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This book is a bilingual, interdisciplinary volume which proposes alternatives to the myth of human exceptionalism and suggests overcoming the so-called Anthropocene while imagining just futures. This collection of essays offers critical reflections in different areas: philosophy, politics, literary analysis, artistic practice, and pedagogy. It tackles issues such as the cultural consequences of climate change, posthumanism, eco-trauma and eco-speculation, (plastic) pollution, and the relevance of art education and radical hope, among other topics. Applying the prespective of the Biblioteca Benjamin Franklin collection, this volume considers how these issues are addressed on both sides of the Atlantic. [Publisher's text]

Migration is a fundamental aspect of international political economy (IPE). It encompasses every aspect of the field of study but has been distanced from IPE mainstream. Nonetheless, it is an international phenomenon that requires joint participation and negotiation between the sending and receiving countries to determine their policies. Migration generates interdependence from below, where micro-structures are initiated by the people. States, politic, economic and social aspects are inherently touched by people's mobility. In this article we will highlight the impact that remittances have on the home country, and how dependent Guatemala is on fluctuations of the host country. It will explore how remittances shape Guatemala's economy.This article will follow three main questions: Why do people migrate from Guatemala to the United States? How does emigration impact Guatemala economically and socially? What are the challenges the Guatemalan government faces and needs to overcome to move forward from an ever growing dependency on emigration? It will be argued that remittances generate a greater dependency to the US. Remittances represent one of the main incomes in Guatemala. Not only are they bound to the receiving country's volatility (e.g. economic crisis and immigration law), they are not sustainable in the long term. But underdeveloped countries have yet to realise this in their policies, as remittances feature as a cushion to the balance of payment and emigration a relief to unemployment rates. Nevertheless, it is an issue that has to be targeted immediately. Furthermore, it is argued that social networks are the cornerstone of migration. The social impact on determinants of out-migration, diaspora and return are all intertwined within security issues, where American originated gangs return to their home countries, exporting criminal behaviour (known as the cost of social remittances). (1) Maras in conjunction with organised crime are new actors in determinants of emigration. This vicious circle revolves not only around IPE but becomes an international security issue. The state must act now for it to avoid its own erosion and cataclysm in the long term, taking down its credibility, economy and security.Heated debates come afloat between international migration and economic development. On one hand, there is the assumption that economic development will enhance emigration and others who argue the opposite. This article will favour the latter argument that development will improve conditions for potential migrants to stay home. Since Guatemala's emigration came basically from political instability and insecurity, an important variable is the current economic and security situation. Internal migration and refugee movements initiated during the civil war and terror repression, were it is estimated that over 200,000 people were killed or disappeared. A politically generated migration mobilised and displaced 1.5 million people between 1981 and 1983. (2) Most people fled to neighbouring countries as refugees and asylum seekers. This migration tendency was eased once democracy returned and peace accords signed in 1996. There are currently 1.4 million Guatemalan migrants in the US, of which more than half are undocumented. Violence in Guatemala has not ceased and therefore maras or gangs, corruption and insecurity are current out-migration push factors. Development should include not only economic development (higher GDP), but should be complemented with social development that pursues poverty alleviation, education, and security.Remittances have captured most of the attention concerning migration. Worker remittances are defined as 'the quantity of currency that migrants earn abroad and then send home to their families and communities'. (3) They are a source of foreign (hard) currency and can be used towards consumption, savings, investment, affecting both the household's and the country's economy. Globally, remittances to middle and low income countries in 1990 amounted to US$ 31 billion; in 2006 the amount increased to US$ 200 billion. (4) One fourth was sent to Latin America of which US$ 52 billion were sent back and can be compared to foreign direct investment (FDI) and official development assistance (ODA) flows.A growing concern in Latin America refers to remittances vis-à-vis GDP. Mexico is the first recipient of remittances in Latin America (net billion and in 2005 represented 45% of recipient of remittances). In Guatemala, remittances constitute one of the highest sources of household income and represent a large percentage of the country's GDP (11,3%) compared to the less than 5% in Mexico. Given the importance of economic migrants sending money home, any fluctuation or variation in the receiving country will make the sending countries even more vulnerable and dependant than what they already are. Latin American countries face a big challenge: create more employment possibilities at home and persuade potential migrants to stay, or ignore and continue, in their best interest, encouraging emigration to ease unemployment rates and gain from remittances. Until now, remittances have been a consistent income for developing countries. They constitute a positive aspect of emigration. However, in the long run, a country cannot rely on 'comfortable' income from emigrants dissatisfied by their government's instability and incapacity to create jobs, and wage differential. The free ride is bound to end, and attention has to be paid before it is too late. (5) Guatemala has become excessively reliant on remittances. The main setback is that they are not sustainable in a long term. If the trend continues, further emigration will stimulate depopulation of the home country. Consequently, economic development through GDP is not the long term answer to fight off dependence on remittances. On the other hand, social and human development needs to be fostered and invest in education, healthcare, poverty reduction and security.The latter issue has given migration a new twist. It represents another major issue to governments to tackle urgently, and a determinant of further emigration due to the growing violence in the territory, just as civil war times in Guatemala. International organised crime and migration has to seek state intervention and international cooperation. If migration and security are not managed wisely, Guatemala can expect a downward spiral and meltdown in the long term. (1) Alejandro Portes, Migration and Development: A Conceptual Review of the Evidence', Working Paper, Red Internacional Migracion y Desarrollo, 2006. http://meme.phpwebhosting.com/~migracion/rimd/bellagio/2.pdf Accessed on 17/08/2010.p. 19.(2) IOM, 'Guatemala, Country Profile', http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/guatemala Accessed on 01/08/2010.(3) Manuel Orozco, 'Globalization and Migration: the Impact of Family Remittances in Latin America', Latin American Politics and Society, 44:2 (Summer 2002), p. 43.(4) Acosta, Pablo, Fajnzylber, and Lopez, J. Humberto, 'How Important Are Remittances in Latin America?, in Pablo Fajnzylber and J. Humbert Lopez, eds., Remittances and Development: Lessons from Latin America. Washington DC: World Bank/The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 2008, p.1. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLAC/Resources/Remittances_and_Development_Report.pdf Accessed on 30/08/2010.(5) Emigration has been sought as a 'necessary evil': 'supplying needed short-term economic and social benefits but also imposing immediate human and cultural host hindering long-term development'. Marc R. Rosenblum, 'Moving Beyond the Policy of No Policy: Emigration from Mexico and Central America', Latin American Politics and Society, volume 46, number 4, Winter 2004, p. 104.*Licenciada en Estudios Internacionales - Universidad ORT Uruguay.MA. International Political EconomyUniversity of Warwick Graduate

