| September 20, 2004 As a member of Iguana's Team 5, I have discussed research topics and goals in our weekly meetings. Initially, our group was considering dividing out team into five pairs that would address one of five main topics which included environmental sensors, local economy, village development, public policy, and environmental preservation. As a result of members dropping the class, we now only have eight members, so we decided to remove economy from the list. The remaining four groups will absorb this topic into their own and address it as it relates to their specific focus. I will be working with Mathew Cons to study local laws relating to our islands, international laws that govern the waters, and environmental policies that impacts any work to be carried out on the islands. As a result of my personal interest in public policy and international relations, I would like to focus our work on the worldwide impact of policies in the Galapagos in addition to the local concern As a result, we may have to look into environmental policies of other endangered areas to gain perspective on our archipelago. After our initial explorations, Matthew and I can delve deeper into this field. Once we know more about our area, our team can then meet and discuss each pair's findings. How our findings will be organized on the final site is yet to be decided, but I hope to effectively mesh all four groups' findings to produce a cohesive, persuasive product. |
| October 2, 2004 At our group meetings this past week, a timeline was decided upon. As of now, a page of relevant, in-depth information is due on monday which forces us to begin researching our specific fields. As I researched this field over this past weekend, I began to formulate a general picture of the political climate surrounding the preservation of the Galapagos and Ecuador in general. Prior to the past couple years, conservation has been the rule since the 1930's in the Galapagos, yet this rule has been largely disregarded until recent years. Initially, the Ecuadorian government bowed to the fishermen by allowing them to fish sea cucumbers for three months each year starting in 1995. Only after threats from the United Nations of declaring the islands endangered, did the government relent and changes were initiated. A law was passed in 1998 that expands from 24 to 64 km the range of coastal waters where industrial scale fishing is prohibited. A Special Law for the Galapagos was also instated which tries to limit the islands' population growth and resulting pollution by only permitting family members of the Galapagos' 20,000 residents to move there, but this law is still not firm enough to combat the problem. The Jessica oil spill, though marginally destructive, has also pushed conservation onto the government's agenda. The handling of this situation exposed the limitations of the Ecuadorian Government as the U.S. Coast Guard's pollution response crew could have arrived an entire day sooner had the government been able to quickly guarantee a payment of $600,000 dollars. The local authorities were ill-equipped and unmotivated to handle the disaster, and the government itself allowed a considerable volume of oil to spill into the ocean before their agencies had sorted through the legal and political matters. Ecuador did declare a state of national emergency, yet the spill could have been avoided if the International Maritime Organization had chosen to adopt the European Union's international standards on shipping. The United States luckily passed the Oil Pollution Act which increases the penalties for boats that do not comply with government regulations. It basically requires all tankers calling at US ports to have double hulls, which will hopefully lead to more double-hulled ships worldwide. Ecuador needs to enact and enforce laws to prevent such ecological disasters in addition to handling matters more efficiently . Jessica did not even have shipping insurance as it was not required by the Ecuadorian government besides its lack of basic navigational equipment. Though political instability still plagues Ecuador as fishermen have attacked park buildings, torched vehicles, and threatened to kill park personnel in response to fishing quotas, there have been some steps in the right direction. Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia have joined forces to push the, "Marine Corridor for Conservation and Sustainable Development- Galapagos, Cocos, Coiba, Gorgona/Malpelo," initiative. The project is being overseen by the United Nations Environmental Program and requires a budget of approximately $900,000 dollars for the first 18 months of operation. The success of the program relies on funding and the work of about 100 civil servants from four countries. The specific action oguidelinesf the Pacific Biological Corridor are still being outlined though it has been on the table for two years, yet it already has three million dollars in financing from the Conservation International and UNEP. Works Cited "Bigger than L.A." William B Cassidy. Traffic World. Newark: Jan 29, 2001. Vol. 265, Iss. 5; pg. 20, 2 .pg. "Environmental-Latam: Four Nations Agree on Conservation Corridor." Nfer Muoz -- Tierramrica. Global Information Network. New York: Aug 28, 2002. pg. 1 "Environment-Latam: Pacific Corridor Will Protect Species." Jos Eduardo Mora. Global Information Network. New York: Feb 9, 2004. pg. 1 "In Ecuador's Galapagos: Bad News with the good." Anonymous. International Wildlife. Vienna: Mar/Apr 2001.Vol. 31, Iss. 2; pg. 4 "New law to protect Galapagos." Constance Holden. Science. Washington: Mar 20, 1998.Vol.279, Iss. 5358; pg. 1857, 1 pgs "Profile: Ecuador's Efforts to Save Galapagos Islands and Their Animals from Environmental and Manmade Destruction." Morning Edition. Washington, D.C.: Aug 5, 1999. pg. 1 "Showdown in the Galapagos." Langreth, Robert. Popular Science. New York: May 1995. Vol. 246, Iss. 5; pg. 20, 1 pgs. "Troubled Paradise." Francis Song. Harvard International Review. Cambridge: Spring 2003.Vol. 25, Iss. 1; pg. 14, 2 pg |
