Tag Archive for: Environmental Education

,

(Re)ordering the territory: Escazú and citizen participation

In an effort to promote the effective implementation of the Escazú Agreement at the local level, Fundeps held three meetings during the month of August, aimed at the Urban Planning Department of the Municipality of Córdoba. These training sessions focused on strengthening competencies in environmental law and the rights of access to information, participation and environmental justice, essential for sustainable urban planning.

“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 target audience of these meetings were members of the Secretariats of Urban Development, Regional Integration and Institutional Linkage, and Smart City of the Municipality of Córdoba. The main objective was to provide the necessary tools to understand and apply the Escazú Agreement in the urban planning policies and practices of the city.

The first two workshops focused on theoretical and specific aspects of minimum budget laws and the Escazú Agreement. For the last meeting, we placed special emphasis on citizen participation. During this session, we explored various models of successful citizen participation, both at the national and regional level, highlighting practical examples that have been implemented in different cities in our country, as well as in Latin American countries and localities in Europe.

We proposed discussions on cases where active citizen participation has resulted in significant improvements in urban planning and management, highlighting how these inclusive processes can be adapted to our city. In addition, we analyzed the tools and mechanisms available to facilitate citizen participation in decision-making, emphasizing the importance of transparency, effective communication, clear language and building trust between municipal authorities and citizens.

We continue to work for the full and effective implementation of the Escazú Agreement at the local level. The Agreement is a fundamental tool for the protection of the environment and of human rights defenders in environmental matters.

If you want to learn more about the Escazú Agreement, visit our website: https://acuerdodeescazu.org/

 

Authors

Lourdes Zanotti

Federico Marengo Ligoria

Contact

María Laura Carrizo, lauracarrizo@fundeps.org

,

Córdoba will implement Comprehensive Environmental Education

The Legislature of the Province approved the bill through which it adhered to the National Law of Comprehensive Environmental Education.

“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”.

During the session of the legislature on June 29 of this year, Law No. 10,823 was approved. This incorporates comprehensive Environmental Education with a perspective of sustainable development as a public policy.

In turn, it establishes the Ministry of Education and the Secretary of the Environment as enforcement authorities. Its role will be to design and implement actions aimed at incorporating this perspective in the field of formal, non-formal and informal education.

During the sessions in the Committee on Environmental Affairs, several civil society organizations made contributions and highlighted the value of membership. From Fundeps we recommend the incorporation in the institutional architecture of the Committee for the Executive Coordination of the Jurisdictional Strategy. Let us remember that this authority is in charge of designing the content of the strategy to implement Comprehensive Environmental Education.

Likewise, we consider it opportune to incorporate the local Consultative Council into the project as a device for citizen participation of groups and organizations of civil society (among others), in the development and management of educational public policies. This body is incorporated in the National Law.

This process turned out to be valuable, since the text that was finally approved emerged from it. The first of the recommendations was incorporated into articles 4 and 5 of the law. As for the Council, it was not incorporated as such. However, the Committee was empowered to request collaboration from trade union organizations, teachers, representatives of the student, scientific, academic and civil society sectors (among others) that express an interest in comprehensive environmental education. Although its incorporation as a stable body with effective participation would have been opportune, given that as stated this possibility is subject to the decision of the Committee, the truth is that this consultative power can become a duty in the terms required by the Agreement from Escazu.

 

More Information

Contact

Juan Bautista López, juanbautistalopez@fundeps.org

*Photograph taken from the press of the Government of Córdoba

,

We participate in the Environment and Education Commission of the Provincial Legislature

On June 9 of this year, we were summoned, together with other representatives of civil society, to participate in the meeting of the Environment and Education Commission of the Provincial Legislature.

“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 purpose of the meeting was to present the Circular Economy Summit and discuss the bill for provincial adherence to the National Law on Comprehensive Environmental Education. The project aims to incorporate the tools and guidelines to implement Comprehensive Environmental Education into the framework of local environmental policies.

The opening of the meeting to people and organizations that work on environmental issues at the local level is part of a good practice that the Commission has been implementing for certain initiatives, such as adherence to the Yolanda Law. A valuable space in which those who were part of it were able to offer their opinions on the relevance of Comprehensive Environmental Education and make suggestions for the project. This strengthening of instances of participatory democracy is undoubtedly in accordance with the commitments assumed in the Escazú Agreement.

In relation to the project, although it is an adhesion, it constitutes an important starting point to design strategies that allow modifying the cultural and ethical bases of the current production, commercialization and consumption systems in society. The comprehensive education proposed by the law has the virtue of addressing both formal and informal educational contexts, media and public policies in a transversal way.

Although the project plans to incorporate into the provincial regulations the same text as that provided for in the national law, through adherence, we believe that some institutions should expressly provide for it in the local version. From Fundeps we explained the reasons why we believe that the law should provide for the following items:

Basic guidelines for the construction of the Comprehensive Environmental Education Jurisdictional Strategy (EJEAI)

The EJEAI is the instrument of permanent and concerted strategic planning, with scope in formal and non-formal areas of education, information technology and communication media, with a participatory, territorialized basis.

