Democratization, Politics, and Environmental Reform in Latin America

Abstract

This chapter offers a preliminary exploration of the relationship between political liberalization and the new environmental mobilization found in the hemisphere. It aims to identify linkages between political liberalization and the new potential for inserting environmental concerns into the policy processes of Latin American governments. The chapter examines the political dimensions of environmental politics in Latin America. It assumes that the resumption of economic growth is a critical variable influencing the capacity of Latin American governments to successfully undertake environmental policy initiatives. Just as the processes of liberalization and democratization in Latin America provided a favorable environment for the mobilization of environmental interests, they also stimulated new external linkages supporting the development of environmental groups. Ecuador's indigenous groups have also expressed environmental concerns respect to Partido de la Unidad Republicano's liberalization of the 1963 agrarian reform code.