October 11, 2004 Our group has shrunk further from its previous size this week as another member of team five dropped the class. As a result, we should be recieving a new team member. Since it is Columbus Day Weekend, our team decided to meet monday to provide a reassessment of our group and our definition of an A. Hopefully we will be able to find a good team member to replace those that have left. This week I have been doing research in anticipation of our article deadline of next monday when we need our final copy of the written portionof our team wweb site I met with my public policy partner, Matt, on Saturday to get some extra work done. I found some useful articles on current events in the Galapagos through SFGATE regarding the fishermen protests in the Galapagos. About 30 Fishermen took over an office on San Cristobal Island, demanding a lift on the ban of fishing sea cucumbers for the fisherman do not want the government to limit their daily catch during the sixty day fishing season. The protest did end peacefully after eight days of negotiation with the Environmental Ministry. This protest came three months after 50 fishermen took over park offices on Isabela and the Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz. The fishermen's efforts were to no avail as the country's Constitutional tribunal ruled that fishing limits on sea cucumbers will remain in place in order to protect the region's biodiversity and the environment. A local judge had ruled to discontinue catch limits, yet the Ecuadorian Environmental Ministry filed an appeal challenging the local court's decision and the new ruling reinstates the year's catch limit of four million during the June-July sea cucumber fishing season. Shortly before the ruling this past September, Park Rangers on the Galapagos Islands went on strike to protest the firing of the park director and his replacement. The Park Rangers were upset because the new Park director, Fausto Cepeda, is a political appointee and would not protect the archipelago for he had previously favored commercial fishermen. The Environmental Minister Fabian Valdiviezo argued that the new director was previously in power so he is more experienced than Park Director Edwin Naula, the present director. International environmental organizations even froze funding to the park in anticipation of Naula's ouster as they did not want an expert replaced with a politician. Because of these funding freezes, the park rangers did not received their salaries for two months. Luckily, Cepeda's term in office was short as he was removed later that month after club wielding fishermen plowed through the peacefully marching Park Rangers. Valdiviezo appointed a park biologist, Victor Carrion, to serve as interim director. Works Cited "Galapagos Gaurds end protest after Ecuador fires park Director." SFGate. San Francisco: Sept 27, 2004. pg. 1 "Galapagos Island Fishermen halt Protest Against Catch Limits." SFGate. San Francisco: Apr 28, 2004. pg. 1 "Judge Rules in Favor of Sea cucumber fishing limits." E & E Publishing. Ecuador: Sept 28, 2004. pg. 1 "Park Rangers on Galapagos Islands Strike to Protest reported Ouster of Reserve's Director." SFGate. San Fransicso: Sept 13, 2004, pg. 1 |
| October 18, 2004 Today, our first draft of each group's two page section was due. Matt and I have more than enough information to fill two pages as my section alone was one and a half pages. Though we have a lot of information, the majority of the information is not island specific. We finally got in contact with our librarian, and s/he will hopefully aid us in finding articles on our specific islands. In our group meeting we finally began discussing specifics regarding our islands. We decided that we never want residents to inhabit espagnola, but researchers and tourists are allowed provided certain restrictions are followed. We also decided to have either low flying planes or satellites monitor the area to prevent illegal fishing and illegal camping on and destruction of the islands. Matt and I are now going to flesh out our idea of an international commission funded by a multinational trust, as this is our specific responsibility within the three main goals of the team. I believe we need to minimize Ecuador's power over their own islands because their inability to handle the Jessica Oil spill and the sea cucumber conundrum, shows that Ecuador is not equipped to handle such problems. The United Nations has already stepped in several times regarding matters on the Galapagos so I think the United Nations should head any such commission. They possess a worldwide perspective, effective leadership, and adequate funding and influence to handle the matters. Ecuador would obviously have a strong influence on any decisions made, and they could still constitute the majority of delegates on the commission, yet their government is not capable of heading or organizing such a group. Below is my first draft of our section on Public Policy: Conservation has been the spoken rule since the 1930's, yet this rule has been disregarded in practice until recent years. Several issues, including fishing, population, and preservation arose, fueling interest in conservation on the political level in Ecuador and around the world. Sea Cucumber Fishing Starting in 1995, the Ecuadorian government allowed fishermen to fish sea cucumbers for three months each year. Only