance of citizen participation and for the execution of the work, the study was done in a context that is not the current one.

* Lack of clarity on the basis for the selection of the location of the work: it is objectionable the justification of the choice of the farm to carry out the works. To carry out the project TecnoMak S.A. Considered three possible properties, however it is unknown the fundamentals by which it was chosen for its location in the building of the current open dump. Neither are the reasons why the other two alternatives were ruled out.

* Possible impacts to the lake and a reserve: The situation is aggravated by the fact that it is intended to build a few meters from Lake San Roque on land that may have a greater propensity to seep or leach into the water and adjoining a protected natural area Natural Reserve La Calera).

* Use of outdated census data: The EIA uses data from the 2008 national population census, with one being carried out in 2010, which shows considerable changes in the number of inhabitants of the area.

Secondly, the resolutions of the administration that establish the useful life of the project are not clear. The first opinion of the Interdisciplinary Technical Commission of the Environment Secretariat (February 29, 2016) suggests that “the draft module for the final disposal of MSW will be maximum for a use of six years.” It also recommends that the use of the module for the final disposal of RSU receives only the waste from the town of Villa Carlos Paz. Following the public hearing held on April 6, 2016, and without public prefeasibility studies, a second opinion of the ITC decided to extend the useful life of the project to twenty years, as well as the number of communes reached To the towns of Villa Río Icho Cruz, Mayu Sumaj, Cuesta Blanca, Tala Huasi, Cabalango and Malagueño. In summary, the reasons for which this decision was taken are not known, the plane with the exact coordinates where the Landfill and the total number of projected modules.

Thirdly, the right to participation of citizens living within the area of ​​influence of the project was affected. The art. 67 of Law 10,208 establishes that the public hearing process must be carried out in the area of ​​influence of the project and open participation. In this case, the public hearing was convened only in Villa Carlos Paz (Department of Punilla), and one of the areas most affected by the proximity of the property is the municipality of Malagueño, belonging to the Department of Santa Maria. In addition, the possibility of convening a popular consultation was not foreseen, considering the possible categorization of the project as having a high environmental complexity (article 68, law 10,208).

This alarming project has an environmental license approved by the Ministry of Environment of the Province, and the EIA has not been prepared in strict compliance with the current regulatory framework. Socio-environmental conflict is imminent and works can begin at any time.

The excessive growth in the volume of waste in today’s society is endangering the capacity of nature to maintain our needs and those of future generations. Population and consumption grow, and as a consequence, also the amount of garbage we generate. The problem is that the space does not grow and that we are not giving the right treatment.

We have submitted requests for information to the Secretary of Environment of the Province of Córdoba, the Municipality of Malagueño and the Municipality of Villa Carlos Paz. In addition, on May 8, we approached a note to IDB officials in Argentina responsible for following up on the program by letting us know about these concerns.

We demand transparency, accountability and coherence in government acts. We need integral and long-term solutions for the integral management of solid urban waste. Our officials are obliged to comply with current standards and to ensure that human rights and the environment are respected. It is not possible to make decisions democratically at any cost and regardless of the conditions.

More information

Contact

Male Martinez, malemartinez@fundeps.org

María Victoria Gerbaldo, victoriagerbaldo@fundeps.org

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Studies show environmental degradation and government neglect in Chacras de la Merced

During the month of December 2016, the Foundation for the Development of Sustainable Policies decided to carry out a survey process in the neighborhood of Chacras de la Merced, in order to obtain accurate information about the state of situation of the community there.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

Since 2015, FUNDEPS has been working with the recently mentioned neighborhood of the City of Cordoba, in relation to the problems of the sewage treatment plant (WWTP). The proven malfunction of the plant, located in the area since 1984, has caused numerous problems in the nearby population, as well as in the ecosystem there.

The purpose of this survey process was to be able to discover the perception of the neighbors of the neighborhood with respect to the plant, as well as of other problems that they could identify as an emergency. The instrument used was intended to compile the perception of the community of Chacras de la Merced about the operation of the sewage treatment plant, the environmental situation of the area, the performance of the government authorities towards the neighborhood and its interest Engage in control activities.

