Project
Photo: Anna Laurie Miller / AIDAConserving the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta
Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, the largest and most productive coastal wetland in Colombia, covers 45,000 hectares. At the confluence of the Magdalena River and the Caribbean Sea, the site boasts an immense variety of flora and fauna, including mammals, birds and fish. Its southern tip is a beautiful sanctuary of mangroves, swamp and amphibious forest.
On the calm waters of the marsh stand the Ciénaga’s famous stilt villages, supported by pillars or simple wooden stakes and inhabited by local fishermen since 1800. In a place accessible only by water, many of the things we take for granted—being served a glass of water, quick access to a doctor—are considered luxuries. Residents depend on the natural world around them. Sadly, in recent years mass fish die-offs caused by the marsh’s degradation have threatened the livelihoods of 2,500 people who call the Ciénaga Grande home.
Illegal activities are destroying this vital ecosystem: intentionally set forest fires, deforestation of large tracks of land for agriculture and livestock, logging and burning of mangroves, and 27 kilometers of illegally built dikes.
This destruction not only devastates the local fishery; it also has global impact. Ciénaga Grande’s mangroves absorb large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, aiding in the global fight against climate change.
The importance of the Ciénaga Grande has been recognized both nationally – the Sanctuary of Flora and Fauna Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta is a national park – and internationally: UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere program declared the lagoon a biosphere reserve; and the Ciénaga Grande is listed as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental treaty for the protection of wetlands.
AIDA and our partners are advocating for the Colombian government to fulfill its national and international obligations to protect the Ciénaga Grande. After all, millions of animals, the local community, and our global climate depend on it.
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Costa Rican Court Reinforces Protection of Leatherback National Marine Park: Declares Ruling Allowing Construction in Park Unconstitutional
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, June 2, 2008 – On May 23rd, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of Costa Rica repealed a municipal zoning regulation because of its impacts on the most important nesting zone for the leatherback sea turtle in the Eastern Pacific Ocean: the Leatherback National Marine Park (LNMP). The court resolution confirms that the park is necessary to guarantee protection of the leatherback turtle, an internationally declared endangered species, and therefore development within the park must be prevented. The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, the Leatherback Trust, which filed suit in July 2006 against the zoning regulation for the Cabo Velas district of the city of Santa Cruz in the province of Guanacaste. In filing this suit, the Trust was advised by the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Center (CEDARENA), with the support the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA) regarding applicable aspects of international law. Only two weeks ago, the same court ordered the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) to begin expropriating private lands inside the park due to the impact of private developments on the leatherback turtles. This decision resulted from a case brought by CEDARENA, AIDA, and the Costa Rican organization, Justice for Nature (JPN). The zoning regulation that the court annulled in the May 23rd ruling allowed the City of Santa Cruz to issue construction permits inside the park, ignoring the serious impacts that such operations can have on leatherback turtles. “As is well known, leatherbacks require special nesting conditions and thus people’s presence and lights from construction operations on nesting beaches seriously impacts the turtles,” declared Mario Boza, biologist for The Leatherback Trust. The LNMP was created to preserve the conditions necessary for the turtles’ reproduction, but the zoning regulation disregarded this intention. “We are very pleased with the court decision in Costa Rica because it sets a precedent that builds hope for the conservation of this species,” declared Astrid Puentes, Legal Director for AIDA. “We hope that this decision will be replicated in other countries in the region,” added Puentes. The court’s decision is retroactive, so it should cancel all the permits granted and constructions operations initiated under the regulation. “With this decision the court is not only protecting Costa Rica’s ecological balance, as established in article 50 of the Costa Rican Constitution, but also ordering the country to comply with its commitments to international agreements,” declared Rolando Castro, a lawyer with CEDARENA. Press Contacts Rolando Castro, Attorney, (506) 283-7080 [email protected] CEDARENA Gladys Martínez, Attorney, AIDA: (506) 283-7080 [email protected]
Read moreDoe Run Smelter in La Oroya, Peru, Loses Environmental Certification
FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION: April 9, 2008 Press Contacts: Perry Gottesfeld, Executive Director OK International 415-362-9898 [email protected] Anna Cederstav, Ph.D. AIDA and Earthjustice 510-550-6700 [email protected] DOE RUN SMELTER IN LA OROYA, PERU, LOSES ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION Lima, Peru – Doe Run Peru, which operates one of the largest metal-smelters in the hemisphere, has lost its Environmental Certification in a highly unusual move taken by the company’s independent third-party auditors. TUV Rheinland initially granted the certification less than two years ago, but revoked it March 11, 2008 citing non-compliance with Peruvian environmental laws and the lack of adequate pollution prevention measures. The loss of the certification comes on the heels of a $234,000 US fine imposed last year against Doe Run Peru for several serious violations of environmental laws in Peru. This week, Peruvian authorities released a report detailing those violations, including noncompliance with the standards for lead and particulate matter. Doe Run Peru obtained the environmental certification under ISO 14001 in 2006 calling it a “significant milestone in delivering on our commitments to our communities, our employees and the environment." The Doe Run Company’s web site calls the ISO certification an “internationally recognized symbol of a company’s dedication to superior quality, customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.” Nevertheless, a number of studies conducted by the government as well as international health experts have shown that almost all of the children living in the area surrounding Doe Run Peru’s smelter have unacceptably high levels of lead in their bodies. Many are severely exposed and require immediate medical treatment. “TUV Rheinland acted responsibly in taking this unprecedented action to underscore the need for Doe Run Peru to do more to protect public health in La Oroya” said Perry Gottesfeld, Executive Director of Occupational Knowledge International (USA). “Revoking the certification should send a strong message to Doe Run that they have much more work to do,.” said Anna Cederstav, Staff Scientist with AIDA and Earthjustice, and author of the book La Oroya Cannot Wait. “Nevertheless, we are still concerned that, if paid enough, another certifying body will agree to provide Doe Run with a similar certification.” she added. In 2006, several organizations filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States, seeking a recommendation that the Peruvian government implement urgent measures to halt the grave violations against the health and lives of the citizens of La Oroya. Last year, the Commission agreed and requested that the state implement such precautionary measures. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 120 million people are overexposed to lead (approximately three times the number infected by HIV/AIDS) and 99 percent of the most severely affected reside in the developing world. Lead affects both children and adults and causes brain damage, metal retardation, and other learning disabilities in children. In addition to lead, the population of La Oroya is also exposed to extreme levels of other harmful contaminants, including arsenic, cadmium, and sulfur dioxide.
Read moreDoe Run Smelter in La Oroya, Peru, Loses Environmental Certification
FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION: April 9, 2008 Press Contacts: Perry Gottesfeld, Executive Director OK International 415-362-9898 [email protected] Anna Cederstav, Ph.D. AIDA and Earthjustice 510-550-6700 [email protected] DOE RUN SMELTER IN LA OROYA, PERU, LOSES ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION Lima, Peru – Doe Run Peru, which operates one of the largest metal-smelters in the hemisphere, has lost its Environmental Certification in a highly unusual move taken by the company’s independent third-party auditors. TUV Rheinland initially granted the certification less than two years ago, but revoked it March 11, 2008 citing non-compliance with Peruvian environmental laws and the lack of adequate pollution prevention measures. The loss of the certification comes on the heels of a $234,000 US fine imposed last year against Doe Run Peru for several serious violations of environmental laws in Peru. This week, Peruvian authorities released a report detailing those violations, including noncompliance with the standards for lead and particulate matter. Doe Run Peru obtained the environmental certification under ISO 14001 in 2006 calling it a “significant milestone in delivering on our commitments to our communities, our employees and the environment." The Doe Run Company’s web site calls the ISO certification an “internationally recognized symbol of a company’s dedication to superior quality, customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.” Nevertheless, a number of studies conducted by the government as well as international health experts have shown that almost all of the children living in the area surrounding Doe Run Peru’s smelter have unacceptably high levels of lead in their bodies. Many are severely exposed and require immediate medical treatment. “TUV Rheinland acted responsibly in taking this unprecedented action to underscore the need for Doe Run Peru to do more to protect public health in La Oroya” said Perry Gottesfeld, Executive Director of Occupational Knowledge International (USA). “Revoking the certification should send a strong message to Doe Run that they have much more work to do,.” said Anna Cederstav, Staff Scientist with AIDA and Earthjustice, and author of the book La Oroya Cannot Wait. “Nevertheless, we are still concerned that, if paid enough, another certifying body will agree to provide Doe Run with a similar certification.” she added. In 2006, several organizations filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States, seeking a recommendation that the Peruvian government implement urgent measures to halt the grave violations against the health and lives of the citizens of La Oroya. Last year, the Commission agreed and requested that the state implement such precautionary measures. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 120 million people are overexposed to lead (approximately three times the number infected by HIV/AIDS) and 99 percent of the most severely affected reside in the developing world. Lead affects both children and adults and causes brain damage, metal retardation, and other learning disabilities in children. In addition to lead, the population of La Oroya is also exposed to extreme levels of other harmful contaminants, including arsenic, cadmium, and sulfur dioxide.
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