José Juan González

Defining the unit of Analysis: Mesoamerica The Mesoamerican region, comprises the nine federal states of the Southeast region of Mexico (Campeche, Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz and Yucatan) and the seven Central American countries (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, el Salvador Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panamá)

Biodiversity richness With a total area of approximately 760,000 km2s, which corresponds to a 0.5 percent of the total of territories of the world it has an extension similar to the one of the United Kingdom). Mesoamerica owns between the 7 and 10 percent of all the known forms of life and the 17 percent of the terrestrial species. Mesoamerica also is considered a center of origin of numerous varieties of agricultural cultures like bean, maize, chayote, Chile, tomato, cacao, cotton, and many others.

Cultural diversity Mesoamerica is blessed by an enormous ethnic and cultural wealth of Judeo-Spanish, Africans, indigenous populations and others. In the region there are more than 50 indigenous ethnic groups. MAR is also home for the main archaeological sites and vestiges of the Mayan civilization. Between the hundreds of sites in the MAR, they stand out Tikal in Guatemala, Copán in Honduras and Chichen-Itzá in Yucatan, where in addition there are shortage more than 50 archaeological sites.

Economy Mesoamerica is an economically depressed region. Historically it has depended, mainly, of the agricultural sector. Nevertheless, the industry and trade have acquired positions of equal or major importance in the majority of the countries of the region. In recent years, tourism and ecoturism has also grown substantially, exceeding to agriculture in its contribution to the macroeconomic indicators in the middle of the countries of the region.

Poverty in MAR Mesoamerica is home for more than 45 million people. Almost the 50 % is below the line of poverty. In the rural areas, more of the 70 percent of the population is poor or extreme poor. In the MAR, most of the population lives in rural areas. In the middle of the countries of the region, the life expectancy does not surpass the 70 years. In the Half of the countries of the region there is less than one doctor by each 1000 inhabitants. The conditions of health in the rural areas are more serious than the national averages Only Mexico and Costa Rica have a Index of Human Development corresponding to countries classified as High human development; the others are located between the countries with a classified as medium human development.

Its capacity of carbon sequestration surpasses its capacity of polluting According to CEPAL, for 2010 forest cover still decreasing and CO2 emissions has grown. PAÍS Annual CO2 emissions in thousands of mertic tons % Mexico383,6711.6% Panama19,255<0.1% Guatemala10,302< 0.1% EL Salvador6,305<0.1% Costa RIca5,834<0.1% Nicaragua3,867<0.1% Belice790<0.1% Honduras5,951<0.1%

Environmental Law and Policy have focused on a number of problems Deforestation. It losses 40 has per hour. Land use changes Forest fires Environmental impacts from Oil and mining industries Extreme climate events Mitch Hurricane 1998 The niño

All Mesoamerican countries have developed and modernized the environmental legislation and have ministries of environment and specific authorities in charge. Guatemala (MARN), Honduras (SERNA), Nicaragua (MARENA), Costa Rica (MINAE) and Panama (ANAM) have been developing and updating legislation related to environmental issues. El Salvador has recently created the ministry of environment as well as the General Environmental Law.

Belize: Environmental Protection Act, Costa Rica; Environmental Act, El Salvador : General Act of the Environment, Guatemala: Act for protection and improvement of the Environment (as amended in 2000). Honduras: Organic Act of the Environment, Nicaragua: General Act of the Environment and natural Resources, Panama: General Act of the Environment, Mexico General Act for Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection, 1998 and General Act of Wildlife, 2000.

How the EL protects Biodiversity? Traditional mechanisms: Protected natural areas. Land use limitations Environmental impact assessment. New mechanisms: Economic instruments (taxes and Funds) Is the EL efficient?

Who benefits from Biodiversity protection? The land owner? Natural resources owner? The government? The environment? The polluters (contributors to climate change)? Externalities

Are the ES protected by EL? Considering Environmental Services as commodity in the market implies the recognitions of their legal status. Who is the owner? Who is the consumer? Who has to pay? Who has to be paid?

Few and weak laws In Costa Rica, the government established the National Fund for Forest Financing FONAFIFO) for the payment of environmental services to land that reforest or to conserve forests. Forest Act, 1996: National Fund for Forest Financing on public budget basis. Biodiversity Act, payment in hydrologic basins. Bill of Act for Valuation and Payment of Environmental Services, 1998 Mexican government established in 1992 the Pro-Forest Program aimed at paying land owners for forest conservation. Act 3001/2006 de valuation and payment for environmental Services of Paraguay. Bill of Act of Environmental Services of, Peru, 2009 In Honduras, the Act for incentives to reforestation and forestation passed in 1993.

From environmental law to poverty law (law for sustaintability) Provider User Environmental Services LEGAL REGIME PROPERTY TRADE

Conclusion TRUEFALSE i 1.The user has to pay. 2.The owner has to be paid. 3.The biodiversity is protected 1.The biodiversity is protected 2.The owner rights are protected 3.The owner is benefit from biodiversity protection It is necessary to rebuild the foundations of environmental protection