In this sense, within the results obtained, below are presented those of greater relevance.

An 83% (44 families) does not feel calm with the environmental situation of the district Chacras de la Merced.

Five issues were mentioned and respondents were asked to prioritize among themselves, establishing from 1 to 5 the urgency with which they believed they should be addressed by government authorities. Of the total families surveyed, 34 (64%) of them gave the number 1 priority and urgency to the pollution caused by the sewage treatment plant.

The respondents were then asked whether or not they knew the work that EDAR does, and 58.8% said they did not know with certainty the work and operation of the WWTP. 50.9% said he was very badly informed about the issues that relate to the operation of the plant. Consistent with this, 79.2% of neighbors said they do not trust the information provided by the municipality of Cordoba on the operation of the plant.

Notwithstanding the lack of knowledge, 86% consider that the plant is not functioning properly; And opined in reference to the factor considered to cause malfunction. 37.2% of the respondents said that the plant does not work properly due to lack of municipal controls that verify the correct functioning. Likewise, 46.5% consider that the malfunction of the plant causes the immediate contamination of the river.

He wondered about the confidence that respondents had in certain institutions and organizations. Entrepreneurs, the provincial government, the municipal government, the police, the legislature, the judiciary, political parties, trade unions and the national government receive nothing from the neighbors of Chacras de la Merced. Private and public universities; Environmental organizations, social organizations, religious institutions, and the media are receptive to the trust of neighbors. The neighbors opined, undoubtedly with 77% (41 families), who do not trust EDAR.

It is important to note that 76.9% of the neighbors do not have / had information about the bidding process carried out by the province for the expansion of the sewage treatment plant. Likewise, with regard to the opinion about the expansion of the plant, it is surprising that despite the declared distrust of the authorities and the information they provide; 58.5% of the residents are confident that the work will improve the quality of life of the community.

88.7% of the respondents believe that they should (people from the neighborhood with civil society organizations) participate in monitoring spaces to the actions of the state in the area of ​​environmental control. It was also consulted about the inclination towards participation in monitoring spaces of the actions of the municipality and the province in the process of construction of the new plant. 56.6% expressed that they would be willing to participate in these spaces if they arose.

The survey also aimed to know about the health history of the neighbors, consulting about symptoms and diseases they have had, their frequency, the diagnosis provided and the treatment indicated. In this regard, 69% said they had suffered from one of the listed symptoms.

The results of the survey process show that the community of Chacras de la Merced is in a serious situation of vulnerability due to the confluence of numerous factors that lead to the violation of their most basic rights. Álida Weht, director of the Las Omas grassroots organization whose objective is to improve the quality of life of the neighbors, has stated that: “the results constitute the visibility of a pollution situation that dates back several decades and a community Which has been immersed in an immediacy of problems for the same time.

In the context of the recent events related to the overturning of the Suquía River, both from company waste and from raw sewage, it is necessary to highlight the emergency in which the Chacras de la Merced neighborhood is located.

Full survey report

More information

Contact

Agustina Palencia – agustinapalencia@fundeps.org

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We participated in the public hearing for the installation of Cantera Colombo in Chacras de la Merced

Concerned about the situation of vulnerability in the community of Chacras de la Merced, we participated in the public hearing with a legal technical report that gives an account of the irregularities of the project to install a new quarry.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

On Wednesday, April 12, the Secretary of Environment and Climate Change convened a public hearing to discuss the installation project “Cantera Colombo” in the vicinity of the neighborhood Chacra de la Merced. The Cantera Colombo project would be located to the east of the city of Cordova, outside the urban ejido of the city, in the place known as Heart of Maria, being the population center affected by the work the locality of Chacra de la Merced. This is an open pit dry quarry, where the extraction of aggregates without the use of explosives would be carried out, and then transferred the material to the classification plant owned by the owner named Canteras Ruiz, located at Camino Chacra de La Merced, Km.

