Dear friends:

This report aims to present you with a sum-mary of the most relevant work and activities that CEMDA has carried out during the 2009-2010 period, as well as informing the public about some of the achievements obtained through such work.

For a start, it is worth mentioning that as a result of a second strategic planning ex-ercise undertaken in 2009, and of acknowledging our strengths, opportuni-ties, weaknesses and threats (SWOT), we started working to implement the recommendations that resulted from such planning: to draft the internal manuals deemed necessary for CEMDA’s well func-tioning; to restructure some areas, all this with the clear aim of continuous improve-ment and institutional strengthening. This exercise resulted in an increased involve-ment of the Board of Directors in the Cen-ter’s daily activities.

On the other hand, our Quintana Roo of-fice has been operating for nine years now, since September 13th, 2001. Alejandra Serrano Pavón is in charge of the office, she replaced Patricio Martín Sánchez as

Presentation

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a regional coordinator. Our La Paz Office recently completed 6 years of work in the region. The office is run by Agustín Bravo, who replaced Pablo Uribe Malagamba as a regional coordinator.

These offices focus, among other subjects, on tourism, sustainable fishing, compli-ance with ecological zoning programs and a strict follow up on environmental impact assessments regarding works and activi-ties that intend to be carried out in such regions. As for the Valle de Bravo Office, its work is centered on water issues, urban development and deforestation, as well as a law abiding road infrastructure develop-ment in the State of Mexico.

Regarding Mexico City, we created the CEMDA-DF office, headed by Samantha Namnum García. The Biodiversity area is working on all issues related to the care, protection and conservation of natural protected areas as well as different flora and fauna species, particularly endemic, threatened or endangered ones.

We strengthened our Communication area - in late 2010 Margarita Campuzano joined CEMDA. The Litigation area is now headed by Úrsula Garzón. Sandra Guzmán replaced Tania Mijares as the air and energy area coordinator in mid 2010. The main objec-tive of this area is to promote clean fuels and an improved quality of life for society as a whole as well as contributing to the national efforts regarding climate change.

During these two years we have succeeded in shifting to a “new” focus in the litigation area, including a human rights variable and increasingly fostering transparency, access to information and public partici-

pation within environmental decision mak-ing processes. This has provided us with an opportunity to obtain valuable information that supports our actions and those of other organizations. We had an outstand-ing participation in the climate change COP 16 that took place in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico in late 2010.

CEMDA has had an important presence in different arenas through my participa-tion in the Joint Public Advisory Commit-tee (JPAC) of North American Free Trade Agreement’s Commission for Environmen-tal Cooperation; in the Technical Advisory Committee of the Federal District’s Envi-ronmental Attorney (PAOT); in the National Advisory Council for Climate Change; and in the Board of Directors of the Inter-Ameri-can Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA), among others.

We have continued organizing courses, workshops and conferences both in Mexico and abroad, related to environmental law and with the public participation spaces within the environmental law framework. Capacity building and training are key is-sues for CEMDA, and we aim to reach judg-es, NGO’s, business people, public officials of the three levels of government, students and college graduates alike.

The main idea is to educate and train soci-ety about the importance of environmen-tal legislation and its compliance. Likewise, we have expanded our Information Center which is open to the public; and we continue with the daily publishing of a summary that includes the most relevant news on environ-mental matters.

In addition, we launched the campaign “Com-

munities count more”, looking to promote Community Forest Management as widely as possible.

In this way, I once again confirm CEMDA’s commitment to sustainability, this is, to say yes to growth, development, invest-ment and job creation that this country lacks so much, and that this takes place in harmony and with respect to the law and to our natural assets.

Gustavo Alanis OrtegaDirector

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Achievements Decalogue

1.The Dirty Diesel Kills campaign was successfully launched and raised public awareness about the importance of using clean fuels to im-prove air quality in the country.

2 Throughout 2010 the Mexican Financing Group analyzed the Federal Expenditure Budget for 2011 in order to demand the inclusion of resources for climate change within strategic sectors such as energy, transport, forests and agriculture. The allocation of 300 mil-lion pesos for this issue was achieved.

3 CEMDA has played an active role in the in-ternational negotiations of the United Na-tions Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (COP14 in Poznan, Po-land; COP15 en Copenhagen, Denmark, and COP16 in Cancun, Mexico); promoting na-tional actions to deal with climate change and participating in building communica-tion channels with different stakeholders.

4 We influenced the publication of the Mexican Official Standard 059 of endan-gered species, thus improving the protec-tion for species like mangroves. Furthermore, stricter and more effective conservation and protection criteria were included in the Mexican Official Standard for sea turtles.

5. On Human Rights matters, the Federal District’s Human Rights Program was made –including a chap-ter on environmental issues- based on the Diagnosis of the Human Rights Situation of the Federal District. After-wards, a Follow-up and Evaluation Mechanism was created for this Program including a Follow up and Evaluation Committee that CEMDA is a member of.

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. We have become a reference within the environmental sector, in public and private institutions and other organizations; suc-

ceeding in influencing public policies and law enforcement ef-ficacy, transparency and accountability.

7. We have succeeded in enhancing the value of eco-systems, flora, fauna and water resources before ju-

dicial and administrative authorities, as well as the importance of the right to consultation and par-

ticipation in order to achieve law compliance and environmentally viable projects.

8. In Baja California Sur we prevented the un-constitutional granting of land use regulation faculties to the state government for real es-tate/tourism purposes. Moreover, we contin-ue to provide advice in order for environmental laws to be complied with for the protection of valuable natural resources such as Cabo Pul-mo, National Marshes in Sinaloa and Nayarit, La Paz Bay, the desert wetlands, Sierra la La-guna and Balandra beach.

9. The work performed during 2009, together with campaigns of other organizations accom-

plished a change in the federal government’s discourse, who included Community Forest

Management and Sustainable Forest Manage-ment in the climate change agenda, acknowledg-

ing that the REDD mechanism represents an im-portant international financing opportunity.

10. The active role played by our Southeast office has rendered substantial success stories regarding environ-

mental protection and touristic development along the coast of Quintana Roo, such as the Akuazul Hotel, Jardines

del Sur II and Kukulcan 42. The comments and suggestions made by CEMDA during the public consultation processes have

been considered by the authorities.

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Objective

CEMDA’s Air and Energy Program aims to improve air quality and the quality of life of the country’s inhabitants, as well as to have a bearing on domestic public policies and on international negotiations in order to foster the implementation of laws and actions that can help in slowing down cli-mate change.

Main Activities

• Vehicle Efficiency Regulation

We are promoting the implementation of a Vehicle Efficiency Regulation in Mexico. This is due to the fact that in our country the transportation sector is the second larg-est source of greenhouse gases emissions, with 18% of the country’s total emissions- We have held meetings with key stake-

Program Air and Energy

holders to reach a consensus on the regula-tion.

- We made an informative document about the Vehicle Efficiency Regulation that has been presented to the key stakeholders and authorities and also to the media.

• Energy generation: the importance of tak-ing into account externalities.

CEMDA has set as a short, medium and

long term goal the fostering of the county’s energy transition; not only because of the threat to the country’s energy security brought about by the fossil sources scar-city, but also because it is an effective miti-gation measure against climate change and because it entails significant benefits for health and the environment.

- In order to support a law change proposal submitted by the Mexican Green Party (Par-tido Verde Ecologista de México), CEMDA carried out a study about the need and the importance of having the Federal Electrici-ty Commission (CFE) include environmental and social externalities produced by elec-tricity generation in the definition of lower cost.

- CEMDA is an active member of the Net-work for Energy Transition, composed by the private sector, the public sector and civil society organizations. The network fosters the exchange of ideas to move to-wards energy transition in Mexico.

• Clean Fuels

During the past few years, CEMDA has pro-moted the introduction of clean fuels in the country, due to the negative effects that high sulfur content fuels have on health and the environment- Two campaigns - both in the legal and the

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media fields- have been carried out to de-mand from the Mexican Oil Company (Pe-mex) that they comply with Standard 086 that obliges Pemex to supply the country with Ultra-low Sulfur fuels as of February 2009; so far this company has avoided complying with the standard.

In February 2009 a complaint was filed against Pemex before the Mexican Envi-ronmental Attorney (Profepa) due to non-compliance with Standard 086 (NOM 086 Semarnat-Sener-SCFI-2005). In re-sponse, Profepa made an inspection visit to Pemex Refineries and initiated an adminis-trative procedure against the state-owned company. However, Pemex obtained an am-paro looking to delay the administrative procedure and avoid the appropriate sanc-tions.

A number of information requests have been submitted and we have also analyzed the budgets regarding Pemex’s compliance with the Standard. In addition, we have ana-lyzed the actions aimed at bringing Ultra-low Sulfur fuels in to the country.

In February 2009 the media campaign Dirty Diesel Kills was launched, with the double goal of raising awareness about the adverse effects of ‘dirty’ fuels and to put pressure on Pemex to comply with the Standard.

• Climate Change Public policy and legal framework.

The Air and Energy Program has played an active role in promoting a crosscutting, comprehensive climate change policy. It has worked towards the creation of legal frame-work that tackles the problem extensively, not only through the creation of a General Law but also through the analysis of the ex-isting legal framework, especially in regards to energy generation and use, and with an emphasis on the transportation sector and the use of renewable energy in Mexico.

We actively participated in the meetings of the Climate Change Commissions both in the Senate and the Chamber of Depu-ties, aiming to foster an adequate climate change legal framework and to monitor the compliance of the goals set by the Climate Change Special Program and other public policy instruments like the National Strat-egy for Renewable Energy Use and Energy Transition.

• Climate change financing.

We have closely followed the work done by Mexico in the international negotiations of the United Nations Framework Conven-tion on Climate Change (UNFCCC); it has promoted the creation of an international financial architecture that encourages

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compliance of mitigation and adaptation measures against climate change.

