The Ombudsman’s Office called on citizens to protect natural resources, as part of the celebration of World Environment Day, held on Monday.
Even when there are institutions responsible for monitoring and preventing actions or omissions that threaten the environment, it is essential to involve citizens in a joint effort to stop environmental deterioration and ensure its sustainable management.
The approach to development based on Human Rights, and good governance, contemplates citizen participation, transparency and accountability as essential principles. Citizen participation represents a mandate for democratic states such as Costa Rica, in the light of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Declaration on the Right to Development and […] the Constitution itself,”
said the entity In a document.
According to the Office of the Ombudsman, the need to strengthen the Administrative Environmental Tribunal has been pointed out, since, according to information provided in the National Biodiversity Policy 2015-2030, there is an increase in the number of complaints filed before this Tribunal, but capacity response rate is less than 1%.
Important legislative proposals are currently being discussed in the Legislative Assembly, such as project No. 20.212 ‘Law for the integrated management of water resources’ as well as project No. 19.838′ Law for the development and sustainable use of shrimp in Costa Rica’. Both are key opportunities for MPs to guarantee effective and timely spaces for citizen participation, to ensure the effective and full enjoyment of fundamental rights,”
added the statement.