Among the main considerations that we made in the Report on the environmental impact study “Cantera Colombo” it should be mentioned that it did not take into account the special situation of vulnerability in which the community of Chacra de la Merced is located due to the accumulated impact that affects Progressive and negative in the right to health, life and a healthy environment. Among the main causes that explain the transformation of what was the “Green Belt of the city of Cordoba” we find: the installation of real estate ventures, quarrying, installation and omission in the controls on tanneries, malfunctions and The supersaturation of the sewage treatment plant (EDAR Bajo Grande), lagoons generated by the old quarries. Also within the irregularities that emerged from the analysis of the environmental impact study we find that:

-The integrality of the project will have significant and mostly negative and irreversible impacts on the environment, especially on the quality of water, soil, air, health and quality of life.

– Does not comply with the minimum content detailed in art. 19 of the law 10,208 (baseline in health taking into account that it will be located 300 meters from a school and 150 meters from the river Suquía, public services affected as public transport).

-Takes outdated baselines (affected population, census 2008).

“He does not cite reliable sources.”

– Does not detail the measures of recomposition and mitigation of the impacts.

Therefore, from FUNDEPS we recommend an in-depth evaluation by the Ministry of Environment as the controlling body of this project, taking into account the considerations made, and having the necessary mechanisms in order to comply with the expected legal and environmental parameters In order to protect the fundamental rights of the residents of Chacra de la Merced.

More information

Report of FUNDEPS by installation Cantera Colombo

Video situation Chacras de la Merced

Authors

María Pérez Alsina, Virginia Corradi y Male Martínez Espeche.

Contact

Male Martínez Espeche / Environment Team Coordinator

malemartinez@fundeps.org

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Participation in discussions on the legal framework of native forests in Córdoba

As part of Environment Forum Cordoba, FUNDEPS participated with other institutions recognized technical, in preparing a proposal on updating of native forests in the province of Cordoba, which seeks to overcome the weak arguments proposal Cartez (Confederation of Rural Associations Third Zone).

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

As the National Law No. 26,331 of Minimum Standards for Environmental Protection of Native Forests and its Regulatory Decree No. 91/2009, each province should make its Native Forest Planning and updated every five years through a participatory process and according to environmental sustainability criteria set out in its articles and annex.

The province of Cordoba sanctioned the Provincial Land Use Law of Native Forests No. 9814 on August 5, 2010, in a process in which the participatory body that guaranteed the national law was not respected. The maturity of these regulations occurred on 5 August 2015. Our province faces a duty to update its regulations, seize the moment to meet the minimum standards established by national law; and ensure wide participation of different social actors in this new process of building the land management of native forests.

This process is strictly in updating the vector map approved by Law 9814, which recognize that the amount of remaining native forests in the province, establishing different conservation categories (Category I (red), Category II (yellow) and Category III (green)). This categorization will be done depending on the environmental value of the different units of native forest and environmental services they provide, such as avoiding floods, desertification of soils, elevation of groundwater, drought, effects and impacts of climate change, extinction of native flora and fauna, etc.

The proposal made with Environment Forum Cordoba, Core DiverSus Research on Diversity and Sustainability, the Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology (CONICET-UNC), the IDEA Civil Association, the Institute for Diversity and Animal Ecology (CONICET-UNC) and the Centre Ecology and Renewable Natural Resources (FCEFyN, UNC) is entitled “Why is it necessary to keep the surface of native forests with Category I (Red) in the province of Cordoba as the vector map of the Act 9814? critical analysis of the proposal Land Management of Native Forests for the Northwest Córdoba arc “produce Store preserving and producing” developed by Cartez “. The aim in the document is to refute environmental, legal and social foundations proposal Cartez unreasonably argues that the Category II (yellow) is better than Category I (red) to protect and preserve the native forest, starting this proposal a conceptual interpretation is all wrong and contrary to the objectives and budgets of the National Law 26,331 and the Provincial Law 9814 lights.

From FUNDEPS, we hope that this process involves as many actors in society because of the importance that implies the protection and conservation of native forests. We also hope that the upgrade process guarantees the principle of non-environmental regressivity and respect for the rights of environmental democracy, including access to information and citizen participation enshrined in the Rio Declaration on Environment and development 1992.