after threats from the United Nations of declaring the islands endangered, did the government relent and changes were initiated. The situation regarding sea cucumber fishing has remained a hot topic. In April, fishermen took over an office on San Cristobal Island, demanding a lift on the ban of fishing sea cucumbers because the fisherman did not want the government to limit their daily catch during the sixty day fishing season. The protest did end peacefully after eight days of negotiation with the Environmental Ministry. This protest came three months after 50 fishermen took over park offices on Usable and the Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz. The fishermen's efforts were to no avail as the country's Constitutional tribunal ruled that fishing limits on sea cucumbers will remain in place in order to protect the region's biodiversity and the environment. A local judge had ruled to discontinue catch limits, yet the Ecuadorian Environmental Ministry filed an appeal challenging the local court's decision and the new ruling reinstates the year's catch limit of four million during the June-July sea cucumber fishing season. Population The population doubled between 1980-1990, and leading to depleted resources, including drinking water (Futurist). A Special Law for the Galapagos was also instated Which tries to limit the islands' population growth and resulting pollution by only permitting family members of the Galapagos' 20,000 residents to move there, but this law is still not firm enough to combat the problem. Environmental Preservation Worldwide interest has been directed towards the preservation of the Galapagos as a result of its unique species and impact on history. The Jessica Oil Spill in 2001 sparked further interest as many species were in danger of destruction. The poor handling of this situation exposed the limitations of the Ecuadorian Government as the U.S. Coast Guard's pollution response crew could have arrived an entire day sooner had the government been able to quickly guarantee a payment of $600,000 dollars. The local authorities were ill-equipped and unmotivated to handle the disaster, and the government itself allowed a considerable volume of oil to spill into the ocean before their agencies had sorted through the legal and political matters. Ecuador did declare a state of national emergency, yet the spill could have been avoided if the International Maritime Organization had chosen to adopt the European Union's international standards on shipping. The United States luckily passed the Oil Pollution Act which increases the penalties for boats that do not comply with government regulations. It basically requires all tankers calling at US ports to have double hulls, which will hopefully lead to more double-hulled ships worldwide. Ecuador needs to enact and enforce laws to prevent such ecological disasters in addition to handling matters more efficiently . Jessica did not even have shipping insurance as it was not required by the Ecuadorian government besides its lack of basic navigational equipment. After the oil spill in 2001, the Ecuadorian government did agree to work on a plan for a renewable resource for the Galapagos Islands which calls for cleaner motors for boats and replacing diesel power with biomass or other renewable sources. (Biocycle) Clearly Ecuador is not in the political position to handle such matters responsibly as problems within their staff have erupted over the past few months. Park Rangers on the Galapagos Islands went on strike to protest the firing of the park director and his replacement. The Park Rangers were upset because the new Park director, Fausto Cepeda, is a political appointee and would not protect the archipelago for he had previously favored commercial fishermen. The Environmental Minister Fabian Valdiviezo argued that the new director was previously in power so he is more experienced than Park Director Edwin Naula, the present director. International environmental organizations even froze funding to the park in anticipation of Naula's ouster as they did not want an expert replaced with a politician. Because of these funding freezes, the park rangers did not received their salaries for two months. Luckily, Cepeda's term in office was short as he was removed later that month after club wielding fishermen plowed through the peacefully marching Park Rangers. Valdiviezo appointed a park biologist, Victor Carrion, to serve as interim director. Though Ecuador's inability to responsibly handle the oil spill and the change of directors does not inspire hope, the government has taken steps in the right direction towards preserving the archipelago. Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia joined forces in 2002 to push the, "Marine Corridor for Conservation and Sustainable Development- Galapagos, Cocos, Coiba, Gorgona/Malpelo," initiative. The project is being overseen by the United Nations Environmental Program and requires a budget of approximately $900,000 dollars for the first 18 months of operation. The success of the program relies on funding and the work of about 100 civil servants from four countries. The specific action guidelines of the Pacific Biological Corridor are still being outlined though it has been on the table for two years, yet it already has three million dollars in financing from the Conservation International and UNEP. Ecuador also passed a law in 1998 that expanded the range of coastal waters where industrial scale fishing is prohibited from 24 to 64 km. Works Cited "Bigger than L.A." William B Cassidy. Traffic World. Newark: Jan 29, 2001. Vol. 265, Iss. 5; pg. 20, 2 pgs. "Environmental-Latam: Four Nations Agree on Conservation Corridor." Nfer Muoz – Tierramrica. Global