VENEZUELA AND THE ENVIRONMENT:
cAN an OIL COUNTRY 'GO GREEN'?
Venezuela
is best known for being a major oil producer – the world's fifth-largest, and
with reserves of crude larger than those of any other nation outside the Middle
East. Few are aware, though, that it
also boasts a level of biodiversity that is unmatched in most other parts of
the world.
Venezuela,
a country of 26 million people that is about twice the size of California,
ranks 10th on the global stage for its level of biodiversity. This fact would
suggest that the environment ought to form a vital part of the national
agenda. However, until Venezuela’s
President Hugo Chávez was elected in 1998, no Venezuelan head of state had ever
addressed the issue.
Shortly after President Chávez entered the executive office,
Venezuela developed a new constitution which includes the country’s very first
environmental protection policies. In an entire chapter of the 1999
Constitution dedicated to the environment, sustainable development is
established as a national mandate. The
goal was to create a model of sustainable development based on the principle
that natural resources are essential for development, and must be used in a
rational way that maintains the ecological equilibrium.
The 1999
Constitution of Venezuela also recognizes that fostering a healthy and
protected environment is an essential part of eliminating poverty and raising
the standard of living. For this reason, the right of citizens to a clean
environment is given the same inalienable status in the constitutional
framework as are the right to life, health and education. The constitution also
stipulates that environmental protections must be developed in cooperation with
local communities and civic groups. In addition, new laws in Venezuela require
environmental education at all levels of schooling.
Now, for
the first time, Venezuela is investing in and implementing
environmentally-friendly models of growth. The state-owned oil company PDVSA
has begun recuperating green areas, reducing emissions, and cleaning up rivers
and lakes. A clear sign of progress
came in 2007, when President Chávez proudly announced: “You should all know
that… [in] the gasoline produced in Venezuela… we don’t use lead anymore.”[1]
Also in
2007, the President banned the opening of new coal mines in the state of Zulia,
and expansions of the Guasare and Paso Diablo mines were rejected.[2] Other mining projects threatening to disrupt
Indigenous communities or local ecosystems have been sidelined by the Ministry
of Popular Power for the Environment. Among them is one of the largest deposits
of gold in Latin America, called the Las Cristinas gold mine, which was
exploited for many years by a Canadian corporation and is located in the
Imataca Forest (a national reserve since 1963).[3]
In
addition to these domestic efforts, Venezuela has also signed 14 international
conventions on environmental protection and sustainable development while
taking steps to protect and preserve the country’s natural resource wealth. In
2004, Venezuela ratified the Kyoto Protocol on reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, and supported special measures applying to developing countries.
THE GREEN REVOLUTION
Though
in the past it was not always respected, protected land in Venezuela accounts
for over 60 percent of the national territory. With 43 national parks and 36
natural monuments, Venezuela has a greater proportion of protected lands than
any other country in Latin America. This is for good reason, as there is an
enormous amount of biodiversity to preserve: about half of national lands are
covered by forests and jungles. Venezuela is home about 20,000 species of
plants and 5,711 types of animals, including birds, reptiles, mammals,
amphibians, and fish.
These
very high levels of biodiversity make environmental protection a critical
issue. Due to changes in the last decade, environmental policy in Venezuela is now
crafted through increased consultation with local communities who help identify
environmental challenges and indicate the best use of local natural resources.
A number of mechanisms for citizen participation have emerged, such as Water
and Energy Committees, Conservation Committees, and farming cooperatives.
Misión
Arbol (Tree Mission)
One of the most
noteworthy and productive efforts so far, Misión
Arbol, is combating
deforestation by protecting river basins and promoting the sustainable use of
Venezuela’s forests with local communities.
Nearly 2,000
tree-planting projects have been completed by citizens who have organized
themselves into Conservation Committees.
According to Misión Arbol statistics, 2,330 of these
committees have been established nationwide, resulting in the planting of 33
million forest and fruit plants. In
2006 and 2007 alone, 13,524 hectares of land were reforested.
Misión
Energía (Energy Mission)
Most
of Venezuela’s population is concentrated in the many cities that dot the northern
coastal area of the country, while the interior is taken up by vast, grassy
plains and thick jungles. The cities use most of the energy and generate the
bulk of pollution. Nonetheless, Venezuela’s “energy revolution” is touching all
parts of the country, not just urban areas.[4]
New
programs creating eco-friendly housing using building materials derived from
waste generated during oil production have plans to build 60,000 “petrocasas.” The first such community
was inaugurated in the state of Carabobo on March 30, 2008. Initiatives like the “petrocasas” bring economic development to low-income areas while
avoiding taking a high toll on the environment.
Though
over 70 percent of Venezuela’s electricity comes from hydroelectric plants that
produce very little pollution, efforts are being made to reduce the country’s
carbon output. To that end, Venezuela is replacing all incandescent light bulbs
throughout the nation with energy-saving bulbs that last longer. The program,
called Misión Energía, aims to
replace 52 million bulbs during its first phase.
President
Chávez has also announced plans for a windmill farm to generate electricity on
the Caribbean coast, and is exploring more uses for cleaner-burning natural gas
and ways to reduce the need for oil-fired power plants.[5]
Clean and Potable Water
Rivers,
lakes, and beaches are now being cleaned up throughout Venezuela. In many
places, this has required the construction of new sewage treatment plants.
Among the most ambitious projects is the restoration of the Guaire River, which
flows across the city of Caracas and was severely contaminated because it was
historically used for sewage disposal. A long-term project to restore the
Guaire will extend over about a decade, and includes the reforestation of
shorelines, relocation of housing settlements, installation of sewage
collectors, and construction of treatment plants along the tributaries of the
river.
Access
to clean drinking water is an important related issue. In past decades, a large
sector of the population in Venezuela
lacked sufficient access to potable water. However, this problem is beginning
to be addressed through the recent construction of aqueducts, dams, pipes, and
reservoirs. In 2006, two new aqueducts were built in different areas of the
country, 65 miles of pipes were laid to connect water storage areas, and
maintenance work was completed on nearly half of Venezuela’s 85
reservoirs.
One
of the UN Millennium Development Goals is to halve the amount of people in each
country that lack sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic
sanitation. On this goal, the UN has
deemed Venezuela to be “on the right track.” On the whole, Venezuela is
evaluated as “Very likely to achieve” the UN’s overarching mandate of creating
environmental sustainability.[6]
CONLCUSION
Although
in the past it was difficult to evaluate Venezuela’s environmental policy due
to the fact that oil production dominates the economy, government attitudes on
the issue have become clarified in recent years. In fact, they have taken a
marked turn. Adherence to international
standards and efforts to reduce energy consumption, lessen pollution, and
combat deforestation indicate an increased respect for the environment on the part
of the Chávez administration.
President
Chávez has himself made this position clear, saying: “Venezuela is one of the
countries that least contaminates the environment, but nevertheless we want to
give an example and be at the vanguard.”[7]