Peru and Panama implement new environmental data and response frameworks

Peru's Ministry of Environment (Minam) has launched a new Environmental Statistics Module within the National Environmental Information System (SINIA). This tool centralizes data and indicators regarding water, forests, biodiversity, and waste to facilitate evidence-based decision-making for authorities, researchers, and citizens.

The module incorporates over 900 variables aligned with OECD standards, following commitments made under the EPOC/Waste 2024-2026 Action Plan. The OECD has expressed its conformity with the work performed by the country.

In Panama, the Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) has established a new legal framework to respond to environmental damage through three distinct levels: environmental alert, environmental emergency, and environmental disaster.

Under this new decree, an alert involves monitoring and prevention when risks are detected without significant damage. An emergency occurs when damage is ongoing or imminent, allowing the Ministry to mandate measures such as the temporary suspension of activities. A disaster is defined as a severe perturbation requiring urgent intervention. Additionally, the decree mandates that incidents posing direct risks to communities or water sources must be reported within two hours, while other cases must be reported within six hours.