Information Network. New York: Aug 28, 2002. pg. 1 "Environment-Latam: Pacific Corridor Will Protect Species." Jos Eduardo Mora. Global Information Network. New York: Feb 9, 2004. pg. 1 Futurist, May/Jun92, Vol. 26 Issue 3, p6, 1/8p, 1 illustration "Galapagos Guards end protest after Ecuador fires park Director." SFGate. San Francisco: Sept 27, 2004. pg. 1 "Galapagos Island Fishermen halt Protest Against Catch Limits." SFGate. San Francisco: Apr 28, 2004. pg. 1 "Judge Rules in Favor of Sea cucumber fishing limits." E & E Publishing. Ecuador: Sept 28, 2004. pg. 1 "In Ecuador's Galapagos: Bad News with the good." Anonymous. International Wildlife. Vienna: Mar/Apr 2001.Vol. 31, Iss. 2; pg. 4 "New law to protect Galapagos." Constance Holden. Science. Washington: Mar 20, 1998.Vol.279, Iss. 5358; pg. 1857, 1 pgs "Park Rangers on Galapagos Islands Strike to Protest reported Ouster of Reserve's Director." SFGate. San Fransicso: Sept 13, 2004, pg. 1 "Profile: Ecuador's Efforts to Save Galapagos Islands and Their Animals from Environmental and Manmade Destruction." Morning Edition. Washington, D.C.: Aug 5, 1999. pg. 1 "Showdown in the Galapagos." Langreth, Robert. Popular Science. New York: May 1995. Vol. 246, Iss. 5; pg. 20, 1 pgs. "Troubled Paradise." Francis Song. Harvard International Review. Cambridge: Spring 2003.Vol. 25, Iss. 1; pg. 14, 2 pg |
| October 27, 2004 Matt and I have been working on our contribution to the team web site. We consolidated our work and revised some sections. A lot needs to get done before next monday when our team web site is due. We are meeting on saturday to enact the suggestions offered to us by our advisor, in addition to searching for more island specific knowledge. It is a relief to know that our team web site should be more research oriented rather than suggestion based. We will obviously need to have some plans regarding the village, yet our main objective is to display the information we have accumulated regarding our islands. Below is the latest version of our section on public policy. It needs to flow more effectively and offer a more well rounded background in the areas discussed. Public Policy: Conservation has been the spoken rule since the 1930's, yet this rule has been disregarded in practice until recent years. Several issues, including fishing, population, and preservation arose, fueling interest in conservation on the political level in Ecuador and around the world. Sea Cucumber Fishing Starting in 1995, the Ecuadorian government allowed fishermen to fish sea cucumbers for three months each year. Only after threats from the United Nations of declaring the islands endangered, did the government relent and changes were initiated. The situation regarding sea cucumber fishing has remained a hot topic. In April, fishermen took over an office on San Cristobal Island, demanding a lift on the ban of fishing sea cucumbers because the fisherman did not want the government o limit their daily catch during the sixty day fishing season. The protest did end peacefully after eight days of negotiation with the Environmental Ministry. This protest came three months after 50 fishermen took over park offices on Usable and the Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz. The fishermen's efforts were to no avail as the country's Constitutional tribunal ruled that fishing limits on sea cucumbers will remain in place in order to protect the region's biodiversity and the environment. A local judge had ruled to discontinue catch limits, yet the Ecuadorian Environmental Ministry filed an appeal challenging the local court's decision and the new ruling reinstates the year's catch limit of four million during the June-July sea cucumber fishing season. Population The population doubled between 1980-1990, and leading to depleted resources, including drinking water (Futurist). A Special Law for the Galapagos was also instated which tries to limit the islands' population growth and resulting pollution by only permitting family members of the Galapagos' 20,000 residents to move there, but this law is still not firm enough to combat the problem. The Special Law of the Galapagos The Special Law of the Galapagos of 1998 provides a huge lift for the preservation of biodiversity. It includes a “precautionary principle” which requires one to implement a policies that are least likely to hurt the environment. It also provides reform to the INGALA (Instituto Nacional Galápagos), which is the main coordinator of policies for the Galapagos Islands. It also sets up marine reserves around 40 miles of the Galapagos Islands.http://www.darwinfoundation.org/articles/n5900049816.html The law was challenged by the ATUNEC, the tuna fishing industry, in the courts, however it was overturned. http://www.gct.org/special.html The INGALA is responsible for providing financial as well as technical help to state agencies. They must facilitate projects that help to conserve the environment, regulate tourism and development. The law defines three types of residents: permanent residents, temporary residents, and tourists. Tourists are not allowed to stay longer than ninety days or participate in any profit making activities. The law also specifies educational procedures that must take for any and all public officials staying on the Galapagos Islands. http://www.galapagos.org/members/SpecialLaw.html Environmental Preservation Worldwide interest has been directed towards the preservation of the Galapagos as a result of its unique species and impact on history. The Jessica Oil Spill in 2001 sparked further interest as many species were in danger of destruction. The poor handling of this situation exposed the limitations of the Ecuadorian Government as the