Environmental quality and equity in the Human Development Index: an integrated index for the Local Agenda 21 case study

Although the Human Development Index (HDI) allows for a more accurate measurement of the real achievements of growth than the gross domestic product, it does not include other necessary variables for human development, such as economic inequality and growth environmental costs. An integrated HDI was developed which included environmental quality and equity as variables, along with income, life expectancy and education. The integrated HDI was applied in the 169 coastal municipalities of Mexico and the results were always lower than the official HDI calculated for the same year. We compared the relationship between the HDI and the integrated HDI with the distribution models of Local Agenda 21 (LA21), which was different for most of the municipalities. Lastly, the components of the integrated HDI for building scenarios were reviewed, prevailing subjects regarding education, health, environmental quality and equity, in order to propose strategies for the development of public policies for the LA21. Keywords: HDI, sustainability, Gini coefficient, coastal municipalities, Mexico, public polic

Evaluation of the Conservation and Management Program of the Arrecife Alacranes National Park from the Perspective of Management of Fishery Resources

Este artículo aborda el caso del Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes (PNAA) que cuenta con un Programa de conservación y Manejo (PCyM) desde 2007 que hasta la fecha no ha sido evaluado ni actualizado. El objetivo de este artículo es evaluar la efectividad del PCyM en relación con la gestión de los recursos pesqueros en el PNAA e identificar los principales problemas administrativos

Historia ambiental del comanejo adaptativo en dos regiones pesqueras del noroeste mexicano

Abstract: The Baja California Peninsula is an isolated territory distinguished by the presence of export-oriented fisheries and the social organization of fishermen. The environmental histories of two fishing management schemes on the Pacific coast (abalone/lobster and sea urchin) are described. The origins of these two systems are similar in terms of (1) intensive fishing management schemes for catches that enjoy high commercial value in Asia; and (2) a change in occupations as land-based ranchers and farmers were converted into fishermen. In a second stage, fishermen organized in cooperatives, which led to the introduction of a co-management scheme to exploit abalone and lobster in the southern area and red sea urchins in the north. Responding to changes in the natural environment, social organization, institutions, commercial trends and, more recently, the climate, these fishers developed an adaptive co-management scheme that provides cases of successful experiences in the country that could stimulate the implementation of sustainable management schemes in other fisheries.Resumen: La península de Baja California es un territorio aislado destacable por varios casos de pesquerías de exportación y su organización social. En el presente escrito se describe la historia ambiental de dos sistemas de manejo pesquero (abulón/langosta y erizo) en la costa del Pacífico. El comienzo de ambos sistemas es equivalente en el manejo intensivo de pesquerías con alto valor comercial en Asia y la conversión de trabajadores en tierra (rancheros y ejidatarios) a pescadores. Un segundo momento es la organización de los pescadores en cooperativas pesqueras donde comienza el comanejo de las pesquerías de abulón, langosta en el sur y erizo rojo en el norte. Como respuesta a los cambios propios de la naturaleza, de las organizaciones sociales, institucionales y comerciales y ahora al cambio climático, los pescadores han desarrollado esquemas de comanejo adaptativo que proveen experiencias nacionales exitosas para inspirar esquemas de manejo sostenible en otras pesquerías

Resiliencia de los municipios costeros del Pacífico mexicano ante desastres socionaturales

Este estudio determinó, mediante un índice constituido por 24 indicadores, congregados en tres índices de segundo orden: prevención, resistencia y recuperación, la resiliencia ante desastres socionaturales de municipios costeros del Pacífico mexicano. La resiliencia encontrada fue mayormente media debido a una capacidad de recuperación endeble. Un análisis clúster precisó cinco grupos con características propias de resiliencia, resaltó uno de mayor rezago en Oaxaca y Guerrero debido a su bajo nivel de prevención y recuperación, los hallazgos permiten a quienes toman decisiones orientar estrategias y priorizar acciones para aumentar la resiliencia ante las amenazas naturales en el territorio mexicano

Vulnerability to Aquifer Pollution in the Mexican Wine Producing Valley of Guadalupe, México