- We have carried out a series of workshops and meetings to promote the strategy: “Financing change without changing the

climate”, which in turn made possible the creation of the Mexican Financing Group ; strategies were put to action with this group before, during and after the Confer-ence of the Parties (COP16).

- The Mexican Financing Group analyzed the National Expenditure Budget for 2011 looking to demand the addition of resourc-es for climate change within strategic sec-tors such as transportation, energy, for-ests and agriculture. We achieved for 300 million pesos to be allocated to the subject.

• Social participation in the Climate Change Summit (COP16).

CEMDA has actively participated in the UN-FCCC’s international negotiations (COP14 in Poznan, Poland; COP15 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and COP16 in Cancun); promot-ing actions on a national level to deal with climate change and fostering a dialogue be-tween different stakeholders.

- We have attended the preparatory meet-

ings with the Ministry of Foreign Relations and other civil society stakeholders, fur-thermore, a special meeting was held to discuss financing and an increased acces-sibility for civil society.

- We drafted informative materials about Mexico’s role in the negotiations as well as specific demands that CEMDA has on the matter, all this with the aim of submitting it before the Mexican President pointing out the pending agenda that the country has towards 2012.

- We organized an event in the framework of the COP16 and participated in a num-ber of groups as active members such as the Climate Action Network (CAN), the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA), the Latin-American Climate Change Group, the Mexican Space- Climate Dialogue and other relevant groups in the international arena.

- In order to contribute to the dissemina-tion and transparency of the agreements that Mexico is signing with respect to cli-mate change, CEMDA actively worked with the media obtaining an extensive coverage of over a hundred items, articles, features and interviews both in print and on elec-tronic means of communication.

Main achievenments

• In regards to the Efficiency Standard, CEMDA has positioned itself as an impor-tant stakeholder in the negotiations. In parallel, it has drafted and distributed a document on the Vehicle Efficiency Rule among the decision-makers and key stake-holders.

• The document Mexico: Externalities valu-

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ation in electricity generation for energy transition and climate change combat was made.

• In response to the complaint submitted by CEMDA before Profepa, this attorney made an inspection visit to Pemex Refineries and started an administrative procedure against this state owned company.

• The Dirty Diesel Kills campaign was suc-cessfully displayed through the media, billboards, the internet and social net-works, even having citizens and artists alike join the campaign.

• The Mexican Financing Group that CEMDA is a part of demanded the incorporation of resources for climate change within strate-gic sectors like transport, energy, forests and agriculture in the National Expenditure Budget; achieving the allocation of 300 million pesos for the subject by the Cham-ber of Deputies.

• CEMDA has grown to currently become an interlocutor before the Mexican govern-ment in the international climate change negotiation processes within the UNFCCC framework. During the Poznan (Poland, 2008), Copenhagen (Denmark, 2009) and

COP 16 . Cancún . Margarita Campuzano

Cancun (Mexico, 2010) summits, we posi-tioned civil society’s demands among the relevant stakeholders and decision-makers and obtained an extensive coverage from the media.

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Biodiversity

Objective

Program

The Biodiversity Program’s objective is the protection and conservation of natural re-sources and biodiversity through the en-forcement of the legal framework as well as to perfect the environmental policy instru-ments such as Mexican Official Standards, management programs, strategies and special conservation programs. It particu-larly looks to preserve those ecosystems or species that are of top priority or at risk.

This program has also participated in ac-tivities related to water due to the impor-tance of this resource. The program aims to have the right to water recognized as a human right as well as promoting a compre-hensive and sustainable water management in such a way that allows for the protection and conservation of rivers, lakes, wetlands, forests and aquifers.

Activities

• Participation in the creation and improve-ment of Mexican Official Standards and Regulations:

- Mexican Official Standard that sets spe-cial conservation, protection, recovery and management measures for marine turtle populations and its habitat throughout its life cycle.

Cancún Alejandra Serrano

- Participation in the Technical Working Group No. 4 “Shark fishery” of the Ministry of Agriculture (SAGARPA).

- Participation in the Working Group for the creation of a Mexican Official Standard that sets a procedure for determining eco-logical flows in watersheds.

• Development of a study for identifying and eliminating barriers to the implementa-tion of mitigation measures for greenhouse gases emissions and for adaptation to cli-mate change.

•Together with other CEMDA members and programs this study was made to identify barriers within the current legal system that prevent the implementation of cli-mate change mitigation and adaptation measures at the national level. An analysis was performed on the follow-ing sectors: energy use and generation, land use change, solid urban waste and transport as greenhouse gases genera-tion sources; and as part of the adaptation measures, the biodiversity, water, coastal, agriculture and health sectors.

• Participation in the Follow-up Committee for the Human Right to Water of the Fed-eral District’s Human Rights Program.The objective is to monitor the implementa-tion (by the local government agencies and offices) of the guidelines regarding the hu-man right to water established by the Fed-eral District’s Human Rights Program.

• Development of the study “Conserva-tion and Restoration of the Gulf of Mexico. Comparison of the legal and institutional frameworks and of public policies in Mexico and the United States”.

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Together with the Cancun Office and the En-vironmental Law Institute (ELI) we under-took this study whose objective is to find opportunity areas to improve the legal and institutional framework and the public poli-cies regarding conservation and restora-tion of the Gulf of Mexico in both countries.

Other Activities:

• Attendance and preparation of the pub-lic participation meetings of the National Advisory Committee for Environmental and Natural Resources Standarization (CO-MARNAT).

• Participation in the National Consultation Forum on Whales.

• Support provided to the Strategic Proj-ects Program in the analysis and research for producing a diagnosis on the state of Campeche’s legal and institutional frame-work regarding nature tourism.

• Participation in the public consultation for the National Strategy on Invasive Species.

• Actions for the effective implementation of the changes in regards to invasive spe-

XEL-HA . Cancún Alejandra Serrano

cies made to the General Wildlife Law.

• Participation in the National Wildlife Coun-cil and in the following subcommittees: In-vasive Species, Priority Species and Legal Framework.

• Advice and follow up supplied to other non governmental organizations about man-groves, wetlands, and the Mexican Official Standard 059 on species at risk.

Main Achievements

As a result of CEMDA’s work, the following achievements were attained:

• To include stricter and more effective con-servation and protection criteria in the Mexican Official Standard for marine tur-tles.

• To have an innovative study for the identi-fication and elimination of barriers for the implementation of climate change adap-tation measures and of greenhouse gases emissions mitigation measures.

• Having influenced the publication of the Mexican Official Standard 059 on species at risk, achieving a better protection for species such as mangroves.

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Human Rights and EnvironmentProgram

Objective

The right to a healthy environment is a hu-man right recognized by the Mexican Con-stitution and by the Additional Protocol on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to the Inter-American Convention of Human Rights. Furthermore, it has been widely recognized in a number of declarations and plans by the United Nations and the Orga-nization of American States.

Based on this framework, CEMDA’s main office continued running the Human Rights and Environment Program during the 2008-2010 period obtaining different achievements regarding information dis-semination, training, defense and impact on policy making concerning the right to a healthy environment.

Actividades

Federal District

- In regards to the impact on policy making, this program used its participation right and contributed to the drafting process of the Assessment on the status of Human Rights in the Federal District, which was coordinated by the Federal District’s Hu-man Rights Commission. The assessment points out the most serious problems that the exercise of the right to a healthy en-

vironment and the right to water have to face.

- Using the information provided by the As-sessment, a process to create the Federal District’s Human Rights Program started. CEMDA participated in the working ses-sions about the integration of the chapter on Human Security, which includes actions aimed at improving and protecting the right to a healthy environment and to water in Mexico City.

- Once the development process of the Federal District’s Human Rights Program was completed, a Follow up and Evaluation Mechanism was created and in turn gave rise to the Follow up and Evaluation Commit-tee comprised by 11 institutions from the public sector and from civil society. Through the Human Rights and Environment Pro-gram, CEMDA ran to be one of the organi-zations that comprise the mechanism and was appointed as a substitute member.

Since it became a substitute member, CEM-DA has continuously participated in the meetings of the civil society organizations that perform a follow up for the program and making comments to the draft for the Federal District’s Human Rights Program Law. CEMDA participated in the creation of information leaflets that include the types of rights and the protected groups included in the Program, especially the one about the Right to a Healthy Environment.

In addition, CEMDA played an active roll in setting up the Participation Spaces that are also part of the Mechanism and ran to coordinate the Follow up Committee for the Right to a Healthy Environment that en-ables government agencies to report their

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Gum tree childAlexis Bartrina

progress on complying with this right’s guidelines. Moreover, CEMDA participates in the Follow up Committee for the Right to Water.

Federal Government

- In the framework of the Government Po-litical Commission on matters of Human Rights, the Environment and Human Rights Subcommittee was created in December 2009; it aims to provide a space for dia-logue between the government and civil society and to foster public policies on hu-man rights (environment). In recognition of CEMDA’s work, the Environment Ministry

- that created and fosters the subcommit-tee- called our organization to participate in this dialogue space. From the beginning of the session period, the participating orga-nizations chose CEMDA to coordinate the work from the civil society’s perspective.

This space developed a Work Plan for 2010-2011 which includes the following topics:

Right to Public Consultation, Right of Ac-cess to Justice (Collective Actions), Legis-lative Harmonization and Capacity building concerning the right to a healthy environ-ment.

- During the process for the Constitutional Reform on matters of Human Rights, the United Nations Office of the High Commis-sioner for Human Rights in Mexico, jointly with a pluralistic group of academics and non governmental organizations –including CEMDA-, worked together in the drafting of a law initiative proposal that contemplates changes to the Constitution on Human Rights matters.

• Defense

- Jointly with AIDA, an alternative report to the one submitted by the Mexican state before the UN Human Rights Council was made. This report focused on the deficien-cies regarding access to environmental jus-tice in the country.

- Also, in collaboration with AIDA and as friends of the Inter-American Human Rights Court, we submitted a document that states the case of the activists Te-odoro Cabrera and Rodolfo Montiel against the Mexican State for violations to their human rights, particularly to the freedom of association.