It is outlined as a fundamental and main instrument to develop Comprehensive Environmental Education at the provincial level. At this point we believe that the law should expressly mention the basic guidelines for its configuration, such as: anchoring in the socio-environmental problems and conflicts of the Province, empowerment in the exercise of access and environmental rights, public participation devices, among others.

Executive Coordination of the Jurisdictional Strategy

We maintain that the law should expressly incorporate the creation of the Executive Coordination of the strategy, determining -just like the national law- the method of conformation of the body, to carry out the management and administration of the strategy.

Local Advisory Council

We recommend that the local law expressly incorporate the creation of a local Consultative Council made up of diverse actors, in charge of providing support and feedback to the Coordination for the implementation and monitoring of the Jurisdictional Strategy.

Beyond the fact that we consider that the recommendations provided would generate a superior project, we recognize the importance of adhesion and we celebrate the parliamentary work on this path, especially when it is implemented based on the participation of civil society.

 

More Information

Contact

Juan Bautista López, juanbautistalopez@fundeps.org

 

* Photo taken from the Diario Comercio y Justicia

,

What is the progress of the Yolanda Law in Córdoba one year after its sanction?

The provincial adherence to the Yolanda Law of mandatory training in environmental matters for people who exercise the public function completed one year. After the stage of construction of basic training guidelines, the Executive Power began to dictate the training.

“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 May 2021, the Provincial Legislature passed Law No. 10758 of the Province’s adherence to National Law No. 27592. This provides for mandatory training on the subject of the environment, with a perspective of sustainable development and with special emphasis on climate change. for all people who perform public functions at all levels.

Although the regulations cover the three powers of the State, to date only the beginning of the training in the field of the Executive Power has transpired. Due to this situation, and given the importance of generating this type of training for those who design and implement public policies or resolve environmental conflicts, monitoring its implementation is essential.

For this reason, we ask the three powers of the State for public information on the degree and progress in the implementation of the law. The request for access to public information becomes an important tool when the data is not available to citizens, as long as there is a response from the authorities.

More information

 

Contact
Juan Bautista López, juanbautistalopez@fundeps.org

,

We provide general guidelines for the Yolanda Law at the provincial level.

In conjunction with Fundación TierraVida and Ecohouse Córdoba, we formulate contributions for the formulation of general guidelines for conducting training within the framework of the Yolanda Law.

“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 a note addressed to the Secretary of the Environment of the Province of Córdoba, we presented guidelines for the design of the general guidelines within the framework of the Yolanda law. These guidelines allow directing the methodology and content that will be part of the training received by people who exercise public functions within the framework of the regulations.

The contributions focus mainly on those primary content, procedural and methodological, operational and epistemological issues. Each of the points provided, present the reasons why we believe that they should be taken into account for the purposes of an efficient application, which allows the appropriate approach in accordance with the objective of the law.

We trust that the participatory instances will enrich the guidelines, and consequently the trainings that are ultimately dictated. Likewise, it is valuable that those pillars on which the training is based enjoy legitimacy on the part of civil society organizations and citizens in general.

More information

Contact

Juan Bautista López, juanbautistalopez@fundeps.org

,

We participate in the preparation of the general guidelines of the Yolanda law

From July 19 to 23, we participated in the meetings called by the Ministry of the Environment of the Province for the preparation of the general guidelines at the provincial level established in Law No. 10,758 of adherence to the Yolanda Law.

“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 ordered by Art. 3 and 4 of National Law No. 27,592, the Ministry of the Environment of the Province held a series of meetings in which various Civil Society Organizations of the Province participated. The objective was the preparation of the general guidelines on content to be dictated in the training aimed at people who exercise public functions in the three branches of the State.

The meetings dealt with various topics associated with the biodiversity axis, climate change, training in laws, among others. The space allowed each organization to give its point of view about the important issues and the modalities to be adopted.

The design of the law and its compliance by the authorities, allows and will allow the training of those who implement public policies on environmental matters, based on consensual content from the dialogue. Undoubtedly, citizen participation constitutes a fundamental pillar for any institutional architecture linked to the environmental issue, which must be reflected in a real and finished way at the moment of crystallizing state practice, in this case, mandatory training.

More information

Contact

Juan Bautista López, juanbautistalopez@fundeps.org

,

We make contributions to the basic guidelines of the Yolanda Law

With the enactment of National Law No. 27,592-Yolanda Law-, the national State established mandatory training in environmental matters for people who exercise public functions.

“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”

Within the framework of the new regulations, the enforcement authority (the National Ministry of the Environment) summoned civil society organizations and scientific institutions specialized in the matter, in order to establish the “General Guidelines” for training. To this end, the Ministry made available a base document for making comments and a web form.