More information:

– Working Paper: Why is it necessary to keep the surface of native forests with Category I (Red) in the province of Cordoba as the vector map of the Act 9814?

– La Voz del Interior: “Again the debate on how much can be removed hardens” (10/28/2016)

– Response to FAA on OTBN – Cordoba Environmental Forum (November 2016)

Contact:

María Elena Martínez Espeche, Coordinadora del Eje Ambiente.

malemartinez@fundeps.org

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Exchange of views around the Bajo Grande project

On June 9, FUNDEPS together with the organization Las Omas del Barrio Chacras de la Merced met in the Directorate of Networks and Sanitary Works of the Municipality of Córdoba, with the deputy director Daniel Bardagi and the owner of the plant Gualberto Pozo Arce the purpose of asking some questions regarding the operation of the Bajo Grande Sewage Treatment Plant.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

Since February 2016, the environment axis of the Human Rights Area and the Democratic Strengthening Area of ​​FUNDEPS have been working together with the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ) in the Chacras de la Merced District of the Province of Córdoba , in particular with the Las Omas women’s organization. The project seeks to promote the development and implementation of strategies linked to the incidence and monitoring of public policies in the Chacra de la Merced community, in order to support the work of the Las Omas women’s organization in the strengthening of social and environmental rights damaged due to the poor functioning of the Bajo Grande sewage treatment plant.

In this framework, FUNDEPS requested a meeting with the Directorate of Networks and Sanitary Works of the Municipality of Córdoba. The meeting was enriching for both parties. From the Directorate of Networks could explain how the plant currently works, the quantity and quality of the liquid that deals with days of week and end of weeks, funds with which the Municipality has to do maintenance works, problems that identify them that can contribute to the malfunction, among others.

On the other hand, we express our concern regarding the harmful effects that the plant is generating in its current situation, the environment in general and the community of La Chacra in particular since their social, economic and environmental rights are constantly being violated.

They also explained that the construction of a new treatment plant will double the amount of fluid treatment and its implications for the city. However, when we asked for information about possible environmental remediation policies in the area with the construction of the new plant, we did not receive a response.

It is important to point out that within the framework of this project, four requests for information were made to different public departments of the Municipality, among which one was made to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, which depends on the direction of Networks, where we made the following orders of information for reporting on: a) the current operating status of the Bajo Grande WWTP plant; b) if there are repair works for the faults and problems in the correct operation of the plant; c) if there are plans for environmental remediation in Barrio Chacras de la Merced; d) What works are being implemented in the sewage treatment plant? ; e) what mitigation measures of the environmental impact were designed and implemented after being declared a sanitary emergency zone; f) what controls are executed in the Plant, detailing the days and hours in which they are implemented and g) what days and times the plant works, detail the processes and their direct effects on the environment and the nearby population, and what methods of treatment use.

From FUNDEPS we will continue working with the organization Las Omas in the monitoring of the bidding process and implementation of the work of the new plant, and visibilizing the problems in terms of environment and health the current sewage treatment plant WWTP.

Contact

Carolina Juaneda – Area of ​​Democratic Strengthening and Institutional Quality

carojuaneda@fundeps.org

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Requests for public information by the Bajo Grande plant

Yesterday, FUNDEPS with the Organization Las Omas represented by Alida and Ester Weht presented four requests for information in the Municipality of Córdoba, two requests to the Province of Córdoba and two requests to the company Coniferal de Transporte.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

Since the beginning of this year, the environment axis of the Human Rights Area and the Democratic Strengthening Area of ​​FUNDEPS have been working together with the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ) in the Chacras de la Merced District of the Province of Córdoba, in particular with the Las Omas women’s organization. Two workshops were carried out by these organizations in order to identify socio-political problems that affect the community of La Chacra and based on what was identified, an advocacy action proposal was defined to work in the year. Likewise, access to information tools and strategies for monitoring public policies were worked on.