U.S. Coast Guard's pollution response crew could have arrived an entire day sooner had the government been able to quickly guarantee a payment of $600,000 dollars. The local authorities were ill-equipped and unmotivated to handle the disaster, and the government itself allowed a considerable volume of oil to spill into the ocean before their agencies had sorted through the legal and political matters. Ecuador did declare a state of national emergency, yet the spill could have been avoided if the International Maritime Organization had chosen to adopt the European Union's international standards on shipping. The United States luckily passed the Oil Pollution Act which increases the penalties for boats that do not comply with government regulations. It basically requires all tankers calling at US ports to have double hulls, which will hopefully lead to more double-hulled ships worldwide. Ecuador needs to enact and enforce laws to prevent such ecological disasters in addition to handling matters more efficiently . Jessica did not even have shipping insurance as it was not required by the Ecuadorian government besides its lack of basic navigational equipment. After the oil spill in 2001, the Ecuadorian government did agree to work on a plan for a renewable resource for the Galapagos Islands which calls for cleaner motors for boats and replacing diesel power with biomass or other renewable sources. (Biocycle) Clearly Ecuador is not in the political position to handle such matters responsibly as problems within their staff have erupted over the past few months. Park Rangers on the Galapagos Islands went on strike to protest the firing of the park director and his replacement. The Park Rangers were upset because the new Park director, Fausto Cepeda, is a political appointee and would not protect the archipelago for he had previously favored commercial fishermen. The Environmental Minister Fabian Valdiviezo argued that the new director was previously in power so he is more experienced than Park Director Edwin Naula, the present director. International environmental organizations even froze funding to the park in anticipation of Naula's ouster as they did not want an expert replaced with a politician. Because of these funding freezes, the park rangers did not received their salaries for two months. Luckily, Cepeda's term in office was short as he was removed later hat month after club wielding fishermen plowed through the peacefully marching Park Rangers. Valdiviezo appointed a park biologist, Victor Carrion, to serve as interim director. Though Ecuador’s inability to responsibly handle the oil spill and the change of directors does not inspire hope, the government has taken steps in the right direction towards preserving the archipelago. Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia joined forces in 2002 to push the, "Marine Corridor for Conservation and Sustainable Development- Galapagos, Cocos, Coiba, Gorgona/Malpelo," initiative. The project is being overseen by the United Nations Environmental Program and requires a budget of approximately $900,000 dollars for the first 18 months of operation. The success of the program relies on funding and the work of about 100 civil servants from four countries. The specific action guidelines of the Pacific Biological Corridor are still being outlined though it has been on the table for two years, yet it already has three million dollars in financing from the Conservation International and UNEP. Ecuador also passed a law in 1998 that expanded the range of coastal waters where industrial scale fishing is prohibited from 24 to 64km. 64km. Works Cited "Bigger than L.A." William B Cassidy. Traffic World. Newark: Jan 29, 2001. Vol. 265, Iss. 5; pg. 20, 2 pgs. "Environmental-Latam: Four Nations Agree on Conservation Corridor." Nfer Muoz – Tierramrica. Global Information Network. New York: Aug 28, 2002. pg. 1 "Environment-Latam: Pacific Corridor Will Protect Species." Jos Eduardo Mora. Global Information Network. New York: Feb 9, 2004. pg. 1 Futurist, May/Jun92, Vol. 26 Issue 3, p6, 1/8p, 1 illustration "Galapagos Gaurds end protest after Ecuador fires park Director." SFGate. San Francisco: Sept 27, 2004. pg. 1 "Galapagos Island Fishermen halt Protest Against Catch Limits." SFGate. San Francisco: Apr 28, 2004. pg. 1 "Judge Rules in Favor of Sea cucumber fishing limits." E & E Publishing. Ecuador: Sept 28, 2004. pg. 1 "In Ecuador's Galapagos: Bad News with the good." Anonymous. International Wildlife. Vienna: Mar/Apr 2001.Vol. 31, Iss. 2; pg. 4 "New law to protect Galapagos." Constance Holden. Science. Washington: Mar 20, 1998.Vol.279, Iss. 5358; pg. 1857, 1 pgs "Park Rangers on Galapagos Islands Strike to Protest reported Ouster of Reserve's Director." SFGate. San Fransicso: Sept 13, 2004, pg. 1 "Profile: Ecuador's Efforts to Save Galapagos Islands and Their Animals from Environmental and Manmade Destruction." Morning Edition. Washington, D.C.: Aug 5, 1999. pg. 1 "Showdown in the Galapagos." Langreth, Robert. Popular Science. New York: May 1995. Vol. 246, Iss. 5; pg. 20, 1 pgs. "Troubled Paradise." Francis Song. Harvard International Review. Cambridge: Spring 2003.Vol. 25, Iss. 1; pg. 14, 2 pg Fishing and Tourism The tourism industry, which as been growing rapidly over the past few decades, have put an increasing pressure on the workforce. According a study conducted by J Teyler and several other scientists, an approximate 10% increase in tourism causes an approximate 5% increase in the workforce of the Islands (1). This could explain the increase in the number of inhabitants over the years. Ecotourism, a form of industry now pushed by many governments dealing with sensitive ecological regions, has had a particular effect