By Sandra Moguel | Ecosystems Program Attorney
The Mesoamerican Reef
The Mesoamerican Reef, which is the most significant coral reef barrier in the western hemisphere and extends over 1,000 kilometers, spans along Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Today, the uncontrolled coastal development, anthropogenic interventions, and degradation of ecosystems over wide extensions of these coasts are among the greatest threats to this region.
To address these issues (particularly in Mexico), AIDA sent a statement to the United States Trade Officer for the Environment and Natural Resources, informing them that a coalition of NGOs and communities are preparing and submitting a citizen petition to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation–an international authority created within the trade agreement between Mexico, the United States, and Canada–to obtain a response from the Mexican government on the actions it is taking (or failing to take) to comply with its obligations to generate public policies that promote much-needed adaptation.
Cabo Pulmo
At the end of February 2023, AIDA participated in the strategic planning of the Cabo Pulmo Vivo Coalition, a group of civil society organizations and communities concerned about the protection of the Cabo Pulmo coral reef in Mexico’s La Paz, Baja California Sur. In this event, AIDA presented its experience coordinating and participating in various coalitions in the hemisphere.
Furthermore, despite the existence of a Special Climate Change Program in Mexico, with strategies and actions for communities and ecosystems to adapt to changing climate conditions, these lines of action have not yet been implemented in marine ecosystems. For instance, local governments are obliged to create and publish climate change adaptation plans for the fishing sector, which are long overdue.
AIDA is crafting a strategy with academics, communities, and other NGOs to advocate for local government in Baja California Sur to raise awareness and design an adaptation plan for climate change focused on the fishing communities in Cabo Pulmo, one of the most productive regions in the Sea of Cortez and one of the best-managed protected areas in Mexico.
Veracruz
AIDA is advising the Commission on Natural Protected Areas to support the listing of the Veracruz Reef System National Park in the Montreux Record in order to receive technical and financial assistance for its restoration. This is a mechanism of the Ramsar Convention–an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources–with which AIDA has a long and successful history.
Additionally, AIDA is also participating in the creation of the Veracruz Reef Corridor Network, together with civil society organizations, academics, and communities in the Gulf of Mexico. Our proposal is to promote communications and actions that protect the bio cultural heritage around the reef.
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