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.
An Environmental Business Management Unit is to be created in order to promote the environmental competitiveness of the export sector.
From a note by the Guatemalan Exporters Association (AGEXPORT):
AGEXPORT is in the process of creating the Corporate Environmental Management Unit, which will operate under the Development Division, in order to promote systematic and continuous environmental competitiveness of the export sector of Guatemala, through responsible environmental practices.
The Union of Industrialists of Panama has launched the "Green Panama" certification for companies which implement good environmental practices.
The "Green Panama" seal of approval, will be awarded to companies who demonstrate consistency in the implementation of best practices in areas such as energy efficiency, waste management and water resource management.
The Standards Institute of Costa Rica has issued the "Requirements for sustainable buildings in the Tropics".
The regulation was proposed by the Institute of Tropical Architecture, which was presented in May 2012 during a conference on green architecture and sustainable buildings.
Now the Standards Institute (INTECO), formally designated the National Agency for Standardization, has formalized the set of requirements for sustainable construction in the tropics, with the standard number 06-12-01:2012.
Costa Rican businessmen are concerned about the proliferation of environmental standards that may not be the most urgent and the most suitable for the economy.
Elfinancierocr.com reports that in Costa Rica, "at a rate of four bills per year, since 2006 Parliament has provided 24 new regulations related to environmental issues."
And opinions on whether these standards bring benefits to the country differ depending on the business sector differs consulted: "While the National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur) believe that laws such as the conservation of wildlife will lure more tourists, the National Agriculture and Agribusiness Chamber (CNAA) watches with concern excesses in legislation and regulations that will make life difficult for producers. "
The entity has received a $20 million IDB loan to expand its loan portfolio to operations with environmental sustainability.
The Inter-American Development Bank today announced the approval of a "green" facility with $30 million going to Banco Atlantida in Honduras to support lending to environmentally sustainable projects. The facility for medium-term financing consists of load A, a $20 million IDB loan, and loan B, to be syndicated by the IDB, with a target figure of $10 million.
102 tourism businesses were recognized by the ICT for their environmentally friendly operations and their communities.
The Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) has given these awards to a group of hotels and tour operators, which carry "leaves” one to five. A rating of five "leaves" means best environmental practice and social sustainability.
"Hotels and agencies which have sustainable processes, in addition, share profits with communities where they are located; promote traditions, culture and responsible visits to national parks," stated ICT to Nacion.com.
$15 million IDB loan is the first to a Costa Rican financial institution that seeks to expand its mortgage and green financing business
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $15 million loan to Banco Promerica de Costa Rica to help the bank expand its long-term mortgage operations and loans for environmentally sustainable projects.
The IDB loan will broaden and deepen the scope of Promerica’s key business areas, specifically in home mortgage financing for lower middle-income and middle-income individuals, as well as develop the portfolio of environmentally sustainable loans (“green loans”). The facility is part of the IDB’s strategy to support two high-impact areas of economic development.