Groundwater pollution is one of the main challenges in our society, especially in semi-arid Mediterranean regions. This issue becomes especially critical in predominantly agricultural areas that lack comprehensive knowledge about the characteristics and functioning of their aquifer system. Vulnerability to groundwater pollution is defined as the sensitivity of the aquifer to being adversely affected by an imposed pollution load. For the Guadalupe aquifer, various indicators including water level depth, level variation, aquifer properties, soil composition, topography, impact on the vadose zone, and hydraulic conductivity were evaluated to establish spatial vulnerability categories ranging from very low to very high. Two pollution vulnerability scenarios (wet and dry) were studied. The results were compared with the analysis of nitrate concentration and distribution (2001, 2020, and 2021) from samples collected in the field. In the Calafia area, which predominantly relies on viticulture, the primary recharge inputs were identified in areas with a high vulnerability to pollution. Surprisingly, these vulnerable areas exhibited lower nitrate concentrations. This scenario underscores the need for effective management measures to safeguard aquifers in agricultural regions

Marine spatial planning in a transboundary context: linking Baja California with California's network of Marine Protected Areas

It is acknowledged that an effective path to globally protect marine ecosystems is through the establishment of eco-regional scale networks of MPAs spanning across national frontiers. In this work we aimed to plan for regionally feasible networks of MPAs that can be ecologically linked with an existing one in a transboundary context. We illustrate our exercise in the Ensenadian eco-region, a shared marine ecosystem between the south of California, United States of America (USA), and the north of Baja California, Mexico; where conservation actions differ across the border. In the USA, California recently established a network of MPAs through the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), while in Mexico: Baja California lacks a network of MPAs or a marine spatial planning effort to establish it. We generated four different scenarios with Marxan by integrating different ecological, social, and management considerations (habitat representation, opportunity costs, habitat condition, and enforcement costs). To do so, we characterized and collected biophysical and socio-economic information for Baja California and developed novel approaches to quantify and incorporate some of these considerations. We were able to design feasible networks of MPAs in Baja California that are ecologically linked with California's network (met between 78.5 and 84.4% of the MLPA guidelines) and that would represent a low cost for fishers and aquaculture investors. We found that when multiple considerations are integrated more priority areas for conservation emerge. For our region, human distribution presents a strong gradient from north to south and resulted to be an important factor for the spatial arrangement of the priority areas. This work shows how, despite the constraints of a data-poor area, the available conservation principles, mapping, and planning tools can still be used to generate spatial conservation plans in a transboundary context

Evaluación del programa de conservación y manejo del Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes desde la perspectiva de la gestión de los recursos pesqueros

"La evaluación de la efectividad en Áreas Naturales Protegidas representa un proceso de aprendizaje dirigido a reforzar el diseño y cumplimiento de las acciones comprometidas. Este artículo aborda el caso del Parque Nacional Arrecife Alacranes (PNAA) qu

The Colorado river delta (Mexico): ecological importance and management - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v30i4.5867

The Colorado river delta is a unique coastal system in the world, as it combines two important systems: the Colorado river and the Gulf of California. Consequently, the delta is dominated by bilateral interests, and influenced by administrative, political and natural processes, which involve the countries of the United States and Mexico. Located in the northern part of the Gulf of California, under a condition of natural isolation, a series of environmental attributes have been developed (biotic and abiotic) that are only observed in is region. In this work, the development of the bilateral political relations and the most important ecological characteristics are presented, as well as the management instruments that have been developed for over 80 years. From these issues, the possible scenario for the region is defined, and the development of methodologies for monitoring the effects of these possible tendencies on the natural components of the delta is proposed.The Colorado river delta is a unique coastal system in the world, as it combines two important systems: the Colorado river and the Gulf of California. Consequently, the delta is dominated by bilateral interests, and influenced by administrative, political and natural processes, which involve the countries of the United States and Mexico. Located in the northern part of the Gulf of California, under a condition of natural isolation, a series of environmental attributes have been developed (biotic and abiotic) that are only observed in is region. In this work, the development of the bilateral political relations and the most important ecological characteristics are presented, as well as the management instruments that have been developed for over 80 years. From these issues, the possible scenario for the region is defined, and the development of methodologies for monitoring the effects of these possible tendencies on the natural components of the delta is proposed