on the Galapagos Islands. Emilio inquired, speaking for Ecuador in the United Nations, stated that one of the problems of the Galapagos were the increasing human population on the islands (2). The population of the Galapagos has doubled from 1980-1990 (3) and as of 2000 has about 71,500 inhabitants (2). Because of the Galapagos's massive marine life, fishery has become a huge industry in the area. Of course, this has been at the expense of the marine life. There have been many different quotas established for the different marine life for the fishing industry. However, as the number of fisherman increases, the quota remains constant. Thus, each fisherman is able to catch less each year. Fisherman have, on many occasions, taken up arms and inhibited governmental work as a form of protest against the quotas. In December of 2000, lab employees hid in mangrove swamps, fearing angry fisherman (4). Political unrest continues to grow, even recently with the firing of the conservationist Director Edwin Naula, and the replacement with a more pro-fishing ideology, Mr. Cepeda (5). More than 300 park rangers find a very important stake in the conservation effort of the Islands, for they have striked peacefully against the firing of Mr. Naula. Many people believe that the fisherman have gotten there way by utilizing threats and violence. For example, fisherman had rioted to open a quota on Sea Cucumber until the government finally agreed (6). The Ecuadorian government opened the quota against the recommendation of the National Park. 1. Economic Development and Cultural Change. Chicago: Jul 2003. Vol. 51, Iss. 4; pg. 977 2. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/1997/19970626.GA9270.html 3. Futurist, May/Jun92, Vol. 26 Issue 3, p6, 1/8p, 1 illustration 4. Science. Washington: Dec 15, 2000. Vol. 290, Iss. 5499; pg. 2059, 2 pgs 5. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/09/13/international2257EDT0750.DTL 6. http://www.seashepherd.org/galapagos/galapagos.html |
| November 4, 2004 Huge changes have occured since the last entry. Our group website is finally finished. Matt and I spent the entire day last saturday research, writing up our web site, and posting the new information. We finally found information specific to our islands. We thought that we needed to include the general archipelago information along with the island specific information in order to give a broad view of the topics in addition to a their impact on our specific islands. By having background in both our islands and the general problems, we will be better prepared to tackle the group project since we will understand both dimensions. We also found some fascinating information on illegal shark fishing which we had not previously read about since there seems be concern predominantly about sea cucumber fishing even though the sharks are also in grave danger. All our research is included in the site. We did decide to leave out some irrelevant parts and we purposefully focused on our information rather than proposed solutions because we considered the solution phase to be the presentation and team web site. You can see our finished work at: Iguanas 5 Team Web site (click on the iguana and then public policy link) |
| November 7, 2004 We are finally onto the second phase of our work, and I am already excited for work to begin. I am once again working on public policy, and my group members seem knowledgeable and cooperative. We decided to divide the iguanas into three main groups, the public policy group, the sensors group, and the village group in order to tackle the three main objectives of the mission. The public policy group is the smallest with only eight or nine people, but we also have a smaller task. Our teams are basically dissolved as we will meet in our objective group on monday, meet as an entire iguana group on wednesday, and then collaborate between objective groups on friday. I think this system will work well. Specific member will be then pulled from each of the three objectvie groups to make the website and to deliver the presentation. I hope to be one of the persenters as I love public speaking, and it would be a fascinating experience to meet Ecuadorian officials. |
| November 14, 2004 Work has been proceeding at a rapid pace as we are on a brisk timeline. We have almost completely outlined our plan for a council to handle environmental matters in the Galapagos. We decided to have the group made up of Non-Governmental Organizations rather than groups affiliated with governments. We think that this arrangement would allow for fair distribution of money without the selfish interests of some countries. We have solidifed the structure of the group, as it will consist of a scientist board and a board of lawyers and political experts. Both groups will vote on propositions and a simple majority from both boards will allow a program to proceed. I typed up a bulleted outline of our up-to-date decisions regarding the group, and the outline is included below. Executive: CDF officials Responsibilities- -one of group responsible for overseeing enactment of policies voted on by comities b/c CDF already knowledgeable -No veto power- can only offer recommendations Advantages- gives legitimacy to group - knowledgeable leadership Disadvantages- CDF has bad public relations with locals Legislative: Simple Majority passes measure Councils vote on which NGO’s will be eligible to join Scientist Council (“senate”) - each NGO sponsors/sends a scientist to represent their interests and vote on their behalf - votes weighted equally- each voting member of NGO gets equal say Political Committee (“house of reps”) - each voting NGO will have a single vote, but votes will be weighted by the percent of the total annual revenue of ORGALA donated by the group- for example- if ORGALA receives $100 total in the year 2005 (hopefully we would receive substantially more than this) and Group X donates 30 of those dollars, then Group X’s vote will count as 30% of the decision as if they were casting 30 out of a hundred votes Criteria for Joining as voting NGO member (Councils decide who is eligible to join and which NGO’s apply to these guidelines)- ~minimum annual contribution to ORGALA- $20,000 (value to be reassessed annually by the two legislative groups to adjust for inflation) ~only non-profit organizations can become voting members- non-for-profit groups can donate money but they cannot chair any of the legislative bodies ~no government organizations except UNEP and UNDP ~groups have to be environmentally conscious |
