Results-oriented and participatory planning can help achieving concrete improvements in environmental quality. In order to support local authorities in developing environmental quality management plans through multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder collaboration, the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications of Costa Rica (MINAET) released a training manual entitled “Governance and Environmental Quality Management”. The document was developed in cooperation with five cantons. According to María Guzmán Ortiz, Director of the Environmental Quality Management Directorate of Costa Rica, “the manual is an important tool to share the results from a pilot workshop series we implemented in 2010 with the goal to strengthen environmental quality management through participatory processes.”
The environmental quality training manual is divided in two major sections. The first part presents lessons learned that emerged from the workshops in pilot municipalities, such as the discrepancy between national regulation and local realities; the lack of coordination between different environmental projects at the municipal level; and the need to establish territorial environment units. It also raises questions and includes exercises for analyzing the state of environmental governance in a given municipality and identifying concrete action to improve environmental quality in the short, medium and long term. The second part of the document presents a theoretical framework, provides definitions (e.g. governance) and discusses key determinants for success, such as strengthening leadership. It also proposes steps to elaborate and evaluate a municipal strategic plan.
The document was developed through the project “Implementation of Principle 10: Construction of a Participatory Space for Environmental Quality Management” that was implemented by the MINAET with support from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration promotes access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters and was adopted at the Rio Summit in 1992.
For further information please contact Olman Mora, Environmental Quality Management Directorate of Costa Rica at omora@minaet.go.cr
or visit:
http://www.digeca.go.cr/goberna/goberna_proyectomuni.html