Sustainable development and local environmental ideologies in the legislation on natural resources in Mexico

Abstract

The concept of sustainable development brought a global environmental ideology that led to the creation, reform and implementation of environmental laws. In Mexico, the international ideology of sustainable development was taken by governments as the basis for creating and reforming their laws. Environmental ideologies are belief systems that regulate the attitude and behavior of human relationships with nature. There are ideologies in international and national environmental law, as well as in the actors involved. When applying the legislation, the “official” environmental ideology may be alien, especially to local actors. Tenants with their own ideology, and even generational, about conserving and taking advantage of nature. The ideological difference makes it difficult to apply the legislation, sanctions local actions that go against the “official” ideology and tries to shape behavior. By analyzing official documents and reviewing databases, the study reflects and analyzes the concurrent environmental ideologies in Mexican environmental legislation with an emphasis on the inclusion of local ideologies. A dominant, anthropocentric/westernized “official” environmental ideology was appreciated, mainly coming from power groups, which seeks to impose itself on local ideologies.