With a new system, the authorities promise to reduce the time for granting environmental permits from 70 to 49 days for high-impact projects, and 20-16 for mild impact ones.
According to a statement issued by the Salvadoran authorities, the new System of Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) "... will speed up and reduce waiting times for the issuance of Environmental Permits by up to 30%.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in Guatemala is one of the institutions that is holding up construction projects by issuing licenses up to two years late.
At the moment the process of obtaining a license takes from 6 months to 2 years, depending on the size of the project. This has been the subject of discussions aimed at achieving reform in order to counter this problem.
In Costa Rica a judicial ruling has lifted a restriction in order to advance the construction of port for container ships in Moin.
In February the Japdeva Workers Union (Sintrajap) filed a motion to prevent two km of road being built for the construction of the New Moin Mega Container port and in response to an appeal, the Administrative Court imposed as a precautionary measure suspension of the work.
A new environmental impact study is being carried out and available for citizens interested in finding out about the details of the extension of the Corridor.
Due to the complexity of the expansion project of the South Corridor, the National Environmental Authority has requested a new environmental impact study, rated as category III.
Although in November 2013 the National Highway Company presented an environmental impact study for the south corridor's expansion to six lanes, the National Environmental Authority (ANAM) has requested a new category III study. The new study received in early January shows no major changes compared to the previous one, the components of the project and the total cost of $509 million remain the same.
What is Costa Rica's actual position in the world in terms of environmental quality? Is it in fifth place as established two years ago by Yale University, or 54th as it has now been assigned by the same "scholars" ?
EDITORIAL
A country can not in two years jump from 5th place to 54th place in the world in terms of environmental quality, as happened to Costa Rica according to the Environmental Performance Index from Yale University.
Progress is being made on an environmental law which establishes regulations to prevent and respond to climate change threats.
The Framework Law to Regulate the Reduction of Vulnerability, Compulsory Adaptation to the Effects of Climate Change and Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases creates a National Council as a regulating body and will be represented by members of the government, rural organizations, municipalities, and environmentalists in addition to the private sector.
Guatemalan Entrepreneurs are asking for the consultations with communities about the environmental impact of mining and infrastructure projects to be regulated.
The Guatemalan Chamber of Industry (CIG) and the Union of Extractive Companies (GEE) has proposed the creation of a regulation governing community consultations, believing that these should be one more indicator in the approval process, and should not be binding in nature.
The Government and Chinese companies responsible for analyzing the environmental viability of the project have made presentations private on the partial developments.
Environmental Resource Management (ERM) and China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) submitted to the Technical Advisory Committee of the Grand Canal, and without allowing access to journalists - the progress of the environmental studies for the construction of the inter-oceanic canal.
Coffee farmers will receive funding from the NAMA Facility Fund of Anglo-German capital in order to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and improve their competitiveness.
Nación.com reports: "With that money, the idea is to make the national coffee production greener through four areas: reducing the use of nitrogen fertilizers, new uses for drills, planting trees in coffee plantations and using water and energy efficiently in processing plants. "
Ten state institutions have adjusted their catalogs to the concept of acquiring products and services that meet sustainability standards.
Eldis Sanchez, Director of Public Procurement, noted that "the government buys goods and services worth up to $3 billion a year, of that total, $200 million are made through the electronic catalog at website PanamaCompra".
Authorities plan a system for the state to buy goods and services that meet internationally recognized environmental standards.
From a press release issued by the National Environmental Authority (ANAM):
Recently the National Environmental Authority (ANAM) and the Public Procurement Directorate (CMPD) and the Center for Industrial Technology and Information Management (CEGESTI) of Costa Rica, held a meeting to publicize an initiative to implement in the future the Sustainable Public Procurement system (CPS), in Panama.
The event will be taking place from the 6th to the 8th of August in Honduras with a focus on responsible production with nature, the environment and the social environment.
The fourth conference of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), will be held in the convention center Club Hondureño Árabe in San Pedro Sula. The event has previously been held in countries such as Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador.
From 1 January 2015 20% of their agricultural imports must be produced sustainably, a percentage which will reach 100% in 2020.
Giovanna Valverde, Director of International Affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica (MAG), said the move is a big challenge for domestic farmers, but especially for pineapple and melon growers, and producers of ornamental plants and foliage.
During the event, which will take place 1 and 2 October in Panama, there will be discussion of the benefits associated with renewable energy projects in the region.
From a press release issued by the National Environmental Authority (ANAM):
The Energy and Environment Partnership with Central America (EEP) will hold the XXII Regional Sustainable Energy Forum on 1 and 2 October in Panama.