ID: 2202
Presenting Author: REIF JORGE CHAVEZ-CALLUPE
Session: 750 - Bridging the Gap: Empowering Local Governments in Developing Economies to Make Environmental Impact Assessments Understandable and Actionable
Status: pending
Senace (Peru) strengthens local government capacities through multidisciplinary technical guidance, improving environmental governance, public participation and approval of socially beneficial project
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) are fundamental instruments for ensuring that development projects align with principles of environmental sustainability and social well-being. In Peru, the National Service of Environmental Certification for Sustainable Investments (Senace), through its Directorate of Environmental Evaluation for Infrastructure Projects, plays a pivotal role in guiding and strengthening the capacities of local governments involved in the formulation of investment projects subject to environmental evaluation. This joint effort integrates the multidisciplinary expertise of biologists, engineers, communicators, sociologists, geographers, and lawyers, who provide technical orientations aimed at improving the understanding and application of environmental regulations at the local level. The outcomes of these technical guidance sessions are reflected not only in formal meeting records but also in tangible improvements in citizen participation, the quality of project documentation, and the relevance and depth of questions raised during participatory workshops. Moreover, this collaborative approach has contributed to the successful approval of socially beneficial projects that address the needs of vulnerable populations—projects that promote access to employment, mobility, health, food security, and local economic activities. This experience demonstrates that strengthening institutional capacities at the local level is essential to ensure that environmental certification becomes a transformative tool for inclusive and sustainable territorial development.
Biologist from the National University of San Marcos (Peru) with master’s studies in Environmental Management and Planning (U. of Chile); 12 years’ environmental and 6 years’ public-sector experience.
Coauthor 1: LIZ ELIANA CUYA-YAYA