A raíz del nombramiento reciente con respecto al secretario ejecutivo de la Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO), las y los abajo firmantes expresamos nuestra preocupación por la línea que se ha seguido con varias instituciones dedicadas al estudio, la salvaguarda, el fomento de la atención a nuestro entorno y el cuidado de la naturaleza. Esto se suma a acontecimientos similares en CONAFOR, en CONANP, en INECC, en IMTA y repite un patrón de indiferencia por nuestro patrimonio natural y biocultural. El medio ambiente, como un derecho humano fundamental para la vida de esta y futuras generaciones consagrado en la constitución de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos y reconocido por la ONU, pone énfasis en que la naturaleza y sus servicios ambientales son bienes públicos, democráticos, que nos igualan y benefician a todos y principalmente a quienes menos tienen. Estamos convencidos de que limitarnos a esperar los siguientes pasos sería errado y lastimaría más los avances que las instituciones mencionadas han alcanzado, además de la pérdida de recursos humanos y materiales que debilita los esfuerzos por tener un medio ambiente limpio, sano y sostenible. Ni la resignación, ni la cerrazón o el silencio favorecen la salvaguarda de los derechos de los mexicanos.

Como pocas, la CONABIO es una institución que ha estado y debe estar por encima de proyectos sexenales, mantener imparcialidad en las evaluaciones de los efectos sobre el medio ambiente, atender a la brevedad cambios que puedan degradar ecosistemas y guiar pasos positivos para mejorar los esfuerzos por tener un ambiente limpio, sano y sostenible. Hoy, más que nunca, es impostergable profesionalizar el sector ambiental. La CONABIO debe fortalecerse para continuar reuniendo, articulando y dándole sentido a la información sobre la biodiversidad mexicana y sustentar con elementos claros y científicos las mejores decisiones en beneficio del país y su gente.

Reconociendo el trabajo a nivel nacional e internacional del Doctor Sarukhán y su comportamiento ético que nos ha beneficiado a todos, requerimos de las autoridades una vía de comunicación clara y oficial para mostrar nuestros desacuerdos y propuestas, exhibir las violaciones incurridas a la regulación de la CONABIO, enmendar los pasos regresivos que se están dando y colaborar para fortalecerla junto con todo el sector ambiental, para no perder el enorme caudal de conocimientos que ha generado, convirtiéndose en un referente de clase mundial y que son esenciales para el patrimonio natural y biocultural de los y las mexicanas.

Solicitamos un diálogo a través del comité que hemos designado para el efecto, en una reunión cuando lo considere conveniente. El tiempo perdido lo pagarán nuestro patrimonio natural y biocultural, en especial las presentes y futuras generaciones.

Atentamente

Comité de Comunicación.                                                          #PreservemosCONABIO

Videos relevantes sobre la Conabio:

En español:                                                                    https://youtu.be/mLFYYOAGa7I                                        https://youtu.be/ikJ9bb6kBw8                                                                  https://youtu.be/-g6de-Ic1jo

English:                                                                              https://vimeo.com/370409228

(English version)

Stemming from the recent nomination of the new Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Use and Knowledge of Biodiversity (known as CONABIO in Spanish), WE, the signatories, are concerned about the direction in which several institutions dedicated to the research, management, preservation, care, and attention for nature and the environment in Mexico have been taken towards. Moreover, following a similar pattern of “indifference” to our natural, environmental and cultural heritage, similar actions have been taken in CONAFOR (National Forest Commission), CONANP (National Commission of Natural Protected Areas), INECC (National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change), and IMTA (Mexican Institute for Water Technology).

The ability to live in “a clean, healthy and sustainable environment” as a Universal Human Right for the current and future generations, which has been entrusted to comply and guaranteed by all the States (such as Mexico), and acknowledged both by the United Nations and the Mexican Constitution, emphasizes that nature and its environmental services are public and democratic goods that make us equal and benefit everyone, especially those who have the least. Therefore, we are convinced that limiting ourselves to waiting for the course and the new direction led by the new administration of CONABIO could be wrong and would further harm the progress that the aforementioned institutions have achieved, in addition to the loss of human and material resources that weakens the efforts to have a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Neither resignation nor closure nor silence favors the safeguarding of Mexicans’ human rights.

CONABIO is one of the few institutions that have and must remain above and beyond six-year national governmental projects, that must stay impartial in its evaluations of the afflictions to the environment, that must pay attention, approach, tackle and contribute to solving any and all challenges that could degrade the environment, the biodiversity, and the ecosystems, and pave the way to safeguard a cleaner, sustainable and healthier country. Today more than ever, it is of the utmost urgency to create a professional atmosphere in the environmental sector, and, in the context of commemorating the 30th anniversary of the existence of CONABIO, the Mexican State must strengthen, not weaken it, to continue gathering, articulating and giving meaning to information on Mexican biodiversity (flora and fauna), and support the best decisions for the benefit of the country and its people with clear and scientific elements, improving additional legitimacy and credibility.

Recognizing the national and international work of Dr. José Sarukhán Kermez and his ethical behavior that has benefited Mexican biodiversity and Mexicans, we require from the authorities a clear and official communication channel to show our divergences and proposals, to reveal the violations incurred to the internal regulation of CONABIO, to amend the regressive steps that are being taken, and to collaborate to strengthen it together with the environmental sector as a whole, so as not to lose and to preserve the enormous wealth of knowledge that CONABIO has generated along three decades, becoming a world-class public entity, and that is essential for the natural and biocultural heritage of Mexicans.

In this sense, hereby we request a dialogue with you and the public servers you delegate for with the aforementioned Committee we have designed, in a meeting that hopefully could take place as soon as possible. Any time wasted waiting for this meeting to come will be paid for by our natural, environmental, social, and cultural heritage, with the heaviest toll going towards future generations, especially the most vulnerable groups for which your administration works.

Sincerely,

Communication Committee #PreservemosCONABIO #SafeguardingCONABIO

https://vimeo.com/370409228