igc:glenirn amb.pantanal 1:40 pm Aug 8, 1995
Economic integration and development in the La Plata Basin are important goals that WWF enthusiastically supports. The development of a waterway to enhance transportation in the region is, in principle, a worthwhile undertaking. In the particular case of the Hidrovia, however, the potentially serious environmental impacts of the project warrant very close scrutiny and great care.
At a minimum, we believe that:
1. The upper reaches of the Hidrovia (the Pantanal) cannot be considered as a serious option of the project. The potential impacts on this region (both direct and indirect) are of such magnitude and severity that the project simply cannot proceed there.
2. The final specific design of the project must be based on environmental, social, and economic considerations, and not on political considerations alone. We therefore support the preparation of a complete and comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project. The design of the project and mitigation measures must strictly follow the results of the EIA.
3. The EIA must be rigorous, independent, technically sound, and should be prepared within a transparent process. We support the idea of an independent audit of the EIA. The audit or another similar mechanism should allow for direct NGO and public participation.
4. The project must include environmental measures that foresee induced development and minimize its impacts.
5. The process of decision-making regarding Hidrovia provides a good opportunity to plan sustainable development within a regional scale. As such, the project should include provisions for biodiversity conservation in the form of new protected areas and long-term funding mechanisms for them.
6. Economic integration in the La Plata Basin within the context of Mercosur is a worthwhile aspiration of countries in the region. As such, improvement of waterways is an option to be considered for enhancing transport, as long as their environmental impacts do not affect critical or irreplaceable ecosystems.
END