This paper presents an approach to the creation of an agent-based system for the assessment of environmental impact upon human health. As indicators of the environmental impact water pollution, indexes of traffic and industrial activity, wastes and solar radiation are assumed. And as human health indicator morbidity is taken. All the data comprise multiple heterogeneous data repositories. The system is logically and functionally divided into three layers, solving the tasks of information fusion, pattern discovery and decision support making, respectively. The outcomes of the system design phase under Prometheus methodology and the complete characteristics of the agents forming the proposal are discussed. The discovered patterns are used as a foundation for real-time decision making, which is of great importance for adequate and effective management by responsible governmental authorities.

Hydrometeorological hazards have historically affected Central America and significantly impacted the isthmus. However, the spatial distribution of those impacts is heterogeneous and depends on several factors, such as storm trajectories and community vulnerability. To address the spatial distribution of impacts related with historical events, Honduras was used as a case study. This paper was aimed at identifying the municipalities most impacted by the hydrometeorological events and at studying their correlation with socioeconomicvariables. Impacts recorded from 1919 to 2012 were collected from the DesInventar and EM-DAT databases. Data was georeferenced using a Geographical Information System and the information was disaggregated atlocal government scale. Spearman spatial correlation were calculated between physical variables and socioeconomic indices. The municipalities that reported more impacts included La Ceiba, Choluteca, Francisco Morazán and Yoro. Three hazards were found and the most important regarding impacts: cold fronts or outbreaks, tropical cyclones and easterly waves. The first type was more common during boreal winter, while the last two hazards were normally found during boreal spring-summer-autumn. Population and poverty were the social variables with the highest correlation with impacts. The analysis showed that spatial distribution of impacts related with hydrometeorological causes cannot be explained solely by climate causes. Therefore, other variables, such as socioeconomic should also be considered in analyses of these types of impact.