The work seeks to promote the development and implementation of strategies linked to the monitoring and advocacy of public policies in the Chacra de la Merced community, in order to support the work of the Las Omas women’s organization in the strengthening of social and environmental rights violated product of the malfunction of the Bajo Grande sewage treatment plant.

In this context, on Monday, May 30, representatives of the OMAs and members of FUNDEPS presented four requests for public information in different departments of the Municipality of Córdoba (Ministry of Health, Undersecretary of the Environment, Undersecretary of Transportation and the Liquids Treatment Station) Residuals) of the Province of Córdoba (Ministry of Investment and Financing and Secretariat of Environment) and in the company Coniferal SACIF. The purpose of these orders is to have official information on the status and operation of the sewage treatment plant and the environmental and health situation of the area affected by the contamination.

The requests for information submitted are made within the framework of the right to request and receive information, Art. 16 et seq. of Law 25,675, Art. 41 of the National Constitution, Art. 13.1 of the American Convention on Human Rights, Art. XXIV of the American Declaration of Rights and Duties of Man, instruments incorporated into the National Constitution, through its articles 75 inc . 22, Art. 19 inc. 10. Likewise, the Environmental Policy Act of Cordoba prescribes in article 61 that:

All requests for information required under the terms of this Law must be satisfied within a period not exceeding ten (10) business days. The term may be extended exceptionally for another ten (10) business days in the event of circumstances that make it difficult to obtain the information requested, and the requested body must communicate – before the expiration of the ten (10) day period – the reasons for the which makes use of the exceptional extension …

And finally, in accordance with the regulation of Law No. 8803 Right to Access to Knowledge of State Acts, which also provides a period of ten (10) working days to answer the information requested.

We hope to obtain a response to the requested information within the framework of the explicit deadlines, and thus continue fighting in pursuit of demanding and protecting the economic, social, cultural and environmental rights that are being violated, due to the malfunctioning of the liquid treatment plant. Cloacal of Bajo Grande.

Contact

Carolina Juaneda – Area of ​​Democratic Strengthening and Institutional Quality

carojuaneda@fundeps.org

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The problem of solid urban waste in Córdoba

Fundeps prepares a working document that deals with the problem of MSW (Urban Solid Waste) in our city. The objective is to contribute and influence public policies at the local level that guarantee the right to health and a healthy and balanced environment adopted by international standards.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

The problem of urban solid waste (MSW) begins with the development of the modern society in which they live, and has its origin in causes of another nature: from rapid population growth, the use of material goods of rapid deterioration or without degradability , even more complex causes that are due to an inefficient integral waste management accompanied by strong political and economic interests.

According to the statistical data provided by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, each inhabitant generates one kilo of garbage per day, which is deposited in one of the 130 end-of-end properties, in the worst case, in the hundreds of garbage dumps. open sky that were formed in the country. The city of Córdoba generates approximately 1200 tons per day of urban and similar solid waste that, until 2010, were deposited in the south of the city, in the Bouwer property, located on Route 36 and currently, temporarily, son disposed in the Sanitary Landfill of Piedras Blancas. This dynamic generates multiple situations of environmental degradation and violation of the right to a healthy environment and the right to health, among others.

This global and local problem has been addressed and regulated in different international and national instruments in order to minimize the harmful effects and adapt laws with sustainable public policies and according to the specific realities of each country / province.

From FUNDEPS we are working on this important issue and we have prepared as a first working document the following report “First Approaches: Current legal framework and real problem of solid urban resources in Córdoba”, which expects an approach to the problem.

We want to move forward starting from the study of the environmental institutionality in the matter of MSW (Urban Solid Waste), the funds that are destined to the GIRSU (budget item), the current situation of the bidding of the service, the environmental liabilities pending remediation (property ) Potrero del Estado, Bouwer), the real and legal situation of the foundations, the open sky and the adaptation of the practices and the management of RSU in Córdoba with the adopted international and national standards.

The purpose of this work proposal is to contribute and influence public policies at the local level that guarantee the right to health and a healthy and balanced environment adopted by international standards.