December 1, 2004 It was the night before the presentation and all in the house, not an iguana was sleeping, not even a tortuga.... It has been a while since I updated my website on our progress since our group has been working feverishly to finish so I figured an update was necessary considering the huge amount of work that has been completed in the last week and a half. The website is finally completed. I was responsible for writing the section on the structure of ORGALA and some of the bylaws concerning its methods of operation. I included my initial draft below. The revised copies can be seen on the website. Prior to writing our initial draft, our group began by deciding the general outline of our plan and then we divided up the work by assigning different topics to individuals to write about them. I was assigned the task of describing the legislative branch of ORGALA, the branch known as the General Assembly, in addition to addressing some of the background topics like illegal fishing. I was also responsible for updating the outline of our group decisions to make sure that everyone new the latest choices made regarding ORGALA. It was very helpful when it came time to write up our drafts because I knew exactly what we had decided to do as a group. The last updated Outline is also included below. Once all our individual writings were completed, we combined our work into the final document that was then revised several times by our entire public policy group. I found that my section had a lot of overlap with Brian's discussion of ORGALA as a whole. We reached an agreement as a team as to what ideas we would use from each paper and the combined product is both specific and widely incompassing because of our joint work. Our finished product is up on the website, but now I need get back to my other Terraschope work as I must review all of our writings in order to be prepared for the Question and Answer Session for tomorrow's presentation. I cannot believe the term is almost over. I am going to miss mission and my group once this crunch-time bonding experience is over. Our finished website: http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2008/teams/lasiguanas/ Initial Drafts: Fishing Licenses: The waters surrounding the Galapagos, though largely within a marine reserve, continue to be ravaged by local fishermen who illegally fish and sell the produce to commercial fisheries for profit. Though the fishermen make substantially more money through this practice than through other means available to them, we believe that these activities can be minimized by educating the fishermen about the effects of their actions. Once the fishermen see how their actions are desecrating the marine ecosystems, they may limit their fishing, abide by the instated quotas, and promote ecological consciousness. The state could force the fishermen to take such classes by requiring them to complete a certain number of courses before the state would grant fishing licenses. The cost of these courses would be covered by ORGALA, our proposed group of NGO’s, which would donate funds to local schools and universities to offer the courses to local fishermen. Because the fishermen are largely uneducated, we would make the program hands on and interactive so that reading was not required to pass. A vast majority of the fishermen are simply ignorant about the effects of their actions, and these courses would force them to face the repercussions of their fishing practices. Illegal Camping: Many of the illegal fishermen also camp out on the Galapagos islands during their fishing ventures and destroy island wildlife surrounding their camps. This is already illegal, but it is poorly enforced which is why satellite surveillance is necessary. Satellites capable of photographing the area with a resolution of a foot are already in place. As a result, a paid staff would be capable of monitoring the area if given the photographs. If fishing boats were found to have illegally docked and/or camped on one of the islands, the boats could then be located and prosecuted by the appropriate authorities. ORGALA would pay for copies of the high resolution photographs and would provide a staff to monitor the incoming photographs. Iguanas Political Plan ORGALA will be a group of non-governmental organizations that have united in order to utilize their increased spending power to protect the Galapagos and impact Ecuador’s policies for the islands. ORGALA will consist of an executive and legislative branch, each with specific functions which are delineated in our proposal below. The executive branch will be responsible for implementing the programs passed by the legislative branch, while the legislative branch will be responsible for proposing and passing plans for the improvement and protection of the Galapagos environment. The legislative branch will also be responsible for choosing which