A new report shows the broad impact of environmental conflicts across Central America, highlighting the tensions between communities and companies in the battle over natural resources. The State of the Region report, issued July 21 by the Costa Rican think tank Programa Estado de la Nación, documented at least 172 conflicts that have arisen in Central America and the Dominican Republic over the past three decades. Many of the disputes are still ongoing and tied up in the courts. The report emphasizes that “there is greater pressure for resources” and that projects “don’t just have an environmental impact, but also have impacts at the social and economic level,” Karen Chacón, author of the report’s environmental-conflict section, said in an interview with EcoAméricas. “When you analyze these topics, you have to understand it is much broader than just the environment, that it also has to do with sustainable human development... [Log in to read more]