• In October 2010, during the Inter-Ameri-can Human Rights Commission’s 140th pe-riod of sessions, in conjunction with other

non governmental organizations we submit-ted the report on the Right to Participa-tion and Public Consultation. Afterwards, the same report was submitted before the United Nations Office of the High Commis-sioner for Human Rights in Mexico. The pro-gram is currently awaiting the answer of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of In-digenous People to the request for a visit to Mexico to observe the status of this right

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Workshop . Mexico City.Ricardo R. Esparza

in the country.

• Dissemination of information/training

- While working on the dissemination of in-formation and training the public on the right to a healthy environment, the Human Rights and Environment Program has put an emphasis in generating a public discus-sion on legal topics that allow for raising awareness about the right to a healthy en-vironment. It is under this framework that on May 22, 2009 a session took place on the access to justice based on relevant en-vironmental rulings. The session had partic-ipants from the federal and state govern-ments, from civil organizations, postulating lawyers and academics; all of them involved in environmental matters, particularly en-vironmental litigation. Such a session had the goal of spotting and discussing about relevant rulings, either because they rep-resent progress for our system of access to justice or because they represent a set-back for environmental rights protection.

- We have participated in different fora, among them stand out two programs on the judicial channel (Hábleme Derecho) where we talked about collective actions related to the right of consultation; and also our participation in the Seminar on teaching at public interest clinics, organized by the Supreme Court of Justice and the Escuela Libre de Derecho (a leading law school).

- In November 2009 we participated in the review of the Charter on the Right to a City, an initiative comprised by several civil organizations in coordination with Mexico City’s government to recognize and exer-cise a number of human rights related to the improvement of the city’s inhabitant’s

life quality.

- We participated in the Project Improving our Community, that aims to strengthen the communities’ capacities through work-shops comprised of four modules on the ac-cess to governmental information, the mu-nicipality, relevant environmental permits and authorizations; some defense actions were discussed during five sessions within two workshops.

The first one took place in the Tlalmanalco municipality (State of Mexico) and was aimed at communities living in the eastern areas of the state whose main environmen-tal problems revolve around land use change from agricultural land to house developing projects.

The second workshop took place in the Valle de Bravo municipality, in the State of Mex-ico. It was aimed at forestry engineering students and at communities from the Val-le de Bravo, Amanalco and Donato Guerra municipalities whose environmental prob-lems are related to excessive logging and touristic development.

• Research

- On July 1st 2009 the Guide on Human Rights and Environment was presented to the public; it is a publication by CEMDA

- As part of the project –Manual on Defense Means for Human (environmental) Rights, an informative document was developed to explain about the procedures available to the public to defend their right to a healthy environment, showing the possible advan-tages and disadvantages of each author-ity (universal, regional, national or local), in

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order to make the complaint in a way that results in a fast and efficient procedure. A compilation and analysis was made of dif-ferent procedures and rulings from a num-ber of authorities at the national level (both from the executive and judicial powers); of regional authorities like the Inter-American Human Rights Court and the Commission, and the Commission for Environmental Co-operation; and of international entities such as the Human Rights Committee and the International Work Organization.

Main Achievements

• The Assessment on the status of Hu-man Rights in the Federal District allowed

the development of the Federal District’s Human Rights Program and, later on, the development of a Follow up and Evaluation Mechanism for this program, which in turn has a Follow up and Evaluation Committee that CEMDA is a member of.

• Through its participation in the process of the Constitutional reform proposal in regards to human rights, CEMDA actively promoted the Right to a Healthy Environ-ment and included many of the elements proposed by civil society, among them stand out: the incorporation and inter-pretation of constitutional rights, those

recognized by international human rights treaties and criteria that stems from in-ternational human rights organizations –all under the most favorable interpretation for the rights of the public principle.

• As a result of the presentation of the re-port on the Right to Public Consultation and Participation before the Inter-Ameri-can Human Rights Commission, Semarnat called a public information meeting on the San Andres road construction project, which faces the opposition of the Santa Ca-tarina Huichol community since it affects the environment and sacred sites of the Wirarika people.

• Publication of the Guide on Human Rights and Environment, co edited by CEMDA and the Federal District’s Human Rights Com-mission.

• Participation in the Manual on Defense Means for Human (environmental) Rights.

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Workshop . Mexico City.Ricardo R. Esparza

Strategic LitigationProgram

Objective.

The program has the objective of defending the environment and the natural resources through environmental strategic litigation.

The strategies consists of using the law as a social transformation mechanism and hence fulfill CEMDA’s objectives and mis-sion, defending the environment and the natural resources in such a way that they are rightfully used and preserved without putting them at risk for future generations. Our goal is the strengthening, consolida-tion, harmonization, application and ef-fective compliance of the judicial-envi-ronmental system; this is, to achieve the enforcement and compliance of the legal framework and its development in order to make it more efficient, effective and that it provides answers to our Country’s social and environmental needs.

Collective interest plays a key role among our selection criteria since it is this way that we can make of the right to a healthy environment an actionable right.

We have a case documenting program, and with the help of the transparency instru-ments, we have been able to gather all the criteria concerning the environment and

access to information issued by the courts and other offices. Hence, we have a tool that can show trends and patterns, and help us know the full history of the files and the status of the different cases; in sum, we have got a tool that provides us with prac-tical knowledge in order to be able to draw a new path and to devise strategies.

Activities

• One of the activities performed by the strategic litigation area is working hand in hand with agricultural and indigenous com-munities and with citizens looking to defend their natural assets when they are affected by infrastructure works that fail to comply with environmental laws.

- Such is the case of the La Parota Dam in the state of Guerrero, the Lerma-Tres Ma-rias highway in the states of Morelos and Mexico, the Bolaños-Huejuquilla highway in the state of Jalisco and the Chalco-Ameca-meca aquifer in the state of Mexico.

In all of the cases we are defending the right to a healthy environment, the right to an adequate consultation for the communi-ties affected by the construction works of these development projects and the right to get the necessary information to make an informed decision regarding their assets and their future.

Frequently, the communities are opposed to such projects since they significantly affect their lifestyle and economic activi-ties; and they are also the cause of ecologi-cal imbalance in the region, of ecosystem fragmentation and responsible of affecting many other communities that benefit form the environmental services.

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Fierro del Toro MorelosXavier Esponda

- On the other hand, a series of ecosys-tem defense actions have been carried out, their importance lies in the conservation of endemic flora and fauna and in the environ-mental services that these areas provide. Such is the case of Fierro del Toro and Bar-ranca de los Sauces in the state of Morelos.

- Finally, we have filed actions before the competent authorities for the defense of the right to water, not only because of its environmental importance but also as the most basic assumption for a healthy life, as in the case of the Tetlama dump and the 13 peoples Council in the state of Morelos.

We often utilized the transparency tools to obtain information on the actions carried out by the authorities and used them for documenting the cases while exercising the right to information.

Main achievements

• We have become a reference point within the environmental sector, among public and private institutions and among other or-ganizations succeeding to influence policy making processes and fostering effective-ness in law application, transparency and accountability. On the international arena, we succeeded to position environmental problems that afflict our country.

• As a result of the program, the value of ecosystems, water resources, flora and fauna has been reconsidered by the judicial and administrative authorities; as well as the importance of the right to consultation and participation for planning environmen-tally viable projects that clearly abide by the law.

• There is an increased effectiveness regard-ing environmental law application by the authorities in charge, this is but a sample of what constant work and law application can bring about concerning changes among stakeholders and environmental care.

• The lack of compliance with environmental laws brings about consequences, and it is important to point out that we are one of the few organizations that day to day de-mand law compliance and enforcement.

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Regional Offices

This office’s main goal is to seek sustain-able development in the region in keeping with environmental and urban development legislation in order to protect and conserve the ecosystem.

In particular, we strive for a focus on the development and effective application of environmental policy instruments, for the conservation, protection, and sustainable use of the region’s natural resources; main-ly regarding urban development, forestry, water, natural protected areas and wildlife.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

• By mid 2009 a strategic planning process was underway in order to open a regional of-fice in Valle de Bravo; a number of meetings with strategic stakeholders that worked in the Valle de Bravo-Amanalco Watershed took place. Additionally, we approached the Head office for the Valle de Bravo Mala-catepec, Tilostoc Temascaltepec Natural Protected Area –located in Valle de Bravo, seat of the municipal government- in order to create a collaborative relationship.

•We initiated a planning process for work-shops on capacity building -termed “Envi-

Valle de Bravo

Valle de Bravo . Edo. de MéxicoRicardo R. Esparza

ronmental Monitors”- for the local commu-nities and stakeholders. These workshops took place in the Valle de Bravo Technologi-cal College and were attended both by stu-dents and by Valle de Bravo residents.

•In order to make the existence of the new office known to the public, a leaflet that stated our goals and main activities was issued. In February 2010 an inauguration cocktail took place in the Joaquín Arcadio Pagaza Museum, in Valle de Bravo, State of Mexico; to the event attended representa-tives of local organizations, residents, pub-lic officials of the State of Mexico and the Valle de Bravo Municipality.

• In 2010, jointly with Bravo Jóvenes (Bra-vo Youth), a grassroots organization that works with the local youth; and together with Juan Carlos Rulfo, a film producer, we started planning a video on the impacts of the new road branch line to Valle de Bravo.

The video is called “20 minutes” and pres-ents a series of testimonial interviews, takes and photographs that show the im-pacts to the environment and the local communities derived from the road’s devel-opment. The video was presented in early December 2010 at the Environmental Film Forum, in parallel with the Climate Change Summit in Cancun and obtained an honor-able mention. We are currently working on the second part of the video.

