National parks
The country boasts a number of biosphere reserves and national parks, whose aim is to preserve remarkable ecosystems. These include
Lake Atitlán National Park: located in the southern part of the country, it protects the ecosystems of the eponymous lake and its three volcanoes, Atitlán, San PedroTolimán. It is home to unique and beautiful landscapes.
Laguna Lachuá National Park (Parque Nacional Laguna Lachuá): located in the south of the territory, this park is home to a karst lake - laguna Lachuá - a fragile and remarkable ecosystem. The park is threatened by human activity (deforestation).
Pacaya National Park: located in the south of the country, close to the capital, it protects the eponymous volcano and its biodiversity.
Tikal National Park: located in the north of the country, this Unesco World Heritage site protects remarkable archaeological remains and a rich biodiversity.
Sierra Del Lacandón National Park: located in the north-west of the country, on the Mexican border, and adjoining the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve, it is home to remarkable ecosystems, including the two "Naranjitos I and II" plots, among the most diverse tropical forests in the country.
Río Dulce National Park: protects the ecosystems of the eponymous river and its rich avifauna. It can be explored by boat.
The impact of intensive farming
Intensive monocultures (including palm oil and agrofuels) contribute to the destruction of tropical forests. This primary forest is both a carbon sink and a reservoir of biodiversity. It is also home to indigenous populations who see themselves as part of nature and have managed to maintain the great natural balances. Intensive farming, on the other hand, accelerates soil erosion, destroys certain habitats, fragments natural environments and contaminates the environment (through the use of pesticides), all of which contribute to the loss of biodiversity. Between 2001 and 2019, for example, the country's forest cover declined by 19%.
"Mining secrets" or the evils of mining activity
Some major mining companies don't even bother with environmental or human rights law. The "Forbidden Stories" collective was thus able to highlight the practices of a Swiss nickel mining company in the north-east of the country. It all began in 2017, when red deposits appeared in Lake Izabal. The local community, which fishes in the lake, is concerned about these discharges and demands accountability from the mining company, which denies being the source of the deposits. During a demonstration, a fisherman is killed. Carlos Choc, the photographer who took the photo of the protester on the ground, is threatened and has to flee the country for a while. A group of investigative journalists takes over the case. The "Green Blood" project focuses on investigations linked to the mining industry, in solidarity with journalists who have been killed or threatened. In 2020, the team published the results of its investigation, revealing the company's responsibility for releasing hexavalent chromium (a toxic agent) into the lake, the collusion of the state in the affair, and the company's surveillance of journalists. To find out more: https://forbiddenstories.org/fr/case/green-blood/
Faced with an ecological and climatic emergency
The IPCC, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, warns, in its summary for decision-makers, published in February 2022, of the urgent need to implement coordinated actions to limit climate change and deploy an adaptation strategy.
In Guatemala, global warming could lead to greater frequency and intensity of extreme phenomena (including hurricanes and droughts), weaken agriculture, contribute to food insecurity and political instability.
In 2017, due to the recurrent lack of rainfall, the Atescatempa lagoon dried up completely. The inhabitants, no longer able to fish, had to rely on the solidarity of other villages to meet their food needs. Initiatives are also underway to train farmers and diversify crops. In 2019, it was a fungal attack (coffee leaf rust) that took its toll on coffee crops.
In the face of the ecological crisis, local people are keeping watch: journalists, indigenous communities, sometimes risking their lives. In 2018, according to the NGO Global Witness, Guatemala had 16 murders of environmental activists, comparatively the highest number per capita. In 2021, Amnesty International called for the immediate and unconditional release of Bernardo Caal Xol, a teacher sentenced without evidence to seven years' imprisonment in 2018, after defending the rights of the Q'eqchi' Maya peoples. They opposed a hydroelectric power plant project on the Cahabón and Ox-eek' rivers, sacred rivers and sources of sustenance for the community. The Q'eqchi' Maya had not been consulted on the project, contrary to the law governing indigenous peoples. A UN report also highlights the responsibility of investors in such controversial projects.
Positive actions include initiatives to prevent plastic pollution, a major problem in Guatemala. We may recall the now viral video of a river of plastic waste in San Andrés Itzapa. Curative actions include the installation in some communities of floating booms ("biobardas") built by local residents. In San Pedro La Laguna, a municipal by-law bans the use of plastic, with fines for non-compliance and awareness-raising campaigns. As a result, plastic consumption has dropped by 80%, in favor of ancestral practices (woven baskets, banana leaves). Local residents have also been involved in the clean-up of Lake Atitlán. Community forestry projects in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, in conjunction with the Rainforest Alliance, are producing good results in terms of sustainable forest management.
