DEFENDING THE DEFENDERS: HOW HUMAN RIGHTS AND SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION JUSTIFY A NEW NATIONAL PARK ON COSTA RICA’S CARIBBEAN COAST

Thomas T. Ankersen, Profesor y Director del programa Jaclyn Lopez, Attorney with Center for Biological Diversity and LL.M Cand., University of Florida Levin College of Law Aileen Orozco, Cand. Lic., Facultad de Derecho, Universidad de Costa Rica Elizabeth Turner, J.D. Cand., University of Florida Levin College of Law

BACKGROUND: JAIRO MORA SANDOVAL

BACKGROUND: REACTIONS

BACKGROUND: NESTING SEA TURTLE BEACHES ALONG THE CARIBBEAN COAST OF COAST RICA

LAND TENURE: GEOPOLITICAL CONTEXT

NATIONAL ANALYSIS

NATIONAL AUTHORITY FOR THE PROTECTION OF SEA TURTLE NESTING BEACHES

Ley de Parques Nacionales, 6084 (1977) Ley de Biodiversidad, 7788 (1998) Ley Organica del Ambiente, 7554 (1995) Reglamentos que Establecen Criterios de Creacion de

Areas Protegidas por el Poder Ejecutivo, Decreto 334433 – MINAE

Ley de Conservacion de la Vida Silvestre, 7317 (1992/2012)

Ley de Proteccion, Conservacion y Recuperacion de Tortugas Marina, 8325 (2002)

NATIONAL AUTHORITY FOR THE PROTECTION OF SEA TURTLE NESTING BEACHES

a) study of the area; b) defined objectives; c) feasibility study; d) minimum financing; e) creation of plans; and f) issuance of the law or

decree

Photo credit: Scott R. Benson, NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center

INTERNATIONAL AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS Costa Rica’s International Obligations for Sea Turtle Protection Comparative Analysis – US Approach to National Parks

LEGAL HIERARCHY

Constitucion

Tratados o Convenios

Internacionales

Ley o Actos con Valor de Ley

Decretos

Reglamentos del Poder Ejecutivo y Estatutos Institucionales

Normas Sujetas a los anteriores Reglamentos

INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS

IAC CMS CITES Ramsar Convention CCBD Rio Declaration

INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF SEA TURTLES (IAC) Article IV: “appropriate and necessary

measures…for the protection, conservation and recovery of sea turtle populations and their habitats” Specific mention of creation of protected areas

Article IX: monitoring requirement Article X: compliance requirement Article XI: annual report

CONVENTION OF THE CONSERVATION OF MIGRATORY SPECIES OF WILD ANIMALS (CMS)

Range State Conserve and restore habitat Prevent and remove obstacles Prevent or reduce factors that further endanger

species 2011 CMS Report – decreased poaching? CMS Funding

CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FLORA AND FAUNA (CITES)

Concerned with trade of listed endangered species

Article VIII: requires Parties to “take appropriate measures to enforce the provisions of the Convention and to prohibit trade in specimens in violation thereof”

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CONVENTION ON WETLANDS OF INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE ESPECIALLY AS WATERFOWL HABITAT (RAMSAR)

Article 2: select wetlands of “international significance” to include on “the List”

Article 4: Parties “shall promote the conservation of wetlands…by establishing nature preserves on wetlands, whether they are included in the List or not, and provide adequately for their wardening”

CENTRAL AMERICAN CONVENTION ON BIODIVERSITY (CCBD) Article 17: “identify, select, create, manage and

strengthen…through responsible institutions, national parks, natural and cultural monuments, wildlife refuges, or other protected areas as tools to ensure the conservation” of representative habitats of Central America

Article 25: incorporates other treaties

RIO DECLARATION ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT (RIO DECLARATION) Principle 7: “states shall cooperate in a spirit of

global partnership to conserve, protect, and restore the health and integrity of the Earth’s ecosystem”

U.S. NPS Yellowstone NP – world’s 1st park (1 March 1872) Manages over 84 million acres on 401 sites

(including 59 national parks) Process

DOI Rec Study Congress Law

DEVELOPMENT OF THE NOTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS AS HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

CONCEPT OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AS APPLIED TO ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS

1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders

A characterization of human rights defenders Environmental defenders: progressive

interpretations and protection

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STATUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS WORLDWIDE Increase in threats and extractive activities Forms of violations to human rights Situation in the Americas

AVAILABLE INTERNATIONAL MECHANISMS Communications with Special Rapporteur for the

Situation of Human Rights Defenders: Urgent Appeals

Inter-American Commission of Human Rights: Official Requests of Information Press Releases urging to action Open Audiences Precautionary Measurements

STATUS OF HUMAN DEFENDERS IN COSTA RICA: PATTERN OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND OFFICIAL RESPONSE (LACK OF IT)

THREATS AND CLIMATE OF FEAR Threats and violations “are an increasing

phenomenon and might be part of a non-articulated nor explicit strategy” Declarations from Mauricio Álvarez, Alianza Redes Ambientalistas, to Semanario UCR, 2013. AECO Case Kimberlly Blackwell Menéndez Bermúdez Corcovado Park Rangers

IMPUNITY AND AGGRAVATING ACTIONS Gaps in the law and poor enforcement Public Statement by authorities discrediting

environmental work

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RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SEA TURTLE NESTING PROTECTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS BASIS FOR ENHANCED PROTECTION OF SEA TURTLE NESTING BEACHES

INCREASE IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES IN NESTING BEACHES Geographical shifts in the area of Cahuita, at the

Caribbean Region of Costa Rica, which used to be an important nesting beach, made the turtles move further north to Moín, in order to lay their eggs.

In association with that phenomenon, police from Moín have stated that a new form of trade of turtle eggs for drugs has increased the presence of poachers and drug dealers at the beach in the last years.

POOR ENFORCEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL LAWS REGARDING SEA TURTLES

Even though the Law of Protection, Preservation and Recovery of Marine Turtle Populations establishes prison and other measures to stop turtle poaching

The lack of human and economic resources at police stations in nesting beaches is a major obstacle to provide an efficient response to denounces and leading to criminal prosecution

THE HUMAN RIGHTS BENEFITS OF PROTECTED BEACHES

Ley Orgánica del Ambiente: “to promote scientific research, the study of ecosystems and their balance”

Ley del Servicio de Parques Nacionales, Art. 9: enables its staff to perform immediate actions within the park as regular police officers

SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATIONS Designate a new national park or wildlife refuge through

executive decree or legislation. Extend Tortuguero National Park from its current southern

terminus at Jalova, to the limits of the Area de Conservacion de Tortuguero at Parismina.

Establish a new protected area from the Northern boundary of the Area de Conservation Amistad y Caribe (ACLAC) to a point north of the community of Moín.

Extend Barro del Colorado and Archie Carr national wildlife refuge limits to the 12 mile maritime boundary to protect inter-nesting and migratory habitat.

Elevate Cariari National Wetlands to Ramsar status. Establish a coordinated protocol with the Ministry of Security,

Coastguards and Incopesca to increase security in nesting beaches and enforce sea turtle conservation laws

File a petition to the Ombudsman on behalf of affected environmental defenders, through the legal representatives of interested NGO’s.

THANK YOU

Questions?