• Within the framework of the Civic Agenda: Water, Rivers and People that took place in June 2010, CEMDA organized and facili-tated the discussion table on the Valle de Bravo-Amanalco Watershed: problems and joint strategy for its defense; among its participants were: Horacio Bonfil, Direc-

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Valle de Bravo . Edo. de MéxicoRicardo R. Esparza

tor of Fondo Procuenca, Alejandra Rodrí-guez, former director of the head office for the Valle de Bravo Malacatepec, Tilostoc Temascaltepec Natural Protected Area, Dr. Martin Merino, researcher at the National Autonomous University (UNAM), and as a facilitator Samantha Namnum Garcia, di-rector of our central region office.

• With the aim of advancing this regional of-fice’s agenda, we held a meeting with Valle de Bravo’s municipal president, where we formally presented the office and its work agenda.

• Startegic litigation actions:

The strategy consists in using the law as a social transformation mechanism that, together with environmental training for the local communities, intends to defend the natural resources of the Valle de Bravo-Amanalco watershed and hence achieve its sustainable use.

The work currently consists of strategic cases documentation, regarding both infra-structure that affects natural protected areas as well as concrete violations to the Ecological Zoning Programs because of buildings that do not comply with the local regulations; all this is done mainly by using the federal and local transparency system, the direct training of affected communities and by carrying out legal strategic actions.

Cases

• Valle de Bravo Road, State of Mexico.Problemática: Problem description: The State of Mexico government promoted through its Highways and Airports Office

(SAASCAEM) the road project termed “Branch line to Valle de Bravo and Paseo Avandaro of the Project, Concession for the Construction, Use, Operation, Conser-vation and Maintenance Toluca Zitácuaro”; a road that runs through a Federal Natural Protected Area- “Federal Protected Forest Zone comprised by the constitutive land of the Valle de Bravo, Malacatepec, Tilos-toc and Temascaltepec rivers watersheds” as well as through two protected areas at the state level – the Monte Alto Eco-logical Reserve and the Santuario del Agua State Park. The project entails a signifi-cant amount of tree felling and it violates the criteria of the Valle de Bravo-Amanalco Watershed Ecological Zoning Program. In addition, it is a source of conflict because it runs across several agricultural settle-ments that oppose the project.

Achievements 2009-2011

• An indirect Amparo was filed against Semarnat’s silence regarding the judicial review made in 2008, as a result an answer was obtained from the authority in charge, admitting to not having taken a decision on the judicial review. In addition, the judicial

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review was submitted before the Collegiate Courts and is currently being examined.

• Additionally, a complaint was filed before Profepa on the lack of compliance of the company regarding some of the constraints contained in the Environmental Impact Au-thorization, specifically those related to polluting agents emitted by freight trucks.

• Likewise, an Indirect Amparo was filed on affecting private property of one of the members of a community affected by the project, whose land is located in the center of its area of influence. This Amparo is cur-rently under review.

• Lastly, 30 information requests were submitted before the three levels of gov-ernment, thus succeeding to prove that the authorized activities contravene the legal framework, and could possibly cause environmental damage and affect the com-munities that live within the projects zone of influence, whose rights to participation and information were violated by the au-thorities since they did not take the into account and denied them information.

•Restaurant in Valle de BravoProblem description:

The State of Mexico’s government autho-rized a land use change for the plot located in 17 Vega del Campo, Avandaro Residen-tial in the Valle de Bravo municipality. The permit was illegally granted according to the legal ordinances mentioned above and clearly violates the Valle de Bravo Municipal Urban Development Plan.

Achievements 2009 – 2011

• Three administrative complaints were filed in terms of article 57 of the General Law of Human Settlements and against the land use change. The complaints were submitted before Valle de Bravo’s Urban Development, Public Works and Ecology Direction and be-fore the State of Mexico’s Urban Develop-ment Ministry; they are currently under review.

• Furthermore, a nullity trial was filed before the State of Mexico’s Administrative Court against the land use change permit on viola-tions of the State of Mexico’s Administra-tive Code; it is currently being reviewed.

• LA PEÑA CASE, VALLE DE BRAVO, STATE OF MEXICO.Problem description:

Preliminary works started to build an urban residential complex in a Valle de Bravo area known as La Peña, an archeological site lo-cated inside the natural protected area.

- A complaint was filed before Profepa, State of Mexico Office; it is currently under review.

• SALE OF TRUE PARROTS (Psittacidae Family), STATE OF MEXICO. Problem description:

In the State of Mexico, particularly in the Nevado de Toluca region, legal and illegal trade of common parrots and psittacidae takes place.

• A complaint was submitted before Profepa about the selling of these birds along the El Pacífico, Zinacantepec road in the State

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Objective:

The activities and effects of the Northwest Office take place in four core dimensions:

a) Use the law to face the challenges of sustainable development.b) To spread the knowledge on environ-mental law through training and informa-tion dissemination, aimed at judges and au-thorities, as well as at organizations that have a direct influence on these issues.c) To defend cases where projects could entail a significant risk or damage to the environment and the ecological balance. This means seeing to it that the existing environmental laws in the country are re-spected.d) To develop or improve environmental legislation, using the knowledge and learned lessons taken from other aspects of our activities.

Activities

1. Better legal tools for sustainable devel-opment

• Marine Reserves in Mexico. Together with Comunidad y Biodiversidad (COBI), a rec-ognized applied research institution, we

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Cabo Pulmo . GreenpeacePrometeo Lucero

of Mexico; this road leads to the Valle de Bravo–Amanalco region. As a result of the complaint, the authorities inspected the area and identified a local inhabitant that sold common parrots and psittacidae; his permits were withdrawn and recommen-dations were made regarding handling and treatment for these bird species.

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published the document Marine Reserves Implementation, a study oriented towards solutions that the legal framework can pro-vide and the necessary steps to implement this mechanism in Mexico.

• Publishing of the Guide on Public Participa-tion Mechanisms within the Environmental Policy Instruments in Mexico, where CEM-DA provides a series of recommendations for its improvement.

• Given the fact that the acquisition of land or property rights by private citizens in or-der to preserve it or give it a sustainable use has become one of the most success-ful conservation tools, CEMDA made an Analysis of Opportunities for Strengthen-ing Conservation of Private Lands in Mexico, pointing out both the threats and the wide range of opportunities for strengthening private conservation.

• The publication of Jurisdictional Practice in Environmental and International Law: Analysis and Experiences provides judges with inputs such as rulings and relevant precedents with an emphasis on regional is-sues of Northwest Mexico.

• The publication Environmental Impact As-sessment in Northwest Mexico, presents an analysis of concise cases of paradigmat-ic real estate developments, gathering the opinions and diagnoses of environmental authorities, developers and consultants.

2. Strengthening of judges and environmen-tal activists

• Throughout 2009 and 2010 we trained approximately 200 judges, magistrates, members of the judiciary and the public

prosecution offices both at the local and federal level; they participated in a seminar on Mexican and International Environmen-tal Law Jurisdictional Practice (Analysis and Experiences) organized and taught to-gether with the renowned Environmental Law Institute (ELI) that took place in Baja California Sur and Sinaloa.

• CEMDA provided continuous legal training and advice to over 70 organizations of all sorts.

3. Working towards environmental and so-cial defense

• Cabo Pulmo. The world’s aquarium. Cabo Pulmo is the crown jewel of the world’s

aquarium –the Gulf of California-, and has been recognized as a UNESCO world heri-tage site, as a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) and as a marine pro-tected area.

Cabo Pulmo is threatened by the Cabo Cor-tes project by the Spanish Company Hansa Urbana/Caja del Mediterráneo (CAM), which intends to build nearby a “new Cancun” with 27,000 rooms and a marina with an esti-mated value of $2,500 million dollars.

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In 2008 Semarnat issued an environmen-tal authorization for Cabo Cortes. As a result of CEMDA’s legal actions the autho-rization was partially revoked (partial nul-lity) in 2010 by Semarnat. In parallel, we carried out legal actions before the Federal Tax and Administrative Court in 2010 for the partial nullity to become a total nullity with no possibility of being rectified. At the same time, we participated as a third party producing arguments in the amparo trial filed by Hansa Urbana through its subsid-iary. Such actions are part of a wider effort made by local, national and international organizations working together as Cabo Pulmo Vivo.

• Defending Marismas Nacionales. Sinaloa and Nayarit. Marismas nacionales (Nation-al Marshes), with over 200,000 hectares, is one of the largest wetlands in Mexico and it hosts 20% of the country’s mangroves. Its importance for the Gulf of California cannot be understated. It is also a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance) and it’s partially protected as a Biosphere Reserve. It is important to mention that mangroves are a threatened wildlife spe-cies protected by the Mexican legislation.

• Huizache Caimaneros Wetlands. Sinaloa. The coastal lagoons and mangrove areas of Huizache Caimaneros are a most relevant part of Marismas Nacionales. This area was threatened by the Caimaneros Marina-Golf-Playa project that intended to build a real estate touristic complex of 16,000 rooms and a marina with a value of $1,700 million dollars as estimated by the develop-ers.

The Caimaneros Marina-Golf-Playa project submitted a meager environmental impact

statement that did not address or evalu-ate the relevant potential environmental impacts CEMDA supported local groups by helping them gather information, request a public consultation and a public meeting and submit comments on the project’s fail-ure to comply with the law. The project was severely questioned and because of this and of the additional information request-ed by Semarnat, the developer relinquished its project in 2010.

• San Pedro River. Nayarit. The San Pe-dro river watershed (26 thousand km2), is surely the only ecosystem of its kind in Mexico that has not been dammed. It is the last of the great wild rivers; and at the same time, a key element for the marshes’ health (Marismas Nacionales) providing it with water and nutrients.

The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) intends to build a number of dams along this watershed; the largest –known as Hy-droelectric Las Cruces - is a hydroelectric facility with a curtain 176 meters high that would flood 4,100 hectares of forest. CFE has already carried out the studies in order to submit the project for an environ-mental impact assessment.

To this day we have provided legal advice to the groups leading the information cam-paign about the impacts that this hydro-electric would bring about to the region and to Marismas Nacionales.