NGO’s are eligible to join. Structure of the General Assembly The General Assembly will consist of two bodies: the Council of Scientific Expertise (CSE) and the Political Action Board (PAB). The Council of Scientific Expertise will consist of scientists selected and paid by their respective NGO’s. Each voting NGO, will select one scientist to represent their interests on the council. Each scientist must have a PhD. in biology, environmental studies, or a related, relevant topic, and be an expert in the environmental conundrums of the Galapagos. They do not have to work or live in the Galapagos. The scientists will propose environmental plans for ORGALA to fund on the basis of extensive research into an area of study. They may also decide what existing environmental policies of the Ecuadorian Government, ORGALA should attempt to change, but this role will be largely held by the Political Action Board. Each scientist will get a single, equally weighted vote, and a simple majority will pass a measure. These votes will take place during monthly meetings of the CSE through teleconferencing which would allow the scientists to work at their respective jobs in addition to holding a chair on the council. There will be an annual convention where both the CSE and the PAB must visit the Galapagos for an entire organization meeting, but otherwise, communication will be done through teleconferencing. The Charles Darwin Foundation or any member of the Legislative or Executive Branch can also call an emergency meeting of either body if necessary. The Political Action Board will consist of lawyers, economists, and political experts chosen and paid by their respective NGO. Each NGO will select an individual to represent them on the Political Action Board, and members must have a J.D. degree or a PhD, and be an expert in environmental matters. This group will be responsible for assessing the financial and political plausibility of the plans passed by the Council of Scientific Experts. PAB will also be responsible for rewriting the bills to allow for plans that can actually be implemented through funding by ORGALA or through lobbying. If changes are made to a bill initially designed by the CSE, the Political Action Board must approve it and then send it back to the CSE to vote on the altered measure. The PAB will also be able to propose bills that will then be voted on by the CSE, but this will not be their main function. The CSE will also decide what existing environmental policies of the Ecuadorian Government, ORGALA should attempt to change through the use of lobbying. The PAB will be the main instrument of political lobbying in ORGALA as the members will have the political wherewithal to effectively push for changes in Ecuadorian policies. Each expert on the Political Action Board will have one vote, but the votes will be weighted by percent of total revenue received by ORGALA donated by their NGO. For example, if NGO X donates thirty percent of the total money received by ORGALA, their vote counts for thirty percent of the decision. A simple majority of votes will once again pass a measure in the PAB, meaning that groups representing 50% of the total revenue of ORGALA must approve a measure. Voting will take place during their monthly meeting conducted over teleconferencing. Once again, emergency meetings can be called by any member of the boards, the Charles Darwin Foundation, or any member of the executive branch. Formation and Alteration of ORGALA Because the boards will not yet exist to decide who will join initially, the Charles Darwin Foundation will be paid to select non-governmental organization who meet the criteria to form the first Political Action Board and the Council of Scientific Expertise. Once ORGALA has been established, by-laws can be amended by one of the two General Assembly’s bodies passing a proposal of change with a two-thirds majority, followed by the other body approving this proposal with another two-thirds majority. Once two-thirds of both bodies of the General Assembly have approved the measure, it will then be enacted by the Executive board. Last Update Outline: (Completed Prior to the above written draft) Executive: CDF officials Responsibilities- -one of group responsible for overseeing enactment of policies voted on by comities b/c CDF already knowledgeable -No veto power- can only offer recommendations Advantages- gives legitimacy to group - knowledgeable leadership Disadvantages- CDF has bad public relations with locals Legislative: Simple Majority passes measure Councils vote on which NGO’s will be eligible to join Scientist Council (“senate”) - each NGO sponsors/sends a scientist to represent their interests and vote on their behalf - votes weighted equally- each voting member of NGO gets equal say Political Committee (“house of reps”) - each voting NGO will have a single vote, but votes will be weighted by the percent of the total annual revenue of ORGALA donated by the group- for example- if ORGALA receives $100 total in the year 2005 (hopefully we would receive substantially more than this) and Group X donates 30 of those dollars, then Group X’s vote will count as 30% of the decision as if they were casting 30 out of a hundred votes Criteria for Joining as voting NGO member (Councils decide who is eligible to join and which NGO’s apply to these guidelines)- ~minimum annual contribution to ORGALA- $20,000 (value to be reassessed annually by the two legislative groups to adjust for inflation) ~only non-profit organizations can become voting members- non-for-profit groups can donate money but they cannot chair any of the legislative bodies ~no government organizations except UNEP and UNDP ~groups have to be environmentally conscious |
