Escazú Agreement: challenges and opportunities, a case study of Mexico

Keywords: Latin America and the Carribean, political ecology, political geography, environment, environmental justice, environmental activism, violence, Escazu Agreement, Mexico
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

The Escazú Agreement in Latin America and the Caribbean (hereafter "Escazú") mandates member states to ensure access to information, promote public participation in environmental governance, and uphold the right to a safe environment for environmental defenders. Despite the Mexican government's ratification of this pivotal agreement and its stated commitment to promoting environmental justice and protecting environmental defenders, my field research conducted in Mexico during the summer of 2024 reveals significant shortcomings in its implementation. The government prioritizes its international reputation and economic development over adherence to Escazú principles. Many regions face spatial inequalities, where environmental injustices persist unevenly across territories, especially with marginalized and rural communities – particularly in industrial zones and extraction sites – that are exposed to and bearing disproportionate environmental burdens. In these contested spaces, environmental defenders face persistent threats of violence despite Escazú's protective framework; they also relentlessly advocate for a safe and healthy environment despite these perilous conditions. This study suggests that Mexico’s Escazú Agreement implementation remains largely performative, with protective measures only nominally in place, undermined by both geographic and economic factors. Ultimately, this research contributes to our understanding of how international environmental agreements translate, or fail to translate, across multiple geographical scales, from national policy to local lived experiences of environmental defenders.