• La Paz Bay. La Paz Bay and its coastal la-goon, the La Paz Cove, is an important con-servation site in the Gulf of California, both because of the presence of mangroves, and because it is an habitat for birds and other species like whale sharks. Henceforth the

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recognition of a significant part of La Paz Bay as a Ramsar site (a wetland of interna-tional importance).

• Protecting the Paraíso del Mar Bay. The Paraíso del Mar project intends to build 10,000 rooms and a marina, with an ex-pected investment of $700 million dollars.

Semarnat granted an environmental autho-rization without making an assessment of all of the project’s impacts and without con-sidering the fact that the legal framework prohibits vegetation removal at El Mogote; because of its wetland characteristics only

low impact building can take place.

We filed a judicial review in 2006 against the environmental authorization that was dismissed by Semarnat. Also in 2006, we filed for a nullity trial. During the analysis period we continued with the litigation un-til in 2010 the court ruled for the nullity of the project’s environmental authorization. Paraíso del Mar has fought the ruling to no avail and CEMDA continues acting as a third party in all court proceedings in order to defend this area.

• Defending the Entremares Bay. This tour-istic real estate complex project intends to build in El Mogote, next to Paraíso del Mar,

it consists of 7,000 rooms and an interi-or marina with an expected investment of $900 million dollars. It is possible that En-tremares is an extension of Paraiso del Mar since they have common infrastructure, among other factors.

Semarnat illegally granted an environmen-tal authorization in 2009 since it did not carry out an assessment of all the cumu-lative and synergic impacts taking into account its proximity to Paraiso del Mar;

it also failed to evaluate the potential im-pacts that an increase in the nautical ac-tivity would bring about.

CEMDA carried out legal actions that pre-vented the project’s start. Such actions consisted in showing all of the violations to the legal framework made by the project all along the process, since the consultation and public meeting stage and up to the proj-ect’s challenge in 2010.

• Marina Esperanto. Project for a sports marina of 500 spaces, which intends to be built in La Paz Bay. It was submitted for an environmental impact assessment based on a feeble environmental impact state-

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ment that contravened a number of land and marine zoning instruments and that did not seriously evaluate the potential impacts of the project itself and mostly, of its opera-tion. Semarnat analyzed these and other arguments and denied the authorization.

• Desert Wetlands: The San Jose Estero Estuary

The San José estuary is one of the Peninsu-la’s largest and most important permanent water bodies, and a wetland of internation-al importance declared as a Ramsar site. It hosts a homonym protected area under state jurisdiction. Its importance cannot be understated due to the fact that it is connected to the aquifer that supplies San Jose del Cabo.

• Mitigating the impacts of Puerto Los Ca-bos. One of the biggest impacts to the San Jose marsh comes from the touristic real estate complex Puerto Los Cabos. It entails an 800 hectare project adjacent to the estuary which intends to build thousands of rooms and a marina; this represents a risk for the estuary’s aquifer –San Jose del Cabo’s main source of water. The expected investment is $900 million dollars.

As a result of a number of actions and ne-gotiations, in 2009 we succeeded in having Puerto Los Cabos sign an agreement to have all of its activities undergo environmental auditing and analysis of possible risks for the San Jose aquifer and a plan that would be built accordingly.

• Project Las Colinas del Puerto. Yet anoth-er project that intended to be developed in the already overloaded environmental sys-tem of the San Jose Estuary; the Las Co-

linas del Puerto real estate complex, adja-cent to Puerto Los Cabos, intended to build 7,000 rooms on a 735 hectare plot with an expected investment of $ 750 million dollars.

The project contravened the local land zon-ing plans, and its environmental impact statement presented a number of deficien-cies. As a result of CEMDA’s legal actions, Semarnat denied the authorization to this project in 2009.

• Sierra la Laguna Biosphere Reserve. In ad-dition to hosting vast natural resources, it provides the region with a unique environ-mental service- water catchment and re-charge.

It is mostly Sierra de la Laguna’s aquifers that are at risk because of Vistagold’s Con-cordia project, which intends to carry out open mining operations for gold inside the natural protected area. This would mean an excavated area of 60 hectares that would in turn generate a mountain of waste in 110 hectares and a tailings dam of a hun-dred hectares.

The Concordia mine, formerly known as Paredones Amarillos (yellow rock face), was illegally granted an environmental authori-zation in 1997-1998, in spite of the fact that it contravened the creation decree for the natural protected area, which prohibits polluting activities and dumping and in spite of the fact that it did not adequately as-sess the risks and environmental impacts to the aquifer. Successive extensions to the permit were randomly granted for exca-vation and mining operations.

CEMDA’s actions and legal advice prevent-

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ed the Concordia mine from starting opera-tions and resulted in Semarnat denying a permit that is indispensable for its autho-rization. This work was done in cooperation with a number of environmental and grass-roots organizations.

• The Defense of Balandra. Baja Califor-

nia Sur. Balandra is a Ramsar wetland, an almost pristine area, a site of dramatic beauty and a natural environment charged with a deep emotional meaning and a sense of belonging for the city of La Paz, located close to this wetland. At one point in time over 20,000 citizens signed a petition for the conservation of Balandra by turning it into a natural protected area.

In 2008 Balandra was decreed as a munici-pal natural protected area, seeking to pre-serve its value as a wetland and its scenic beauty. The decree faced an immediate op-position from the land owners who filed an amparo to challenge the constitutionality of the decree and the law supporting it.

Through the organizations that fostered Balandra as a natural protected area, CEM-DA tried to take action in regards to the trial, but a number of limitations and the character of jurisdictional practice on the

access to justice regarding environmental issues made it impossible since there was no recognition as a third party in the trial.

Before such a scenario, we provided the La Paz city Council with legal arguments for the decree’s defense regarding the amparo trial and more importantly, the following re-view trials which followed. However, the de-fense of the decree was declared null by the state government and the local congress.

• Towards a Rule of Law in fisheries manage-ment

In looking to find a solution to overfishing in La Paz bay, we created a multi-stakeholder platform named Plataforma or Plataforma La Paz. It is a citizen effort which the gov-ernment sector joined in order to organize and achieve a sustainable fisheries manage-ment.

CEMDA has participated in Plataforma and advised its members on how to file illegal fishing complaints and its follow up. Up to the time this report was written around ten complaints were under follow up.

Achievements

• CEMDA has provided support to improve the legal framework for sustainable devel-opment and thus contributed to the de-fense of rights, institutions and policies that are beneficial to the environment.

• Strengthening of the Baja California Sur Sustainable Development and Environmen-tal Protection Law initiative.

• We worked to maintain the validity and in-tegrity of article 66 of the General Wildlife

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Society of Natural History Niparajá and Colectivo Sloop Sloop BCS

General Law that prohibits mangrove de-struction and removal.

• Tourism Law initiative for the state of Baja California Sur. We prevented the state gov-ernment from unconstitutionally receiving faculties to regulate land use to foster real estate/touristic projects in detriment of municipal attributions and of the existing environmental policy instruments.

• CEMDA has worked towards a Coast Law or legislation with a coastal focus.

• CEMDA ha trabajado hacia una ley de cos-tas, o legislación con enfoque costero.

• CEMDA works for the protection of natu-ral protected areas, specifically regarding procedures and support in the following cases: Magdalena Bay in Baja California Sur, the Balandra; review of the management program of the Loreto Bay natural pro-tected area, drafting of the management program of the Cabo San Lucas Bay natu-ral protected area; support provided to CONANP (National Commission for Natural Protected Areas) in the elaboration of the management program for the El Mogote Ramsar site in La Paz Bay.

• Ecological Zoning Programs. We worked to-wards the elaboration of municipal ecologi-cal zoning programs for La Paz and Loreto. In addition CEMDA participated in the re-view of the coastal zoning program for the State of Sinaloa, whose modification is still awaiting approval, and took part in the re-view of the local zoning program of the Los Cabos municipality.

• Urban Development Programs. We influ-enced the Rosario-Teacapán regional ur-ban development plan in Sinaloa. The plan, mostly fostered by Fonatur, is linked to the CIP Costa Pacífico project and our joint work with the local groups was centered on incorporating possible environmental sus-tainability elements for the area ruled by the plan. The plan was published in 2009.

We joined the review work of the Los Cabos urban development plan, specifically the Cabo San Lucas-San José del Cabo corri-dor due to its transcendental character in the conservation of the Cabo San Lucas bay and of the natural protected area it hosts, and also due to its implications for the San Jose Estuary –a Ramsar wetland and a state natural protected area. The review is still ongoing.

•Zoning Programs/Fishing Plans. Incidental fishing at Magdalena bay is seriously in-creasing the danger of extinction for marine turtles. Fishing plans are the responsibility of governmental offices in charge of fishing in Mexico (Sagarpa/Conapesca) and a key element to address this issue. CEMDA ad-vised the groups working on this process.

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SoutheastRegional Offices

The growing demand of touristic land use in coastal areas has changed the soil’s natural vocation and has triggered a disturbance of marine ecosystems whose consequences are clear. Over the past few years the re-gional southeast office has established a permanent aerial surveillance program in the state of Quintana Roo. This program has enabled us to spot all of the changes in land use taking place in the coastal area and the adjacent ecosystems.

In this way, by late 2008 we consolidated an “Aerial Surveillance System for Land Use Changes in the Mexican Caribbean Coastal Zone” whose objective is to assess land use change generated by development projects in Quintana Roo’s coastal areas through a periodic overflights system. Through different flight routes we have gathered high resolution aerial photogra-phy by using a Nikon D2x camera mounted on the exterior of a Cessna 206, assembled to an aluminum harness especially designed for the task.

Our photographic collection counts around 17,000 aerial photos, including the north-ernmost sites like Holbox Island and south-ern sites like Xcalak and the border with Be-lize. We have built databases supported by Geographic Information Systems to store and organize the data collected by the pho-tographs.

During 2009 and 2010 we indentified over 175 sites that registered changes to the natural vocation or land use changes; many were related to lack of compliance and viola-tions to environmental laws.

