# 3. Honduras

_Before DR-CAFTA:_ Honduras has developed a number of institutions and organizations to manage natural resources and protect the environment, including the 1993 General Law for the Environment. This law establishes that protecting, conserving, and managing the environment and natural resources is a matter of public interest and that the national government and municipalities must promote rational use and sustainable management of these resources In 1996, during the government modernization process, Environment Secretariat and the Natural Resources Secretariat were merged into a single Environment and Natural Resources Secretariat (SERNA). Honduras has signed more than 60 international environmental conventions, protocols, and treaties addressing regional and global.

_After DR-CAFTA:_ The country’s legal and regulatory frameworks have been strengthened to address, among other issues: management of water resources, protected areas, and forests; land use planning; pollution prevention; environmental health; and rural development. Recently issued national policies related to the environment include: Honduras Environmental Policy (2005); Agriculture and Rural Environment, which contains sections on Forestry and Productive Development, Forestry and Community Development, and Forestry and Biodiversity (2004); Action Plan for a Sustainable Energy Policy (2005); Environmental Mainstreaming (2005); and Simplification and Decentralization of Environmental Management, which included licensing (2002). Forest and Protect Area Act is under discussion in third debate, reforms of the National law on mines, law on incentives for the use of renewable energy, and the legislation on water resources are planned in the actual congress. In addition, the National System of Environmental Information (SINIA), created in 1993, is responsible for developing databases, websites, geographic information systems, remote sensing, and indicators.

# 4. Nicaragua

_Before DR-CAFTA:_ In 1994 the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA) was created to accomplish the formulation, coordination and enforcement of environmental policy. Two years later the government passed the General Law on Environment and Natural Resources which became the cornerstone of the environmental legal and regulatory framework. It is in charge of administering the National Protected Areas System, administering Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), coordinating the National Environmental Information System (SINIA) and coordinating disaster prevention and response measures jointly with the National System for Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Response (SINAPRED). Two regional environmental agencies (SERNA) were building to be in charge of environmental policy functions in the north and south Atlantic regions. Since MERNA was established the government has passed the Law on Exploration of Geothermal Resources in 2002 and one year later the Law on the Promotion of Hydropower and on Citizen Participation.

_After DR-CAFTA:_ In 2006 the government passed the Law on Forest Felling Ban. Related to the water legislation, in 2007 the National Council on Potable Water and Sanitation (CONAPAS) approved a 10 year comprehensive sector strategy for the country's water and in 2008 the National Water Law was passed by the government. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MARENA) has developed environmental policies in eleven areas: conservation of water sources, pastures, productive use of water, protected areas, sustainable forestry, national reforestation campaign, sustainable land management, control and reduction of contamination, solid waste management, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and environmental education. Recent acceptance of Nicaragua in the pilot group of countries for financing activities to reduce deforestation through the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) is a major opportunity to enhance the policies and mechanisms for forest governance.

Despite this large list of accomplishments, there are apparent weaknesses in several areas with regard to the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental and natural resource management policies, as pointed out by Sarkar (2009). Areas of weakness include environmental information, environmental quality, and institutional performance; coordination between environmental authorities and other sector agencies; regulatory instruments; and compliance, monitoring, and enforcement mechanisms.

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