This preliminary study of an exploratory-descriptive nature compares attitude towards environmental management and administration expressed by companies (large, medium and small) from the industrial sector in Colombia since 1999; emphasis was made on analysing the current relation between adopting an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and the companies' environmental performance. The study reveals the state of development of the Environmental Management System of Colombian industries one year after having been certified and analyses how adopting the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System model has impacted their environmental performance. Proposals regarding the discrepancies found in the current Environmental Management System and the industries' environmental performance are presented herein. In addition, the study explains how actions that prove compliance with the environmental legislation, appropriate community relations and the evolution of elements that are typical in an Environmental Management System have been incorporated in the environmental culture of the organization; analysis is focused on establishing whether the incorporation of these practices has been demonstrative or not of the positive influence that certification has on environmental administration. Some differences came about in the behaviour of the companies that expressed a change in environmental culture after having received ISO 14001 certification. In some cases, a significant change was observed. In others it was not possible to carry out the analyses due to the lack of information. ; Maestría

Las represas amazónicas de Brasil tienen importantes impactos sociales y ambientales que sistemáticamente se subestiman en los estudios de impacto ambiental (EIA) presentados para la concesión de licencias. Los impactos incluyen el desplazamiento de la población, la pérdida de pesquerías, la metilación del mercurio y las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero. Se ha ignorado al personal técnico del Instituto Brasileño de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales Renovables (IBAMA), responsable de la concesión de licencias, para aprobar una serie de presas a pesar de los grandes impactos, la falta de consulta con los pueblos indígenas y las EIA inadecuadas. Hay proyectos de ley y enmiendas constitucionales que amenazan con destruir o abolir por completo el sistema de licencias. El uso de "suspensiones de seguridad" ha neutralizado en gran medida al sistema judicial en sus esfuerzos por hacer cumplir las reglamentaciones que requieren consultar a los pueblos indígenas u obligan al cumplimiento de los requisitos de licencia ambiental. La gravedad de la situación es evidente, entenderlo es el primer paso para cambiar los sistemas de toma de decisión y de concesión de licencias que conducen a los impactos ilustrados por la historia reciente en la Amazonia. Brasil tiene amplias opciones energéticas con menos impacto socio-ambiental que las represas que hoy reciben prioridad. ; As barragens brasileiras na Amazônia têm grandes impactos sociais e ambientais, que são sistematicamente subestimados nos Estudos de Impacto Ambiental (EIAs) no processo de licenciamento. Impactos incluem deslocamento de população, perda de pesca, metilização de mercúrio e emissão de gases de efeito estufa. A equipe técnica no Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA), responsável pelo licenciamento, tem sido ignorado para aprovar uma série de barragens, apesar dos altos impactos, da falta de consulta aos povos indígenas e dos EIAs inadequados. Há projetos de lei e propostas de emendas constitucionais que ameaçam a desconfigurar ou até eliminar o sistema de licenciamento como um todo. O uso de "suspensões de segurança" neutraliza, em grande parte, o sistema judicial em seus esforços para fazer cumprir a lei que exige a consulta aos povos indígenas ou para obrigar o cumprimento das exigências do licenciamento ambiental. A gravidade deste quadro é evidente, mas entendê-lo é o primeiro passo para que sejam mudados os sistemas de tomada de decisão e de licenciamento que levam aos impactos ilustrados pela história recente na Amazônia. O Brasil dispõe de amplas opções energéticas com menos impactos socioambientais do que as barragens que recebem prioridade hoje. ; Brazil's Amazon dams have major social and environmental impacts, which are systematically underestimated in the environmental impact studies (EIAs) submitted for licensing. Impacts include population displacement, loss of fisheries, mercury methylation and greenhouse-gas emissions. The technical staff of the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) responsible for licensing has been overridden to approve a series of dams despite high impacts, no consultation with indigenous peoples and inadequate EIAs. Pending legislation and constitutional amendments threaten either gutting or abolishing outright the entire licensing system. The use of "security suspensions" has largely neutralized the judicial system in its efforts to enforce regulations requiring consulting indigenous peoples or for fulfilling environmental licensing requirements. The seriousness of this picture is evident, but understanding it is the first step in changing the decision-making and licensing systems that lead to the impacts illustrated by recent history in the Amazon. Brazil has ample energy options with less socio-environmental impacts than the dams that receive priority today.

