Just nine weeks into his term, Mexican President Felipe Calderón this month faced his first major environmental test: whether to approve mangrove-protection measures strongly opposed by the tourism industry. To the surprise of environmental advocates, he approved the legislation on Feb. 1 despite an all-out lobbying campaign against it by powerful developers, coastal-state governors and other influential stakeholders. The legislation, consisting of a series of reforms to the General Wildlife Law, won the approval of Mexico’s Congress in December. Long advocated by environmental groups here, the changes tighten restrictions on the location of coastal-development projects in relation to mangrove stands, which provide crucial habitat for marine animals, absorb pollutants and act as a barrier during storms. Many Mexican environmental groups have... [Log in to read more]