In Lima reserve, nature and pasta don’t mix

Peru

For more than five years, environmentalists fought construction of a pasta factory in Lima’s only nature reserve—a Ramsar wetland at the southern edge of the city. They did so largely on behalf of migratory birds, some of which have quit using the site as a pitstop. Now the green groups—and the birds—have won a major victory. Ordered by Lima officials to close the plant, Lucchetti Peru complied on Jan. 9, a few days ahead of a deadline set by municipal authorities. Lucchetti, whose parent company is based in Chile, plans to appeal the case to the World Bank’s International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes in an apparent bid to use trade law to recover its $150 million investment. Peruvian government... [Log in to read more]

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