"Strengthening Environmental Law and Enforcement in the Americas"

Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia - December 3rd, 2006

On December 3, 2006 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, the Department of Sustainable Development of the Organization of American States (OAS) together with the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law held a meeting of experts on “Strengthening Environmental Law and Enforcement in the Americas”

The main objective of the meeting was to promote the exchange of experiences in the area of environmental law and enforcement in order to strengthen capacities at the national and regional level to address trade related environmental challenges.  The definition of priorities for action will provide a valuable input to the OAS work in this area.

The meeting – held with support the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)- gathered high level government officials and distinguished members of civil society from all the hemisphere preceding the First Inter-American Meeting of Ministers and High Level Authorities on Sustainable Development.

• Agenda

• List of participants

• Report

Presentations

Environmental Law in the Region: Efficient Models of Enforcement and Compliance

• Overview of Existing Models for Enforcement and Compliance, Sheila Abed, CDA-IDEA

• Experience in the Agricultural Sector, María Amparo Alban, CEDA, Ecuador

• Experience in the Forest Sector, Isabel Calle, SPDA, Perú

Environmental Law and Regional Trade Agreements in an era of global change

• International trade as a driver of ecosystem change, Nicolás Lucas, Centro Fueguino para el Desarrollo Sustentable, Argentina

• Different approaches to environmental performance within trade agreements, Alvaro Sapag, Jefe de Asuntos Internacionales, CONAMA, Chile

 The Role of Public Participation in the enforcement of environmental laws

• Geoffrey Garver, Director, Submission on Enforcement Matters Unit, Commission for Environmental Cooperation

• Gustavo Alanis, President, CEMDA, Mexico

• Jean Aden, Director, Office of Accountability, Overseas Private Investment Corporation

Pictures: Participants.