Abstract

TARAZONA PEDRAZA, ARIEL EDMUNDO. MOVEMENT IN DEFENSE OF LA COCHA LAKE, PASTO, NARIÑO, COLOMBIA (1993-2001). Luna Azul [online]. 2010, n.30, pp.108-141. ISSN 1909-2474.

This environmental movement acts as local resistance born in the last decade of the XXth Century in Pasto (Nariño, Colombia) against the development of the Guamés Multipurpose Project -GMP- that would caused great environmental impact on the lake. The GMP had been created by the partnership between both economic and politic regional societies, which based in developmentalist ideas were planning to take water from the lake to be used in human consumption, soil irrigation and electricity production with commercial purposes. The civilians who founded the movement against the GMP had a different vision on how to protect the lake based on social and environmental theories. This two different points of view created an environmental discussion. This environmental movement created a big network between farmworkers who live in the area, regional and international ONG, academic experts, universities and governmental institutions, getting great interest from public opinion. Under the strong influence of this network the lake was declared a Ramsar Wetland in 2000, and the former Department of the Environment denied the environmental license requested by the GMP.

Keywords : Environmental movements in Colombia; social and environmental conflicts; conflicts over water; cultural politics; sociology of culture.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )