Unprotected Natural Areas

By Iris Olivera, representative of Law, Environment and Natural Resources (DAR)

In the subsoil of highly protected natural areas, such as the Manu National Park and the Bahuaja Sonene and its heart, the Candamo, there are hydrocarbon deposits that periodically return to the sights of the Government in power in order to promote their extraction.

The national parks, as well as the national sanctuaries and historical sanctuaries make up the so-called “protected natural areas (ANP) of indirect use”, in which -due to their high value and fragility- the current legislation prohibits the extraction of natural resources and transformations. of the natural environment, there are currently 28 areas of this type in Peru, which are the pride of Peruvians and put us in the eye of the world due to their importance.

The future of all these areas and their protection could be alarmingly reduced if a proposed bill promoted by the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem) and developed by Perupetro advances, which presents fifteen modifications to the ANP regulatory framework, in contravention of the Political Constitution of Peru – given that “the State is obliged to promote the conservation of biological diversity and protected natural areas” (article 68) -, and weakening the legal framework that protects them, to promote the oil and natural gas industry; prioritizing extractive activities over the conservation of biodiversity and the native populations that use their resources.

The objective of the hydrocarbon sector is the exploration and exploitation of oil and natural gas throughout the PNA without restrictions, as well as the promotion of areas with hydrocarbon potential (“promotional areas”), that is, to establish new batches of hydrocarbons on ANPs (expectation of establishing future acquired rights). They would be targeting sector 21 ANP, including the Manu National Park, where they have identified promotional areas for hydrocarbons.

For this, one of the most serious proposals is that it would allow the use of renewable and non-renewable resources in ANP that overlap with projects declared of national interest and public necessity, exceptionally; and in areas of direct use without exception. With this, the protection of the ANP would be merely declarative.

In addition, the MINEM proposal intends to establish acquired rights at any time (before and during the establishment of an ANP), the creation and management of an ANP could not affect the promotional areas for hydrocarbon extraction, so there would be no filter for extractive activities in these areas; and for the approval of the master plan -the main management instrument of an ANP- it would be the Minem who intervenes with a prior favorable opinion from said sector, thus introducing new commands in environmental management.

The Ministry of the Environment and the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP) must pronounce on this proposal, within the framework of our national regulations, as well as respect for the collective rights of indigenous peoples, and environmental commitments assumed in the Free Trade Agreement of Peru with the United States, the Paris Agreement and the Biological Diversity Agreement, among others.

Economic development is important, in fact it is a pillar of sustainable development, but it has to be linked to social and environmental development. Only a few days ago, the Manu National Park, an important ANP and National Heritage, recognized as a Biosphere Reserve and Natural Heritage of Humanity according to Unesco, celebrated its Golden Anniversary. Let’s act now so that the next ones do not become Oil Weddings.

[Publirreportaje]