Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T01:49:22.442Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Fading Green? Environmental Politics in the Mercosur Free Trade Agreement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Kathryn Hochstetler
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article explores the role of environmental concerns in free trade areas made up entirely of developing countries. It surveys the environmental institutions of Mercosur, the Common Market of South America, and its member states. It also presents a case study of the recently terminated negotiations over a regional environmental legal instrument as an example of collective environmental decisionmaking. The article concludes that all the environmental components of the agreement are weak, and have even been downgraded in recent years. Even so, national environmental protections have increased during the years of the Mercosur agreement, and some regional actors are poised to join their northern counterparts in opposition to any potential free trade area of the Americas that does not include environmental provisions.

Type
Research
Information
Latin American Politics and Society , Volume 45 , Issue 4 , Winter 2003 , pp. 1 - 32
Copyright
Copyright © University of Miami 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Note: The texts of cited treaties, decisions, resolutions, and agreements of the CMC and the GMC are on Mercosur’s website. Minutes of the SGT 6 meetings are available on the websites of the Brazilian and Argentine national environmental agencies. See entries below.Google Scholar
Associação Brasileira de Entidades de Meio Ambiente (ABEMA). 1993. Diagnóstico institucional dos orgãos estaduais de meio ambiente no Brasil. Espiritu Santo: ABEMA.Google Scholar
Audley, John J. 1997. Green Politics and Global Trade: NAFTA and the Future of Environmental Politics. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.Google Scholar
Audley, John, and Edward, Sherwin. 2002. Politics and Parallel Negotiations: Environment and Trade in the Western Hemisphere. Global Policy Program Working Paper no. 25. Washington, DC: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.Google Scholar
Barnes, Pamela M., and Ian, G. Barnes. 2000. Environmental Policy in the European Union. Williston, VT: Edward Elgar.Google Scholar
Beukel, Erik. 1999. Trade Liberalization and Environmental Regulations: Regional Interests and Ideas in Europe and North America. In Racing to Regionalize: Democracy, Capitalism, and Regional Political Economy, ed. Thomas, K. P. and Tétreault, M. A.. Boulder: Lynne Rienner. 113–39.Google Scholar
Breda, Raquel. 2001. Technical Consultant on International Relations, Environment Ministry, Brazil. Author interview. Montevideo, December 6.Google Scholar
Bugoni, Mara, and Carlos, Cañás. 1998. Un modelo práctico: reportaje [interview] a María Julia Alsogaray. Aportes para el Estado y la Administración Gubernamental 5, 12: 9–14.Google Scholar
Bulmer-Thomas, Victor. 1999. The Brazilian Devaluation: National Responses and International Consequences. International Affairs 75, 4: 729–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Centro Latino Americano de Ecología Social (CLAES). 2001. Situción ambiental del Uruguay: informe sobre prioridades y urgencias. Montevideo: CLAES (mimeograph).Google Scholar
Centro Latino Americano de Ecología Social (Claes). Website, http:www.ambiental.netclaes.Google Scholar
Deere, Carolyn L., and Daniel, C. Esty, eds. 2002. Greening the Americas: NAFTA's Lessons for Hemispheric Trade. Cambridge: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Devia, Leila. 1998a. Legislación ambiental de la República Argentina. in Devia 1998b. 81–107.Google Scholar
