DR-CAFTA and the Environment: Challenges and Opportunities Conference
Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, October 5th, 2006

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A sizeable and engaged audience followed the one-day discussion regarding the challenges and opportunities that the enforcement of DR-CAFTA will bring to the signatory countries. The program was divided en two big sections. In the morning we had an overview of the situation in all Central American Countries, the Dominican Republic and Mercosur presented by the Ministries of Trade and Industry’s Points of Contact. Every country representative followed with extreme interest the developments in other countries. This session closed with the contribution of William G. Kaschak, from IRG, a USAID contractor working in the Dominican Republic on environmental programs. The afternoon brought the perspectives of NGOs and international organizations. Sofia Plagakis, from the Center for International Environmental Law, approched the innovative aspect of DR-CAFTA which includes a mechanism for civil society participation. Claudia de Windt provided the viewpoint and role of international organizations like to Organization of American States; and Catterine Catafesta, from IRG, gave the development perspective. All the participants expressed their satisfaction for the program and appreciated the chance to share face time and experiences between trade and industry representatives and environment specialists, giving the divers players the opportunity to hear of previous experiences, future plans and share potential strategies. The sessions were moderated by David Arias, CIEMADeS-DR Chapter coordinator and Omar Ramirez, from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. This seminar is the second activity of this year under the DR Chapter of CIEMADeS (International Center for the Study of the Environment,) an initiative of FUNGLODE/GFDD in association with the University of Turabo in Puerto Rico and Quisqueya University in Haiti, to track the developments and propose solutions to the threats affecting the environment in the Caribbean Basin. The first program was dedicated to climate change and the next one will discuss water quality and management. CIEMADeS will be celebrating its second annual conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, November 3-5, 2006 around “Interdisciplinary Approaches Toward Sustainable Development.” www.seic.gov.do
www.ceiba.gov.do
www.oas.org/sd
http://www.usaid.gov/dr/
www.ciemades.org
www.irg.org
www.ccad.org
www.ciel.org
www.eli.org
http://www.idea.org.py/acerca.html
http://www.globalfoundationdd.org/frameset_projects.html
http://www.globalfoundationdd.org/frameset_projects.html

The profound changes in the production of goods brought about by international treaties and their impact on the environment was not contemplated in the many international treaties until fairly recently, until the North American Free Trade Agreement, more than ten years ago. In keeping with the times, the recently approved DR-Central American Free Trade Agreement includes an extensive chapter regarding the environmental consequences and the new requirements the participating countries will have to comply with during the production process. The enforcement of the Agreement will hopefully bring economic opportunities and technological developments to the Dominican Republic and Central America but along with it further stress to the sometimes delicate environment. This and more was discussed at the auditorium in FUNGLODE by prominent environmental and trade lawyers led by the Dominican Minister of Environment and National Resources, Max Puig. John Pendergrass, from the Environmental Law Institute; Claudia de Windt, Legal Officer of the Department of Sustainable Development with the Organization for American States; and Salvador Nieto, Legal Specialist with the Central American Commission for the Environment and Development (CCAD for its Spanish initials) offered an extensive overview of the situation. The session was moderated by FUNGLODE´s Director General, Frederic Emam-Zadé. This presentation opened the one-day seminar that took place during October 5. The challenges and opportunities of DR-CAFTA and the environment is the second program within the yearly activities of the DR Chapter of CIEMADeS (International Center for the Study of the Environment,) an initiative of FUNGLODE/GFDD in association with the University of Turabo in Puerto Rico and Quisqueya University in Haiti, to track the developments and propose solutions to the threats affecting the environment in the Caribbean Basin. The first program was dedicated to climate change and the next one will discuss water quality and management. CIEMADeS will be celebrating its second annual conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, November 3-5, 2006 around “Interdisciplinary Approaches Toward Sustainable Development.”

http://ciemades.suagm.edu/inicio.html
www.eli.org
www.ccad.org
www.oas.org/sd
www.seic.gov.do
 http://www.globalfoundationdd.org/frameset_projects.html
http://www.globalfoundationdd.org/frameset_projects.html
www.ceiba.gov.do