The main land use changes found were: de-

Cancún Alejandra Serrano

Cancún Alejandra Serrano

forestation, outlines drawn up in the for-est, coastal dunes and mangroves that are later to become real estate developments, golf courses and new hotels or hotel remod-eling, among others. It is worth mentioning that the impacts registered on mangrove forests are significant; channel construc-tion and road building over them interferes with processes that are vital to its stabil-ity, such as normal flooding and tide drain-age patterns, fresh water flow and sedi-ment supply. The man made changes made in different parts of the system have dis-turbed fresh and salt water circulation pat-terns and hence partly dried up some areas and caused mangrove death.

Currently, the coastal area of the Solidari-dad municipality shows the largest land use change cases, followed by the coastal area of Benito Juarez and Othon P. Blanco.

Cancún

Alejandra Serrano

Echo Akuazul HotelAlejandra Serrano

The regional aerial photography inventory has proved to be a most useful tool since it not only informs us about was is happening on coastal areas but has also turned into an evidence provider that allows us to file com-plaints before the environmental authority on violations to the legislation currently in force.

We also use the photographic material to complement the comments and sugges-tions made regarding Environmental Im-pact Statements of all the projects which intend to be implemented in the coastal zone. Aerial surveillance has been of great help since it permits spotting developers that are violating the regulations.

It is clear that if we wish for the coastal ecosystems of the Mexican Caribbean to continue providing key environmental ser-vices, the implementation of conservation and restoration programs is needed.

The environmental impact assessment in Quintana Roo: a key tool for the Mexican Caribbean coastal management.

Touristic development in Quintana Roo’s coastal area is constantly increasing, con-struction of hotels, marinas, real estate

developments and golf courses threaten biodiversity and the quality of the environ-mental services that the coastal ecosys-tems provide us with.The southeast regional office’s (located in Cancun) active participation has resulted in outstanding success cases. The comments and suggestions submitted by CEMDA dur-ing the public consultation process have been considered by the environmental au-thority.

Achievements

Eco Hotel Akuazul. The project was origi-nally planned as a hotel development to be built both inland and on marine areas. The site is located along the limits of the Man-glares de Nichupte Natural Protected Area. It intended to build 101 hotel rooms of which 90 would be located in a marine area. It is an undisputable fact that this project was not viable since the marine zone that it intended to be built on is part of the Marine National Park West Coast of Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancún and Punta Nizuc. In addition, the site hosts the last rem-nants of fringe mangroves present in Cancun’s hotel zone and it is known that the species belonging to this type of veg-etation are protected by Mexican Official Standards since anthropogenic activities

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Punta Nizuc

Alejandra Serrano

threaten their existence. As a result of our actions the authorities denied the authorization for the develop-ment.

Jardines del Sur II. The project consisted in a 19.1 hectare forest land use change, in order to urbanize and build 1150 houses. The land’s most significant environmen-tal attribute is its vegetation cover, the surface is completely covered by lowland evergreen forest and even though the de-veloper argues that it is of a secondary type, recent research shows that second-ary forests have widely spread becoming the main type of forest in many tropical regions. Thus, secondary forests continu-ously gain importance as providers of envi-ronmental products and services. The main potential impacts by this project would be solid waste and waste water given the lack of infrastructure and public sanitation ser-vices in Cancun; and furthermore, the site is 4 km. from the Nichupte lagoon system.

Fortunately, the authorities denied autho-rization to the project.

Kukulcan 42. The Kukulcan 42 is located in the Cancun Hotel Zone, between the Kuku-lcan Boulevard and the Caribbean Sea. The project consisted in a housing condominium

complex of seven buildings of six stories each, a total of 42 apartments which range from 125 meters square to 175 meters square and penthouses (of 270 meters square) with a private roof garden. This project is located very close to the Man-glares de Nichupte Natural Protected Area – a Ramsar site. Moreover, this project’s authorization would have brought about considerable environmental impacts to the area, including waste, landscape loss and changes to the physical environment, all important factors considering the natural resources which prevail in the region. The project was not authorized.

Workshops and participation in plan-ning processes

During this period the southeast office has participated in the review of the Land Zon-ing Program of the Benito Juarez Municipal-ity, encouraging the establishment of sus-tainable parameters for the municipality’s development.Furthermore, as a member of the Technical Committee for the Tulum municipality Land Zoning Program, CEMDA has played a fun-damental role by providing key information through georeferenced aerial photographs of mangrove sites, thus enabling an ade-quate regulation by means of this planning

Kukulcán 42

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Objective.

Jointly with other civil society organiza-tions, CEMDA has developed a strategy to spread the message that the forests in Mexico are not alone and that the partici-pation of the communities that live there is key to its conservation and sustainable use.

Community Forest Management’s posi-tioning in Mexico is essential to foster changes in forest policy that favor com-munities and encourage the establishment of a Mexican REDD+ mechanism based on community forest management within the framework of the United Nations Conven-tions on Climate Change.

Regarding policies to mitigate and adapt to climate change, one of the most far reaching subjects both at the national and international level, is the mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation “plus” : REDD+. The “plus” refers to the accumulation and increase of carbon sinks or forest reserves and their associated social and economic benefits.

Among the main objectives are: to link the CFM debate to the climate change discus-

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Others Activities

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instrument.CEMDA’s southeast office participated in the organization of the First Mexican Con-gress on Mangrove Ecosystems that took place in Merida, Yucatan in October 2010. A number of mangrove litigation cases from the region were presented at this forum, in-cluding the aerial surveillance and mangrove identification project.

Path in the forestAlexis Baltrina

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sions through the dissemination of infor-mation among the main stakeholders, this is, those responsible for the creation of the REDD mechanism for Mexico and hence po-sition the CFM before the public as a model for forest conservation, regional economic development and climate change mitiga-tion.

Albeit the conformation of the Mexican REDD+ mechanism has showed great prog-ress in including community forest manage-ment criteria in its design, there are still fundamental aspects to be addressed – funding sources (funds vs. market), the non-exclusion of forest uses, support for the social organizations as the basis for good forest management and the separation of REDD financing from the rest of the funding handled by the National Forest Commission to avoid political uses of the mechanism.

Likewise, the full and effective participa-tion of forest communities in Mexico in the development and implementation of the REDD+ mechanism remains unsolved; this is all evident in the communities’ access to information regarding the REDD+ context and process, the socialization and appro-priation of such information and how rep-resentative these communities are within discussion and decision making spaces.

Activities

2009:

• Work meetings and workshops with orga-nizations that are part of Grupo Bosques (Forest Group), and other organizations- Pronatura Sur, Riodmex, Red Mocaf, Un-ofoc, ERA, Greenpeace and the Mexican

Council for Sustainable Forestry; as a re-sult, baselines were set for documents that were later presented at national fora and discussion tables before the legislative branch and other strategic stakeholders: • A budget for the forest sector that fos-ters economic and productive reactivation and it is committed to the environment”. Proposal by the Forest Group for the tax year 2010”; and presentation of “Status of the Mexican Forest Sector” at the Con-gress on October 21, 2009 together with the Center for the Study of Sustainable Rural Development and Food Sovereignty (CEDERSSA).

• Presentation of “Challenges and Oppor-tunities of the Forest Sector regarding Climate Change” presented at the Working Table on Climate Change and Forests, to-gether with Senators of the Accion Nacio-nal Party.

• Interinstitutional entailment with mem-bers of the National Forest Commission, members of Congress and with represen-tatives of the Inter-Secretarial Climate Change Commission.

• We produced video capsules on climate change and forests.

• Visits to the Oaxaca and Puebla northern mountain range with members of the me-dia (Televisa and TV UNAM); and coordina-tion of an interview on the CFM framework in Mexico with Elinor Ostrom, Economics Nobel Prize winner by the journalist Leticia Merino and TV UNAM.

• IFI’s Strategy workshop for REDD, Bank of Information Centre (BIC). February 2011, Lima, Peru.

- Participation in groups, strategic allianc-es and key events (REDD group work meet-ings, called by the National Forest Com-mission; Climate Change Financing Group; Seminar towards COP16, Environmental Studies Group; Es-Mex Dialogue; CIFOR, Oaxaca; Forest Day, Cancun, COP16; Agri-cultural Day, Cancun, COP16).

• Development of a strategic communica-tion for the national and international pro-motion of CFM within the COP16 frame-

work

- Meeting for building messages: CCMSS, CEMDA, Red Mocaf and RRI

- Organization of the Workshop for the training of speakers with Burness Com-munications, aimed at forest communities representatives

- Development of a campaign strategy for Communities count more in order to posi-tion CFM in Mexico within REDD and the COP16 juncture.

• Desarrollo de campaña Las Comunidades Cuentan+ y creación de la página WEB www.lascomunidadescuentan.org.mx

- Development of the Communities count

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2010

• We organized key events and a presenta-tion that encouraged the establishment of a Mexican REDD+ mechanism based on community forest management within the Climate Change Summit (COP16) frame-work in Cancun, Quintana Roo.

Workshops with representatives of forest communities and local organizations in Can-cun

- Launching of the Communities count more campaign

- Discussion forum together with the Mexi-can Civil Council for Sustainable Forestry (CCMSS) and the Environmental Studies Group (GEA) “Forests and its inhabitants facing the impacts of Climate Change and its agenda”, and presentation of the lec-ture “Governance of the Commons as an adaptation strategy to Climate Change”, during the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, April 2010, Cochabamba, Bolivia.

- Meeting with editors of Grupo Expansion (a large editorial firm) with the participa-tion of Dr. Sarukhán for the promotion of community forest management.

- Additional promotion presentations:

• Lecture “The importance of forest com-munities representation in regards to the creation of a national REDD mechanism”, at the International Forum on Globalization Pre-Cancun convening on rights in REDD, which took place in Felipe Carillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, Mexico, in September 2010.