Devia, Leila, ed. 1998b. Mercosur y medio ambiente. 2d ed. Buenos Aires: Ediciones Ciudad Argentina.Google Scholar
Diaz, Labrano, Roberto, Ruiz. 1998. La defensa y preservación del medio ambiente en el ordenamiento jurídico del Paraguay. in Devia 1998b. 109–92.Google Scholar
Domínguez, Ana, and Ruben, G. Prieto, eds. 2000. Perfil ambiental del Uruguay 2000. Montevideo: Editorial Nordan-Comunidad.Google Scholar
Environment Ministers of the Americas. 2001. Meeting of Environment Ministers of the Americas, March 29–30, 2001: Ministerial Communiqué. Point 7. http:www.summit-americas.orgengdocuments.htm.Google Scholar
Environment Ministers of the Member States of Mercosur. 1995. Declaración de Tarranco. Montevideo, June 21.Google Scholar
Environment Watch: Latin America . 1994. South America's Common Market Facing Environmental Roadblocks. November: 7.Google Scholar
Estado de São Paulo. 2002. November 21: 1, A4.Google Scholar
Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN). 1997. Hacia regulaciones ambientales armonizadas para las inversiones privadas en grandes proyectos de infraestructura en el Mercosur. Buenos Aires: FARN.Google Scholar
Fernandes, Edesio, ed. 1998. Environmental Strategies for Sustainable Development in Urban Areas. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate.Google Scholar
Folha de São Paulo. 2002. September 18: 1, A4, A5.Google Scholar
Foro Consultivo Económico-Social (FCES). 2001. Author's observation of Fces meeting. Montevideo, December 19.Google Scholar
Friedman, Elisabeth J., Kathryn, Hochstetler, and Ann Marie, Clark. 2001. Sovereign Limits and Regional Opportunities for Global Civil Society in Latin America. Latin American Research Review 35, 3: 7–35.Google Scholar
Gaines, Sanford E. 2002. The Free Trade Area of the Americas: Lessons from North America. In The Greening of Trade Law: International Trade Organizations and Environmental Issues, ed. Steinberg, R. H.. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield. 189–220.Google Scholar
Glassen, John, and Nemesio Neves, B. Salvador. 2000. Eia in Brazil: a Procedures-Practice Gap. a Comparative Study with Reference to the European Union, and Especially the Uk. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 20, 2: 191–225.Google Scholar
Grandi, Jorge, and Lincoln, Bizzozero. 1998. Hacía una nueva sociedad civil del Mercosur. Viejos y nuevos actores en el tejido subregional. Paper presented at the seminar “Integración regional y participación de la sociedad civil,” April 20–24, at Cefir/Alop/Claeh, Montevideo.Google Scholar
Grant, Wyn, Duncan, Matthews, and Peter, Newell. 2001. The Effectiveness of European Union Environmental Policy. New York: Palgrave.Google Scholar
Grupo, Y'Guazú. 1995. Bases para la armonización de exigencias ambientales en el Mercosur. Buenos Aires: FARN.Google Scholar
Gudynas, Eduardo. 1998. Mercosur y medio ambiente en Uruguay. In Mercosur y medio ambiente, ed. Blanco, H. and Borregaard, N.. Santiago, Chile: CIPMA. 130–42.Google Scholar
Gudynas, Eduardo. 2001a. Coordinator, Claes. Author interview. Montevideo, November 19.Google Scholar
Gudynas, Eduardo, ed. 2001b. Politicas ambientales en Uruguay. Montevideo: Coscoroba.Google Scholar
Guimarães, Roberto P. 1995. The Ecopolitics of Development in the Third World: Politics and Environment in Brazil. Boulder: Lynne Rienner.Google Scholar
Hochstetler, Kathryn. 2002a. After the Boomerang: Environmental Movements and Politics in the La Plata River Basin. Global Environmental Politics 2, 4: 35–57.Google Scholar
Hochstetler, Kathryn. 2002b. Brazil. in Weidner and Jänicke 2002. 69–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hopkins, Jack W. 1995. Policymaking for Conservation in Latin America: National Parks, Reserves, and the Environment. Westport: Praeger.Google Scholar
