Environmental News 18.12.14 Part III: New Nicaraguan canal going ahead despite lack of environmental studies, displacement of hundreds and potential for major enviro damage... Protests are continuing in the capital of Nicaragua, Managua, over plans to build a 278km long $50bn canal linking the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans via Lake Nicaragua. Construction – which include the excavation of more than 1m cubic metres of earth - is slated to begin next week amid concerns that the canal will have grave environmental consequences. “The detrimental environmental and social impacts of the plan are vast.” Says Cornell University’s Hazel Guardado. “In addition to the absence of a bidding process, the project was granted to Hong Kong Nicaragua Development (HKND) without any current environmental impact assessment studies. Furthermore, rather than conducting these studies itself, the government will rely on the HKND to do so.” Guardado went on to explain that the constitution was amended last December to make accommodations for the project, and it now grants HKND … the right to expropriate land and natural resources as it sees fit for the success of the project and sub-projects. This appropriation will displace hundreds of Rama and Kriol IP whose people have been living in the region since before the Spanish conquest and, according to Forests of the World’s Klaus Kjaerby it will also cause major environmental damage to the region. “The canal will plough through two Unesco-established biosphere reserves, which are inhabited by endangered species including jaguar, great green macaw, tapir and sea turtles.” He said. “The list of potential environmental threats is long and includes negative impact on protected wetlands vital to migratory birds, the Central American biological corridor, destruction of freshwater habitat, deterioration of drinking water reserves and the inevitable pollution of Lake Nicaragua,” Kjaerby said. commondreams.org/news/2014/12/11/nicaragua-protesters-vow-fight-giant-canal-their-lives
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:34:04 +0000
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