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more campaign and creation of the web page www.lascomunidadescuentan.org.mx

- Alliances with participating organizations: Mexican Network of Farm Laborers Forest Organizations (Red Mocaf), Oxfam Mexico and the National Union of Farm Laborers Organizations (UNORCA-CN)

- Photography project for the national and international promotion of community for-est management through the Communities count more campaign during 2011 – Inter-national Year of Forests.

-Communication materials for the cam-paign’s promotion during COP16 (leaflet, stickers, T-shirts and bags)

• Implementation of the Communities count more campaign within the COP16 frame-work

- Campaign launching

- Organization of the breakfast training workshop for media members “Mexican for-est communities and climate change: the Mexican contribution to the REDD initia-tive” July 7, 2010?

• CFM dissemination at the national and in-ternational level during COP16

• Contribution to the production of CEM-DA’s Side Event: “Mexico and Latin-Amer-ica: mitigation challenges and perspectives in strategic sectors”, and presentation of the lecture “Forests as a strategic sector for mitigation in Mexico and Latin America”.

• Visit to Noh Bec, Quintana Roo with na-tional and international media during

COP16 and in coordination with Tropical Rural Latinoamericano (TRL)

• Visit of 60 international media members that are part of the Environmental Journal-ist Network (EJN) to communities located in Jose Maria Morelos and Felipe Carrillo Puerto in Quintana Roo during COP16 in co-ordination with the Mexican Civil Council for Sustainable Forestry.

• Three press conferences during COP16 in Cancun, together with the Air and Energy Program and CEMDA’s Cancun Regional Of-fice, including a number of press releases

• Strategic visibility spaces of the cam-paign messages in an alliance with ASUR Company, in charge of Cancun’s Airport ad-ministration, for the dissemination of cam-paign messages through 3 billboards inside the national terminal during COP16.

• Alliance with Grupo Expansion for the dis-semination of campaign messages through 3 inserts in its QUO magazine during No-vember and December 2010 and February 2011.

• Continuity of the campaign after COP16 with the establishment of alliances and possible collaboration with other organiza-tions: Greenpeace Mexico, Grupo de Estu-dios Ambientales (GEA), National Council of Farm Laborers Organizations (CONOC), Bank of Information Center (BIC) Fundar and the Analysis and Research Center (Centro de Análisis e Investigación A.C.)

- Organization of the campaign planning

CEMDA has a communication area that provides a crosscutting and comprehensive service to the entire organization, including its regional offices. This area has a commu-nication and press office and a documenta-tion center.

The Communication area’s objective is to consolidate CEMDA’s position as one of the most recognized environmental organiza-tions, by strategically positioning its sub-jects among the public, in order to influence decision makers, policy making and the cre-ation and compliance of environmental laws.

Press Office

Communications

The communication and press office’s objec-tive is that CEMDA accomplishes to place the priority subjects of its agenda in the media. Likewise, we seek to remain a ref-erence and a source of information for na-tional and international media and support other areas at CEMDA to reach their own objectives and to improve internal and ex-ternal communication.

We work in a comprehensive manner through three areas:

a) Follow up. Through this work we look to measure the interest showed by the media for our information and to provide timely responses to negative articles or press releases. Follow up is a valuable raw material to assess if the strategic mes-sages passed on and in which way we are being portrayed by the media. Moreover, it enables us to closely follow specific issues in the local media regarding the regional of-fices’ projects. With the gathered data we issue a daily information summary.

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workshop for the participating organiza-tions: Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambi-ental (CEMDA), Greenpeace Mexico, Oxfam Mexico, Mexican Network of Farm Laborers Forest Organizations (Red MOCAF), Sakbe Communication, and the National Coordina-tion Office of the National Union of Farm La-borers Organizations (UNORCA-CN)

- Issuing of press releases

Main Achievements

• The work done during 2009, together with campaigns of other organizations brought about a change in the federal gov-ernemt’s discourse, who included CFM and sustainable forest management (SFM) in the climate change agenda, understanding the REDD mechanism as an opportunity for international funding.

• The activities contributed to the work of organizations of the forest sector in achieving a significant increase in the fed-eral budget for CFM and a bigger emphasis on the strengthening of communities and forest settlements (ejidos).

• Wide coverage by the national and inter-national media within the framework of COP16, and continuous information cap-sules and interviews through PCTV and Channel 11.

• Grupo Expansion’s Green Campaign 2011 on Community Forest Management was published in its 18 magazines and 7 web sites, including CNN Mexico – an audience of 13 million people.

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b) Communication. Through a number of information tools we aimed to reach the public, key stakeholders and decision mak-ers in accordance with CEMDA’s strategic objectives:

- One on one interiews- Press conferences- Meetings with journalists- Drafting, reviewing and issuing press re-leases- Dissemination of informative materials of interest to the media- Field activities with journalists- Follow up activities: training workshops, interviews with experts, fora, contact with editors, sending updated information- Elaboration of press materials: press re-leases, fact sheets, Q&A documents, key messages, press kits, etc

c) Evaluation. We perform a qualita-tive and quantitative analysis on press notes to assess whether we reached our communication objectives for each case, if we reached the target audiences, if we suc-ceeded in transmitting the desired mes-sages and if there was any response from our counterparts. This allows us to review and sharpen the communication strategies for each subject.

SUCCESS STORY

Library

Another activity carried out by CEMDA is providing and disseminating information regarding environmental law, in consistency with its mission and with the organization’s objectives.

The library is the place in which knowledge is organized, preserved and shared; this is done through a series of actions aimed at selecting, acquiring and processing biblio-graphical and audiovisual material, and any other material that provides information.

Objective:

To keep the public updated with timely in-formation on national and international environmental laws and policies, through its collections and services, as well as en-vironmental law bibliography organized in a systematic and effective way and in accor-dance with CEMDA’s plans and programs.

• Bibliographical Collections

CEMDA has the following bibliographical collections available for reference:

- General Collection. Contains all books, bib-liographies, monographs, directories, ency-clopedias and thesis.

- Periodical Publications. Specialized maga-zines on subjects coherent with CEMDA’s work.

- Vertical Archive. Contains information that is not included in the other categories such as: leaflets, photocopies, drafts, off-prints, reprints, etc.

Documentation Center

One of the communication area’s success cases dur-ing 2010 was CEMDA’s participation in the Climate Change Summit in Cancun. Our organization traveled with three members of the media (Reforma, Canal Once and Cable TV, PCTV); they covered many of the events in which CEMDA participated. What is more, coverage of our activities by the media resulted in a total of 122 press notes which amount to $195,136.15 US Dol-lars

- Natural Resources Conservation- Natural Protected Areas- Energy- Water- Wildlife- International Environmental Law- Environmental Education- Environmental Problems and Services- International Trade and Environment- TLC/NAFTA, MERCOSUR- Forests

We invite you to visit us and look up the in-formation you need. Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 18:00. We are expecting you!

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- Legislative Collection. Contains legal in-struments (laws) on health and environ-ment and other regulations such as norms, agreements, decrees, etc. (published in the Official Federal Gazette).

- Special Materials. Includes videotapes, audiotapes and DVDs.

- Newspaper library. CEMDA has a selection of chronologically organized news articles.

• Services

The library provides the following services:

- Internal loan, for this only an ID is required.- Interlibrary loan.- Reference.- Photocopy.- Exchange and Donation.- Sale of Publications.

• Information Access and Recovery:

Collections’ availability within our auto-mated catalogue is recovered through da-tabases either by logic operators (and/or): title, author and subject or through closed bookshelves, this is, the requested mate-rial is to be provided by the library staff.

The databases include, among other, the following subjects:

- Natural Science- Social Environment- Civil and Human Rights- Natural Resources Economics- Environmental Impact- Sustainable Development

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Organizations we worked with during 2009 - 2010

• Asociación Jalisciense de Apoyo a los Gru-pos Indígenas, A.C. (AJAGI) • Agua Vale Más Que Oro • Alianza de la Costa Verde • Alianza para la Sustentabilidad del No-roeste Costero (AlCosta) • 7 Filos Produc-ciones • Alianza Tierra Madre • Alternare, A.C. • Amigos para la Conservación de Cabo Pulmo (ACCP) • ASILEGAL • Asociación de Investigación y Conservación de Mamíferos Marinos y su Hábitat (Aicmmarh) • Asocia-ción en Defensa del Bien Comunitario de la Delegación de La Ribera • Asociación Inte-ramericana para la Defensa del Ambiente (Aida) • Asociación Nacional de Abogados Democráticos ANAD • Atl Producciones; Baja Expeditions • Ayuntamiento de La Paz, BCS (XII) • Ayuntamiento de Los Cabos, BCS (X) • Barranca de los Sauces, A.C. • Barzón • Bravo Jóvenes • Cabo Pulmo Vivo • Casa de la Cultura Jurídica de La Paz, BCS • Casifop - Unam • CAT – Puebla • CCESC - Defensoría del Derecho a la Salud • CENCOS • Centro “Fray Julián Garcés” Derechos Humanos y Desarrollo Local • Centro Atoyac Zahuapan y Calidad de Vida • Centro de Colaboración Cívica, A.C • Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Montaña Tlachinollan • Centro de De-rechos Indígenas Flor y Canto, A. C. • Centro de DH Fray Matías de Córdova • Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior (CETYS Uni-versidad), Campus Mexicali • Centro de In-vestigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (Ci-bnor) • Centro de Justicia para la Paz y el Desarrollo CEPAD • Centro de Transporte