From Fundeps, after analyzing the base document, we present contributions related to the so-called epistemological axes that should guide the training. We also made comments on the teaching-learning methodological alternatives to be adopted.

It remains to be noted that the document proposes certain “mandatory” topics for the entire state sector and others of an “optional” nature. However, the generality in the formulation of the conceptual contents is generic and presents several disadvantages depending on the perspective adopted on the subject. For this reason, we suggest certain core minimum contents in which the training program must be established within the framework of the Yolanda Law.

Training in environmental matters is essential for institutional design, public policy development and judicial decision-making, thus understanding the three functions that the State exercises (legislative, executive and judicial). It is necessary that the issues to be addressed present a strong commitment to the state function to guarantee the sustainability of life and the enjoyment of fundamental rights.

More information

The province of Córdoba adhered to the Yolanda Law

Contact

Juan Bautista Lopez, juanbautistalopez@fundeps.org

,

The Municipal Environmental Issues Training Process

The Municipality of Córdoba sanctioned ordinance No. 13.103 in November 2020. Even though it is not a question of adhering to the so-called Yolanda Law, it implements permanent and mandatory training in environmental matters at the municipal level.

“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 ordinance obliges all persons who perform municipal public functions to receive training in environmental matters. In particular, the ordinance raises issues such as current regulations, with a focus on climate change, global warming, environmental care and ecological balance, urban solid waste management, the circular economy, biodiversity and the responsible use of resources in the workplace.

Although the regulations provide for a mechanism for access to information for the dissemination of the degree of compliance through various indicators, to date this has not been implemented. However, various events have been announced through the municipal portal in which the trainings were carried out.

In this framework, we request through the municipal platform for access to information, various points about the implementation process to date. The laws and ordinances that guarantee access to public environmental information allow this type of information to be requested in order to monitor public policies.

The truth is that on numerous occasions this type of request is not usually answered, impacting such action on the exercise of these rights. Access to information is a pillar for the defense of collective rights and for an adequate participatory environmental management.

Contact

Juan Bautista López, juanbautistalopez@fundeps.org

,

The province of Córdoba adhered to the Yolanda Law

Today the provincial Legislature approved the adhesion project to the Yolanda Law for comprehensive environmental training, with a perspective of sustainable development and with special emphasis on climate change for people who work in public functions.

“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”

With the incorporation of certain particular regulations, the province of Córdoba sanctioned the regulations by which it adheres to National Law No. 27,592, called Yolanda Law in honor of Yolanda Ortiz, who was the first Secretary of Natural Resources and Human Environment of the Argentinian republic.

This law will oblige people who exercise public functions in the provincial State to be trained in the environment, with a perspective of sustainable development and with special emphasis on climate change. The Cordovan text incorporates issues of particular regional interest, numbered in an enunciative way, such as native forest, climate change, environmental law, urban solid waste management, environmental impact of public policies, preservation of protected areas and water resources, among others.

Likewise, fortunately, the enforcement authority is established in the same body of the law, with the Environment Secretariat being in charge of its application. In addition, it seeks to guarantee public access to information regarding the degree of compliance with the law, as well as granting the enforcement authority the power to enter into agreements with universities, scientific institutions, civil society organizations and other entities to ensure compliance with the standard.

Despite the fact that the regulations could have been superseded in relation to the National Law regarding the formation of a mixed application authority that incorporates the Ministry of Education, as well as the incorporation of a means of complaint or claim that allows the citizens contribute to the inspection process, we celebrate the provincial adherence to this important tool for environmental protection.

Contact

Juan Bautista López, juanbautistalopez@fundeps.org

,

We have done observations on the Projects of provincial adhesion to the Yolanda Law

Within the framework of said treatment, the Environment Commission has held a number of open meetings with certain civil society organizations and people dedicated to the defense of the environment, in order to hear their opinion. Although the call to these people was not open to those who wanted to make their opinions known, the truth is that a new mechanism of citizen participation was generated, perhaps limited by the time that the agenda demands.

“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”

This process is a good practice to be carried out. However, today with the entry into force of the Escazú Agreement, such spaces already constitute an obligation of the provincial State and not only the exercise of political good will. Adequate publicity and convocation, as well as the organization and distribution of time, fostering broad participation, must be considered in pursuit of a true environmental democracy.

In the framework of the participatory process, we refer to the Environmental Commission of the provincial Legislature, which we consider are necessary adjustments for a regulation that exceeds the national one. Thus, observations were made regarding the way in which an enforcement authority should be designed in accordance with the objectives of the law, the process of creating and evaluating training programs and content for people who exercise public functions, as well as also the introduction of complaint or claim mechanisms that allow citizens to effectively monitor and control compliance with environmental training.

We believe that a provincial regulation can be surpassed, if it incorporates mechanisms aimed at guaranteeing greater participation both in its gestation stage and in the monitoring and implementation processes.

More information

The Chamber of Deputies approved the Yolanda Law

Contact

Juan Bautista López, juanbautistalopez@fundeps.org