Interamerican Development Bank (IDB). 2001. Lending by Country in 2000: the Year's Lending. http:www.iadb.orgexrpdflending.pdf.Google Scholar
Johnson, Pierre Marc, and André, Beaulieu. 1996. The Environment and NAFTA: Understanding and Implementing the New Continental Law. Washington, DC: Island Press.Google Scholar
Keck, Margaret E. 1992. The Workers' Party and Democratization in Brazil. New Haven: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Korzeniewicz, Roberto Patricio, and William, C. Smith. 2001. Protest and Collaboration: Transnational Civil Society Networks and the Politics of Summitry and Free Trade in the Americas. North-South Agenda Paper no. 51. Coral Gables: North-South Center, University of Miami.Google Scholar
Laciar, Mirta Elizabeth. 1997. PRODIA subprograma a componente fortalecimiento institucional: “proyecto de protocolo adicional al tratado de Asunción sobre medio ambiente”. Buenos Aires: SRYNyDS.Google Scholar
Laciar, Mirta Elizabeth. 2001. Legal Consultant to Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development, Argentina; principal ministry representative to Mercosur. Author interview. Buenos Aires, July 12.Google Scholar
Leichner, María. 2001. Mercosur y su fantasma: el protocolo ambiental. Paper read at the Conferencia Internacional sobre Comercio, Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable: Perspectivas de América Latina y el Caribe. Mexico City, February 19–21.Google Scholar
Leichner Reynal, María. 2001. Mercosur firma el acuerdo marco sobre medio ambiente. Website of Ecos Foundation. http:www.fundacionecos.org.Google Scholar
Leichner Reynal, María. 2002. Executive Director, Fundación Ecos. Author telephone interviews. February 1, 2.Google Scholar
Luchiesi Junior, Alvaro. 2001. Coordinator of Agriculture, Trade, and Environment, Wwf-Brasil. Author interview. Brasília, October 11.Google Scholar
Malamud, Andrés. 2000. Mercosur: from “Delegative Democracies” to “Delegative Integration”? Paper presented at the 22d meeting of the Latin American Studies Association, Miami, March 16–18.Google Scholar
McCormick, John. 2001. Environmental Policy in the European Union. New York: Palgrave.Google Scholar
Mercosur. Official website. http:www.mercosur.org.uy.Google Scholar
Mercosur. Subgrupo de Trabajo VI Medio Ambiente (SGT 6). 2001. Author's observation of the 20th Meeting of Sgt 6. Montevideo, December 6.Google Scholar
Mumme, Stephen, and Donna, Lybecker. 2002. Environmental Capacity in Mexico: an Assessment. in Weidner and Jänicke 2002. 311–27.Google Scholar
Ollaik, Leila. 2002. Mercosul Environment Group: Facts and Possibilities. Paper presented at the 6th meeting of the Brazilian Studies Association, Atlanta, April 4–6.Google Scholar
Paarlberg, Robert. 2001. The Politics of Precaution: Genetically Modified Crops in Developing Countries. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.Google Scholar
Pádua, José Augusto. 1992. The Birth of Green Politics in Brazil: Exogenous and Endogenous Factors. In Green Politics Two, ed. Rüdig, W.. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. 134–55.Google Scholar
Panario, Daniel. 2001. Director of Unciep; Professor, Universidad de la República de Uruguay. Author interview. Montevideo, November 27.Google Scholar
Phillips, Nicola. 2001. Regionalist Governance in the New Political Economy of Development: “Relaunching” the Mercosur. Third World Quarterly 22, 4: 565–83.Google Scholar
deGraciela Berra Estrada, Pigretti. 1999. Proyectos de leyes de presupuestos mínimos ambientales: pautas de conciliación. Buenos Aires: Presidencia de la Nación/SRNyDS.Google Scholar
Red de Ecología Social/Amigos de la Tierra (REDES), ed. 2000. Uruguay sustentable: una propuesta ciudadana. Montevideo: Impresora Editorial.Google Scholar