Sustentable • Centro Fray Julián Garcés Derechos Humanos y Desarrollo Local, A.C. • Centro Intercultural de Estudios de De-siertos y Océanos (Cedo) • Centro Mario Molina • Ciudadanos Preocupados • Climate Action • Climateworks Network • Club de Pa-tos • Colectivo Balandra • Colectivo COA • Colectivo Ecologista Jalisco • Colectivo por la Transparencia • COMARINO • Comi-sión de DH del Noroeste CCDH • Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (Conanp) • Comité de Derechos Humanos de Tabasco A. C. CODEHUTAB • Comité Mexi-cano de la UICN • Comunicación y Educación, A.C. • Comunidad y Biodiversidad (COBI) • Comunidad, Visión y Desarrollo (Covide) • Comisión Nacional Forestal (Conafor) • ConCiencia México (ConCiencia) • Consejo de los 13 Pueblos • Consejo Intercomuni-tario para el Desarrollo Sustentable de la Cuenca del Río San Pedro (CIDS-RSP) • Con-sejo Técnico Consultivo para REDD+ • CON-SELVA • Conservación Biológica y Desarrollo Social, A.C. (CONBIODES). • Conservación del Territorio Insular Mexicano (Isla) • Con-servación Humana, A.C. • Conservación In-ternacional • Conservación y Rehabilitación del Hábitat (Conrehabit) • Critical Ecosys-tem Partnership Fund • Defenders of Wildli-fe Mexico • Defensa Ambiental del Noroeste (Dan) • Defensoría Penal y Ambiental, A.C. • Ecoalianza Loreto (EcoAlianza) • Ecology Project International (EPI) • EDUCA A.C • El Caracol A.C• El Poder del Consumidor • ELI

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GE • Energía, Tecnología y Educación, S.C • Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) • Envi-ronmental Law Institute (ELI) • Equidad de Género, Ciudadanía, Trabajo y familia, A.C • Equipo Pueblo • Escuela Libre de Derecho de Sinaloa y del D.F. • Espacio DESC • Espacios Naturales para el Desarrollo Sustentable, A.C. (ENDESU) • Federación Camaroneros de Agua Verde • Federación de Sociedades Cooperativas de la Industria Pesquera de Agua Verde • Federación de Sociedades Coo-perativas del Sur de Sinaloa • Federación de Sociedades Cooperativas Guerreros del Sur • Federación de Sociedades Coopera-tivas Laguna del Caimaneros • Fideicomiso Fondo para la Protección de los Recursos Marinos (Fonmar) • Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (FMCN) • Fondo para la Comunicación y la Educación Ambiental, A.C. (FCEA) • Fondo para la Pro-tección de los Recursos Marinos • Fondo Procuenca • Fundación Heinrich Böll • Fun-dación Mexicana para la Educación Ambien-tal (Fundea) • Fundación Picudos• Fundación Xochitla, A.C. • Fundar • GIRE • Globe Méxi-co • Greenpeace • Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda, I.A.P. • Grupo Tortuguero de las Cali-fornias • Guardianes de las Montañas, A.C. • Guardianes de los Árboles, A.C.• Guardia-nes del Agua / La Paz Coastkeeper • HIC-AL • IMDEC • INCIDE SOCIAL • INDIGACIÓN A.C. • Iniciativa de Acceso México • International Council of Clean Transportation, ICCT • ITDP México • Jaguar Conservancy • Lemanya

Oceánica • LIMEDDH • Litiga OLE • Los Ca-bos Coastkeeper (LCCK) • Magdalena Bay Keeper • Medio Ambiente y Sociedad (MAS) • Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) • Noroeste Sustentable (NOS) • Observatorio Técnico-Legal Vaquita Mari-na • Órgano Técnico del Comité de Ordena-miento Ecológico Local del Municipio de La Paz, BCS • Otros Mundos Chiapas • Oxfam México • PIDES • Plataforma Bahía de La Paz • PRODDESC AC • ProEsteros • Pro-Man-glar • Pronatura Chiapas. • Pronatura Méxi-co, A.C. • Pronatura Noroeste • Pronatura Península de Yucatán • Propenínsula • Pro-Regiones UNAM • RADAR • Red Ac-ción Ambiente A. C • Red Ecologista por el Desarrollo de Escuinapa (REDES) • Red Guerrerense de Organismos Civiles de De-rechos Humanos • Red por los Derechos de la Infancia • Red TDT • Reforestamos Méxi-co, A.C. • Sea Watch • Sociedad Cooperativa Pesquera El Esterito • Sociedad Historia Natural Niparajá • Sociedad Organizada por Sudcalifornia (SOS) • SuMar, Voces por la Naturaleza (SuMar) • Teyeliz. • The Nature Conservancy • Trece Pueblos en Defensa del Agua, el Aire y laTierra de Morelos • Universi-dad Autónoma de Tlaxcala • Universidad del Medio Ambiente • Wildcoast/ Costa Salvaje • Wirikuta • World Resources Institute, WRI • World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

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Donors

2009

• International Community Foundation• Global Fund for Human Rights• Administradora de Conjuntos Hoteleros, S. A. DE C. V.• Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development• Fondo Pro Cuenca Valle de Bravo, A.C.• Pronatura Península de Yucatán , A. C.• The David and Lucile Packard Foundation• The Ford Foundation• AIDA (Asociación Interamericana para la Defensa del Ambiente• Global Greengrants Fund• Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, A.C.• Barrera, Siqueiros y Torres Landa, S.C.• Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund / Ci• William & Flora Hewlett FoundationI• Servicios Administrativos Fresnillo, S.A. DE C.V.• Alejandra Cors Caballero• Fund for Global Human Rights• Centrum Consultoria y Desarrollo Inte-gral, S.C.• James Ritch Grande Ampudia• The Angelica Foundation / TIDES Founda-tion• Jose Oswaldo García Mata• Summit Foundation• Enviromental Law Institute• Enviromental Law Alliance World

2010 • Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, A.C.• AIDA (Asociación Interamericana para la Defensa del Ambiente)• Fondo Pro Cuenca Valle de Bravo, A.C.• Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development• International Community Foundation• Pronatura Península de Yucatán, A. C.• The David and Lucile Packard Foundation• The Ford Foundation• Comunicación y Educación Ambiental, S.C.• Cultura Ecológica, A.C.• Centrum Consultoría y Desarrollo Inte-gral, S.C.• The Angelica Foundation / Tides Founda-tion• Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund / Ci• Fund for Global Human Rights• World Resources Institute• Rostros y Voces FDS, A.C.• The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation• Fundación Avina• The Summit Foundation• Overseas Private Investment Corporation• Fundación Heinrich Böll, E.V.• Expansión, S.A. DE C.V.• The Walton Family Foundation• Conservation International Mexico, A.C.• The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Chari-table Trust• Los Cabos Coastkeeper• Greenpeace México, A.C.• Conservación Humana, A.C.• E-LAW (Environmental Law Alliance World-wide)• Consejo Consultivo del Agua, A.C.• The American University Washington Co-llege of Law • Marisla Foundation • Sandler Family Foundation

Gustavo Alanis OrtegaGeneral Director

galanis@cemda.org.mx

Directory

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Oficina Noroeste

• Agustín Bravo Gaxiola Director de la Oficina Noroeste

abravo@cemda.org.mx• Mario Sánchez Castro

Abogado Área de Investigación Oficina Noroeste

sanchezm@cemda.org.mx• Omar Pérez Corona

Abogado Regionalomarp@cemda.org.mx

• Jazmín Samaniego Ojeda Asistente Administrativo

Oficina Noroestejsamaniego@cemda.org.mx

Oficina Sureste

• Alejandra Serrano Pavón Directora de la Oficina Sureste

aserranop@cemda.org.mx• Raquel Campo Miranda

Coordinadora del Área de Defensa Oficina Sureste

rcampo@cemda.org.mx

Oficina Centro

• Samantha Namnum García Directora de la Oficina Centro y Oficina

Valle de Bravosamantha@cemda.org.mx

• Anaid Velasco RamírezCoordinadora del Área de Investigación

avelasco@cemda.org.mx• Úrsula Garzón Aragón

Coordinadora del Área de Defensaagarzon@cemda.org.mx

• Gabriel Niño GómezCoordinadora del Área de Desarrollo

de Política Pública• Mariana Castillo Camarena

Analista del Área de Desarrollo de Políticas Públicas y del Área de Capacitación

mcastillo@cemda.org.mx• Leticia Pineda Blanco

Analista / Investigador Área de Desarrollode Política Pública e Investigación

• Andrea Ulisse CeramiAbogado del Área de Defensa y del Área de

Desarrollo de Política Públicaacerami@cemda.org.mx

• Laura Isabel Morales Astudillo Directora del Área Administrativa

lmorales@cemda.org.mx• Carmen Vaca Rubio

Asistente del Área Administrativacvr@cemda.org.mx

• Virginia López González Asistente del Área Administrativa

vlopez@cemda.org.mx• Margarita Campuzano Godínez

Directora del Área de Comunicaciónmcampuzano@cemda.org.mx

• Ricardo Ruiz Esparza Ortega Analista del Área de Comunicación y

Mensajeríaricardo_ruiz@cemda.org.mx

• Alejandro Hernández Velázquez Analista del Área de Comunicación y

del Área de Investigaciónalejandroh@cemda.org.mx

• Juan Carlos Carrillo FuentesCoordinador del Área de Capacitación

jcarrillo@cemda.org.mx

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Traslation: Dalia BaliGraphic Design: PLAZMAR www.plazmar.com.mx

• Christian Ruiz De Azua Abogado del Área de Defensa Oficina Sureste

cruiz@cemda.org.mx• Ximena López Cruz

Coordinadora del Área de Investigación Oficina Surestexlopez@cemda.org.mx

• Próspero Espinoza Abogado del Área de Investigación Oficina Sureste

pespinoza@cemda.org.mx

• Oficina NoroesteIgnacio Ramírez #3840

Local 4 Col. Loreto CP.23099 La Paz, Baja California Sur

Tel. 016121655091

• Oficina Valle de BravoCalle 5 de Mayo No. 103, col. Sta. Ma. Ahuacatlán, Valle de

Bravo, Edo. de México.

• Oficina SuresteBlvd. Kulkulcán Km.13.5

Local 33 y 34 Zona Hotelera CP. 77500

Cancún, Quintana Roo01 998 8852840

• Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental A.C.Atlixco #138 Col. Condesa CP. 06140

México DF.Tel. 52863323 Fax. 52112593

www.cemda.org.mxhttp://twitter.com/CEMDA

http://facebook.com/cemda.ac