Contact:

Malena Martinez – Human Rights Area

malemartinez@fundeps.org

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Funding infrastructure in Latin America- COP20, Lima

The frame of activities for the Conference of Parties in the framework convention on the Lima Climate Change Conference, will discuss how international funding and socio environmental safeguards in infrastructure projects in Latin America have an impact on the Amazon jungle.

This event has been jointly organised by FUNDAR, Centre of Analysis and Investigation (Mexico), Foundation for the Development of Sustainable Policies- FUNDEPS (Argentina) Association for Environment and Society AAS (Colombia) and the Right of the Environment and Natural Resources- DAR (Peru) all constituting as the regional group for Funding and Infrastructure.
The discussion forms part of the Conference of Parties in the framework convention on climate change in Lima. The speakers will tackle the actual state of funding for infrastructure in Latin America from traditional banks like the World Bank Group/ International Finance Corporation and the new bank from the BRIC Countries. A comparative analysis of four projects with external funding has been carried out in Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru, evaluating the impacts on the Amazon forest and the instruments (safeguards) for the management of social and environmental risks.

It will especially be about the negative example of Brazil and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES, its acronym in Portuguese). The BNDES, who also funds projects outside of Brazil, has been accused of its lack of transparency, of described social and environmental norms, which have been clearly defined, and the mechanisms guaranteeing the fulfillment of national laws.
It is feared that the recent creation of the BRICS nations bank will neither put enough emphasis on the norms that protect the environment and society in the process of its application. This reality is affecting the policies of traditional banks, such as the World Bank Group or the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). Those countries seeking to attract more investment will also react to the changes in the available international funding. Large infrastructure projects that ignore the environmental concerns, such are the cases of CVIS (Peru), Mocoa Pasto (Colombia), Coca Codo Sinclair (Ecuador) and the TIPNIS (Bolivia), are proof of it.

A panel of experts on climate change, megaprojects and governance (transparency, participation, risk management) will debate the key ideas and any advance of the previously mentioned analysis. The session will also give the public the possibility to participate in the debate.

Key questions:

1.How can banks apply safeguards on project funding in Latin America to prevent social conflicts and environmental disasters?
2.What is the role of the new national and regional banks in the funding of regional infrastructure?
3.How the weakening of standards in funding the region affects the countries system? How can these react in front of new challenges?

More information:

– Details on the logistics of the event
– Panorama on the funding for infrastructure in Latin America
– Guideline for the discussion. Implementation of a Freedom of Information Policy for The Brazilian Development Bank
– Paradigmatic cases of BNDES investment in South America. Need and opportunity to improve internal policies

Contact:

Gonzalo Roza / Coordinator of Global Governance
gon.roza@fundeps.org

Translated by: Gisela Quevedo

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FUNDEPS participates in the Annual Meeting of the World Bank and the IMF, dominated by the review of the World Bank’s environmental and social safeguards

In addition to participating in the discussions and demonstrations that took place regarding the process of reviewing the World Bank’s environmental and social safeguards, FUNDEPS met with staff from the IDB and MICI; and it was part of a discussion panel where a publication about the current funding landscape for infrastructure in Latin America, prepared by the Regional Group on Finance and Infrastructure, was presented.

During the course of this last week, FUNDEPS was involved in the 2014 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF in Washington DC (USA).

En el transcurso de la semana pasada, FUNDEPS estuvo participando de las Reuniones Anuales 2014 del Banco Mundial y el FMI en la ciudad de Washington D.C. (Estados Unidos). Si bien la agenda predominante durante estas Reuniones Anuales fue el proceso de revisión y actualización de las Salvaguardias ambientales y sociales del Banco Mundial, la visita a Washington sirvió también para trabajar en una serie de agendas adicionales en las que FUNDEPS está involucrado, tales como el proceso de revisión del MICI del BID; la presentación de una publicación sobre Financiamiento para Infraestructura en América Latina, realizada con el Grupo Regional sobre Financiamiento e Infraestructura; e incluso tener una serie de reuniones estratégicas y de planificación con diversas organizaciones de la región y del mundo.

