Quesada A Gabriel
Centro de Educación Ambiental, Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Mercedes de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica.
Rev Biol Trop. 2009 Sep;57(3):461-72.
In the last thirty years significant changes to protect the environment have been introduced in the judicial, administrative and social systems. Costa Rica is a well known international model in the field of sustainable development, and here I present a proposal for adding environmental gaurantees to the Costa Rican Constitution. One of the most important changes in the Costa Rican judicial system has been the introduction of an environmental amendment in the Constitution (Article 50). However, it is still fundamental to introduce a Title of Environmental Guarantees in the Constitution of Costa Rica, with these components: first, the State, the public and the private sector have the duty of defending the right to a safe environment; second, public domain over environmental issues, and third, the use of the environment should be regulated by scientific and technical knowledge. If current efforts succeed, Costa Rica will be the first country in the world to include Environmental Guarantees in its Constitution. This would be an example to other nations.
在过去三十年里，司法、行政和社会体系都为保护环境做出了重大变革。哥斯达黎加是可持续发展领域著名的国际典范，在此我提出一项在哥斯达黎加宪法中增加环境保障条款的提案。哥斯达黎加司法体系最重要的变革之一是在宪法中引入了一项环境修正案（第50条）。然而，在哥斯达黎加宪法中引入一个环境保障章节仍然至关重要，该章节应包含以下内容：其一，国家、公共部门和私营部门有责任捍卫享有安全环境的权利；其二，环境问题的公共领域；其三，环境的使用应依据科学技术知识进行规范。如果当前的努力取得成功，哥斯达黎加将成为世界上首个在宪法中纳入环境保障条款的国家。这将为其他国家树立榜样。
