The Mayan Rainforest and the marine ecosystems of the Yucatán Peninsula received a sign of hope: the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) annulled the environmental resolution for the Cozumel fourth pier project.
According to the Ministry, this decision follows an analysis of the appeal filed by Cozumel residents, who expressed concern about the project’s potential impacts on the island’s marine and coastal ecosystems.
This megaproject has been challenged by local communities, organizations, and scientists due to the serious impacts it would have on the Villa Blanca reef and marine biodiversity.
The annulment is a direct result of citizen pressure and legal advocacy undertaken by Cozumel residents and local and national organizations concerned about the environment, who have demanded that their voices be heard and their rights respected.
Greenpeace Mexico celebrates this measure but warns that while it is an important step in the defense of the marine and coastal ecosystems of the Yucatán Peninsula, it is not definitive.
The fact that a new evaluation has been announced opens the door to a renewed attempt at approval of the project, under the same mass tourism model that is collapsing our coasts and destroying our natural heritage.
We call on Semarnat (National Semarnat) to ensure that the new evaluation is carried out transparently, based on scientific criteria, and through an effective public consultation process, where citizens can influence the final decision.
We urge local and federal authorities not to repeat the history of environmental destruction left by other megaprojects on the peninsula.
This is not a final victory, but a reminder that the defense of the Mayan Rainforest and coastal ecosystems depends on our collective resistance.
Source: greenpeace.org