Republic of Argentina. Official environmental website. http:www.medioambiente.gov.armercosur.Google Scholar
Republic of Argentina. Secretaria de Recursos Hídricos y Ambiente Humana (SRNyAH). n.d. MERCOSUR: una decisión ambientalmente posible. Buenos Aires: SRNyAH.Google Scholar
Republic of Argentina. Secretaría de Recursos Naturales y Desarrollo Sustentable (SRNyDS). 1999. Objetivos, ejecución y resultados del PRODIA (1994–1999). Buenos Aires: Presidencia de la Nación and SRNyDS.Google Scholar
Republic of Brazil. Senado Federal. 1991. Meio ambiente (legislaçào). [Compendium of current legislation.] Brasília: Senado Federal.Google Scholar
Republic of Brazil. Secretaria do Meio Ambiente, Sào Paulo (SEMA-SP). 1997. O Mercosul e o meio ambiente. Sào Paulo: SEMA-SP.Google Scholar
Republic of Brazil. Secretaria do Meio Ambiente, Sào Paulo (Sema-Sp). Official website. http:www.mma.gov.br.Google Scholar
Republic of Paraguay. Senate. Official website. http:www.senado.gov.pyleyestextos001561.html.Google Scholar
Rodríguez, Andrea Silvana. 1998. Marco jurídico-institucional ambiental aplicable a los humedales. In Los humedales de la Argentina: clasificación, situación actual, conservación y legislación, ed. Canevari, P., Blanco, D. E., Bucher, E. H., Castro, G., and Davidson, I.. Buenos Aires: Wetlands International (Publication No. 46)/SRNyDS. 183–202.Google Scholar
Rodríguez, Rachel. 2002. Coordinator, Health Section, Sobrevivencia—Paraguay. Author interview. Campo Grande, Brazil, March 14.Google Scholar
Roett, Riordan, ed. 1999. Mercosur: Regional Integration, World Markets. Boulder: Lynne Rienner.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ryan, Daniel. 2001. Assistant Executive Director, Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. Author interview. Buenos Aires, July 11.Google Scholar
Schaper, Marianne. 2002. The Environmental Characteristics of South American Exports. in Deere and Esty 2002. 247–58.Google Scholar
Steel, Brent S., Richard, L. Clinton, and Nicholas, P. Lovrich Jr. 2003. Environmental Politics and Policy: A Comparative Approach. Boston: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Steinberg, Richard H. 1997. Trade-Environment Negotiations in the Eu, Nafta, and Wto: Regional Trajectories of Rule Development. American Journal of International Law 91, 2: 231–67.Google Scholar
Stevis, Dimitris, and Stephen, Mumme. 2000. Rules and Politics in Regional Integration: Environmental Regulation in Nafta and the Eu. Environmental Politics 9, 4: 20–41.Google Scholar
Surroca, Carlos. 2001. Coordinator of International Programs, Redes/Amigos de la Tierra. Author interview. Montevideo, December 3.Google Scholar
Svirsky, Enrique, ed. 2002. Entidades ambientalistas nào-governamentais em conselhos do meio ambiente. Sào Paulo: Secretaria de Estado do Meio Ambiente, Proàong.Google Scholar
Tussie, Diana. 2000. Introduction. In The Environment and International Trade Negotiations: Developing Country Stakes, ed. Tussie, . New York: St. Martin's Press/International Development Research Centre. 1–9.Google Scholar
Tussie, Diana, and Patricia, I. Vásquez. 1997. The Ftaa, Mercosur, and the Environment. International Environmental Affairs 9, 3: 232–48.Google Scholar
Tussie, Diana, and Patricia, I. Vásquez. 2000. Regional Integration and Building Blocks: The Case of Mercosur. In The Environment and International Trade Negotiations: Developing Country Stakes, ed. Tussie, . New York: St. Martin's Press/International Development Research Centre. 187–203.Google Scholar
United Nations Development Program (UNDP). 2002. Human Development Report 2002. http:www.undp.orghdr2002.Google Scholar
Weidner, Helmut, and Martin, Jänicke, eds. 2002. Capacity Building in National Environmental Policy: A Comparative Study of 17 Countries. Berlin: Springer.Google Scholar