Sin dudas, la agenda prioritaria actualmente respecto al Banco Mundial es el futuro de las salvaguardias de la Institución, cuyo proceso de revisión tiende a un preocupante debilitamiento y dilución de los estándares ambientales y sociales a cumplir cuando el Banco financia un proyecto en uno de sus países miembros (Ver Comunicado “El Banco Mundial busca debilitar los estándares socio-ambientales en sus proyectos. Respuestas de Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil”). El borrador del nuevo régimen de salvaguardias recientemente publicado por el Banco confirma en gran medida esa tendencia y fue fuertemente criticado y rechazado por gran parte de la sociedad civil alrededor del mundo. Justamente, a principios de Octubre fue enviada al Banco una Declaración con la suscripción de más de 130 organizaciones alrededor del mundo, rechazando el borrador y destacando cuáles son los principales retrocesos que plantea. (Ver Declaración enviada al Banco).

A tal punto llegó la inconformidad de la sociedad civil respecto al proceso de revisión de las salvaguardias, que en el transcurso de la consulta pública planificada por el Banco para el pasado sábado 11 de octubre, la mayoría de los participantes, tras cuestionar tanto las reformas que plantea el Banco como el proceso de consulta en general, decidieron abandonar la sala (Ver Videos sobre la Consulta) y realizar una movilización fuera del Banco, que contó con una amplia participación de diversos actores descontentos no sólo con el proceso de revisión de las salvaguardias sino también con el modelo de gobernanza y financiamiento que plantea la Institución. (Para ver fotos de la movilización acceder Aquí)

En el transcurso de las Reuniones Anuales se confirmaron, también, los lugares en donde se desarrollarán las próximas consultas regionales para brindar comentarios acerca del proceso de revisión siendo Brasil, Paraguay, Perú y Bolivia los países latinoamericanos donde se estarán desarrollando las consultas presenciales en el transcurso del próximo mes.

En cuanto al proceso de revisión del MICI, FUNDEPS aprovechó su presencia en Washington para mantener reuniones presenciales con Victoria Márquez-Mees, Directora Ejecutiva del MICI; y con Flavia Milano, especialista de Sociedad Civil del BID. Más allá de obtener una actualización acerca del estado de la revisión del Mecanismo, las reuniones sirvieron para trasladar al Banco y al equipo del MICI la gran preocupación existente en relación al retroceso en materia de Accesibilidad, Independencia y Efectividad que representa el Borrador de Política Revisada que el Banco ha sometido a consulta. (Ver comunicado “Preocupa el potencial debilitamiento del MICI en el proceso de revisión que está llevando adelante el BID”)

A su vez, con Flavia Milano pudieron tocarse temas de la relación entre el BID y la Sociedad Civil, tales como la situación de los Grupos Consultivos de la Sociedad Civil (ConSOCs); el estado de implementación de la Política de Acceso a la Información, la misma revisión del MICI e incluso las reformas institucionales que está planificando el Banco, como la reforma de la Corporación Interamericana de Inversiones (CII) con el objetivo de darle mayor relevancia al financiamiento de carácter privado (Ver comunicado “En una reunión en la que se excluyó a la sociedad civil, el BID realiza cambios en su estructura”); e incluso el probable inicio de una revisión de las salvaguardias sociales ambientales del Banco, siguiendo los pasos del Banco Mundial.

Finalmente, cabe destacar que en el marco del Policy Forum de la Sociedad Civil de las Reuniones Anuales del Banco Mundial/FMI, se realizó la presentación del documento “Panorama del Financiamiento para Infraestructura en América Latina”, elaborado por el Grupo Regional sobre Financiamiento e Infraestructura, del cual FUNDEPS forma parte junto con otras tres organizaciones de la región: Derecho, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (DAR) de Perú; Asociación Ambiente y Sociedad (AAS) de Colombia; y Fundar, Centro de Análisis e Investigación, de México.

Más información

– Panorama del financiamiento para infraestructura en América Latina

Contacto:

Gonzalo Roza

Coordinador del Programa de Gobernabilidad Global

gon.roza@fundeps.org