Peru

By Environmental Governance Programme (EGP)

The extractive sector plays a major role in Peru’s national strategy for development and economic growth. Mining accounts for about 14 percent of the country’s economy, 16 percent of fiscal revenues, and around 60 percent of its exports (OECD, 2017). Mining has also contributed to social conflicts in Peru. Its impacts on the environment go beyond water and air pollution; mining activities have negatively affected the usability of essential natural resources such as water and soil, disproportionally affecting indigenous communities, women and smallholder and subsistence farmers.

In recent years, Participatory Environmental Monitoring (PEM) has emerged as a promising and innovative governance tool for indigenous peoples and local communities in Peru, with a focus on improving dialogue and mitigating socio-environmental conflict related to mining. In 2021, the EGP strengthened its support to indigenous peoples-led PEM committees in the Departments of Loreto and Ancash to build capacities for environmental monitoring and to protect indigenous peoples’ rights to health, livelihood and a healthy environment.

Stories of Change

Key results

PEM committees in the regions of Loreto and Ancash Provinces have improved mechanisms to support access to environmental information and meaningful participation in decision-making, including indigenous peoples-led monitoring programmes.
Environmental monitors from four indigenous federations of Loreto received new mobile equipment to conduct environmental monitoring. They learned how to use new tools and instruments by working with seven other PEM committees operating in the coastal region of Ancash, whose water resources have been impacted by expanding mining activities.
20 community-based environmental monitors and 40 inspectors from the Agency for Environmental Assessment and Enforcement (OEFA) were certified on Citizen Participation in Environmental Enforcement, under a joint initiative with the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, OEFA and the EGP. An additional 180 stakeholders concluded capacity-building activities at province level, including the courses on Environmental Monitoring: Strengthening Indigenous Autonomy for PEM initiatives in the Departments of Loreto and Ancash.

Progress and Achievements

The EGP Peru team has also initiated coordination towards 2022–2023 with the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM), the National Water Authority (ANA), and the Dialogue Group on Mining and Sustainable Development (GDMDS) and has improved dialogue with new networks of environmental monitors.

2021 was also a decisive year for the EGP’s partnership with Peru’s OEFA of the Ministry of the Environment, which included capacity-building of environmental inspectors, joint trainings, and a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to guide cooperation in the coming years.

PEM IN ANCASH AND LORETO

In 2021, the EGP Peru team strengthened collaboration with two active PEM committees operating in the Amazonian regions of Loreto and Ancash. The regions are impacted by gas and oil exploration, with mining activities increasing in recent years. These activities include:

Indigenous Territorial Surveillance Program (PVTI), bringing together environmental monitors of the Corrientes, Pastaza, Marañón and Tigre River basins in the Department of Loreto.
Environmental Monitoring, Surveillance and Enforcement Committee of Huarmey (CMVFAH) in the Department of Ancash.

Key activities included:

Procurement of monitoring equipment for four indigenous federations in the Department of Loreto, including mobile equipment and hard drives to improve the recording of their monitoring work in the Amazon rainforest.
Technical assistance for the reactivation of the network of PEM committees of Ancash, which brings together 7 committees and approximately 30 environmental monitors. As part of these efforts, the Huarmey Committee made visits to the committees of San Marcos, Carhuayoc, Jangas, Tampa, Huallanca and Aquia to carry out joint situational diagnosis, gathering information about the committees’ work and mapping existing challenges for their operation.

PEM Capacity-Building Workshops

‘Workshop on Citizen Participation in the Matter of Environmental Enforcement for Environmental Monitors’, organized with the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru from 23 November to 17 December 2021.

20 environmental monitors from Ancash and Loreto were certified.
40 OEFA local inspectors from 9 regions and Lima-based senior staff participated, with strengthened collaboration between UNDP Peru and the OEFA.
Focused on conceptual tools on the right to participation, environmental governance, and rights-based, intercultural and gender approaches.
Worked together to draft ’Regulations for Citizen Participation in Monitoring Environmental Actions’.

Six community-based workshops in the Huarmey district, Ancash, organized from January to December 2021.

85 community associations and leaders were involved in the workshops.
Focus on water for human consumption in Huarmey, which has been impacted by mining.

Environmental Monitoring Workshop: Strengthening Indigenous Autonomy’ with the Indigenous Territorial Surveillance Program (PVTI), held on 10-16 October 2021.

24 environmental monitors from 4 indigenous federations were trained.
1,000 people from local communities were subsequently trained by the monitors.
Focus on environmental quality standards, community participation, remediation techniques, and communication and reaction in case of contingencies.
The EGP also supported the preparation of culturally sensitive educational tools, including self-training materials for monitors on rules for participation, remediation and compensation.

NORMATIVE INSTRUMENT FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

The EGP Peru team has reinforced collaboration with the Agency for Environmental Assessment and Enforcement (OEFA) of the Ministry of the Environment and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM) with an MoU signed with the OEFA on 18 June 2021. Joint work focuses on developing new normative instruments for citizen participation in the environmental evaluations conducted by the OEFA, incorporating intercultural, rights-based and gender approaches.
The EGP contributed to the strengthening of capacities and the generation of a space for exchange and dialogue between OEFA personnel from nine regions and environmental monitors from three regions. This included a workshop and educational materials on human rights, citizen participation and environmental governance, developed with the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.

EGP Partners

The EGP is implemented by UNDP Peru in collaboration with national authorities, community-based PEM committees, and federations that represent the indigenous communities.

In 2021, the EGP strengthened its partnership with the OEFA and the PCM and has also engaged the National Water Authority (ANA) and the Dialogue Group on Mining and Sustainable Development (GDMDS) in the 2022–2023 work planning processes.