CAFTA-DR Environmental Cooperation Program


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Activities – Public Participation – Processes & Education

Theme Institutional Strengthening •Public Participation •

Processes & Education

We believe that effective, sustainable environmental protection depends on the public’s support and active participation—Public Participation is, in fact, generally considered essential to effective environmental decision-making. Because of its importance, we have designated Public Participation as a separate sub-theme under which we sponsor Activities specifically dedicated to making sure the CAFTA-DR public has tools and opportunities to make its voice heard in environmental matters. Moreover, Public Participation cuts across themes, and plays a part in many Theme B, C and D Activities.

In its Public Participation Activities, the Program emphasizes…

Information. We help lay the foundation for broad-based involvement by supporting information and data development and dissemination—see Accessibility, Quality & Transparency of Information.
Processes & Education. We promote the institution of administrative and judicial proceedings where the public can be heard and/or seek redress and remedy regarding environmental law enforcement. We assist Governments in establishing and implementing processes, and support public education on how to use them.

Regarding Processes & Education, the Program finances numerous initiatives to inform the public of opportunities and mechanisms for engaging with government and others to ensure effective implementation of environmental laws. These Activities are broad based—school and community programs, workshops for government officials—and may deal with general issues or very specific actions, such as how to use a toll-free phone line to report environmental law violations or how file a complaint.

In addition, the framework for CAFTA-DR Environment Cooperation includes the regional Secretariat for Environmental Matters (SEM). SEM considers public submissions from citizens and organizations of any CAFTA-DR country regarding enforcement of that country’s environmental laws. For more on SEM, see www.tusaa.org

An Activity Sampler

Secretariat for Environmental Matters - SEM

Promoting Citizen Action. A series of Activities across the region promotes citizen involvement in environmental matters. For more, click on the image.

Democracy in Action
In the CAFTA-DR Region

Toll-Free Hot Line. A Guatemalan NGO works with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to assure widespread public awareness and access to the ministry’s toll-free line for reporting alleged violations of environmental laws. For more, click on the image.

“Choose our Future:
Protect our Environment”

Pamphlet. An illustrated pamphlet issued by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources provides a colorful overview of CAFTA-DR Environmental responsibilities and how the public can participate in enforcing environmental laws and standards, the nature and priorities of environmental cooperation, mechanisms for resolving controversies and other related issues. For more, click on the image.

System for Monitoring Complaints. Guatemala is implementing a system which has been successful in resolving several cases. The Program facilitated development of a database for complaints and provided office and monitoring equipment, including computers and software.

SEM offers one-stop public access to CAFTA-DR countries’ environmental legislation and agreements.

To see the texts of example of laws and regulations, go to www.tusaa.org (Spanish only) and click on or the flag of a particular country. Then elect Constitución, Acuerdos or Leyes y reglamentos.

Public Submissions—An Example. A public submission to SEM alleged that the Government of the Dominican Republic was failing to enforce domestic laws intended to protect the endangered Hawksbill sea turtle—in particular that street stalls, souvenir shops and the like continued to sell ornamental Hawksbill tortoiseshell products. The submission and sparked action by the country’s Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources: It seized hundreds of tortoise shell articles from commercial establishments, and is now working with the petitioner on an educational campaign for locals and tourists. For more on the campaign, click on the image.

Image found at http://www.grupojaragua.org.do/index_english.html

Activities & Publications

For more Activities to promote Processes & Education for Public Participation, click here.

For Theme Outreach/Publications, click here.