The paper is devoted to research, analysis and solution of problems connected with legal regulation of relations arising from the realization of the right to induced termination of pregnancy by women as a component of a more general right to reproductive health. The modern Russian and foreign legal framework and law enforcement practice in the sphere of relations related to induced termination of pregnancy are analyzed in the article. Theoretical, practical, social and ethical issues concerning the rights and interests of a pregnant woman and other participants of such social relations are explored. The relevance and necessity for further development and improvement of the legal regime regulating the relations connected with realization of the woman's right to induced termination of pregnancy are substantiated. Scientific novelty of the paper consists in the fact that the authors have made an attempt to identify the main trends and directions in the legal framework for the sphere of social reproductive relations and develop constructive proposals for improvement of the legal mechanism of realization of the woman's right to induced termination of pregnancy based on studies of the history of development of the institution of induced termination of pregnancy and analysis of the current norms of Russian and foreign legislation.

The intervention - investigation of the Social Work in the environmental dimension is an area of the knowledge and an ethical - political imperative. In this paper are explained the arguments that base that relation and are presented some challenges that raise these two connotations. For it, the writing emphasizes the need that has the profession to value multiple forms of expression of human life and not human life, resulting of the socio-environmental correlations in diverse scenarios. The approach of some challenges allow to elucidate the immense possibilities that the Social Work has of thinking the environment as an articulatory category in the professional activity. The challenges proposed for the profession are framed in the theoretical and methodological approach of the political ecology and in the concept of sustainability in the environmental dimension. Likewise, the reflection calls on to consider analytical and practical categories of conflict and environmental education for the critical and reflexive action of the relations culture - nature, collective management for the access to natural resources, and finally patrimonial conception of the nature. ; La intervención-investigación del Trabajo Social en la dimensión ambiental es un área del conocimiento y un imperativo ético-político. En este artículo se explican los argumentos que fundamentan tal relación y se presentan algunos desafíos que plantean estas dos connotaciones. Para ello, el escrito enfatiza en la necesidad que tiene la profesión de valorar múltiples formas de expresión de vida humana y no humana, resultantes de las correlaciones socioambientales en diversos escenarios. El planteamiento de algunos retos elucidan las posibilidades que tiene el Trabajo Social de pensar el ambiente como una categoría articuladora en el quehacer profesional. Estos se enmarcan en el enfoque teórico y metodológico de la ecología política y de la sustentabilidad en la dimensión ambiental. La reflexión es un llamado a considerar categorías analíticas como la del conflicto y la educación ambiental para la acción crítica-reflexiva de las relaciones cultura–naturaleza, la gestión colectiva para el acceso a recursos naturales, y la concepción patrimonial de la naturaleza.

La intervención-investigación del Trabajo Social en la dimensión ambiental es un área del conocimiento y un imperativo ético-político. En este artículo se explican los argumentos que fundamentan tal relación y se presentan algunos desafíos que plantean estas dos connotaciones. Para ello, el escrito enfatiza en la necesidad que tiene la profesión de valorar múltiples formas de expresión de vida humana y no humana, resultantes de las correlaciones socioambientales en diversos escenarios. El planteamiento de algunos retos elucidan las posibilidades que tiene el Trabajo Social de pensar el ambiente como una categoría articuladora en el quehacer profesional. Estos se enmarcan en el enfoque teórico y metodológico de la ecología política y de la sustentabilidad en la dimensión ambiental. La reflexión es un llamado a considerar categorías analíticas como la del conflicto y la educación ambiental para la acción crítica-reflexiva de las relaciones cultura–naturaleza, la gestión colectiva para el acceso a recursos naturales, y la concepción patrimonial de la naturaleza. ; The intervention - investigation of the Social Work in the environmental dimension is an area of the knowledge and an ethical - political imperative. In this paper are explained the arguments that base that relation and are presented some challenges that raise these two connotations. For it, the writing emphasizes the need that has the profession to value multiple forms of expression of human life and not human life, resulting of the socio-environmental correlations in diverse scenarios. The approach of some challenges allow to elucidate the immense possibilities that the Social Work has of thinking the environment as an articulatory category in the professional activity. The challenges proposed for the profession are framed in the theoretical and methodological approach of the political ecology and in the concept of sustainability in the environmental dimension. Likewise, the reflection calls on to consider analytical and practical categories of conflict and environmental education for the critical and reflexive action of the relations culture - nature, collective management for the access to natural resources, and finally patrimonial conception of the nature.

Este artículo analiza el impacto de las redes sociales sobre el debate político, a partir del análisis del debate sobre el estado de la nación de 2013 en España. Se definen los contenidos predominantes en las conversaciones que se mantienen en Twitter durante la semana en la que se desarrolla el debate: del lunes 18 de febrero al domingo 24 de febrero, y se compara el grado de interés de los usuarios en relación con otros asuntos. A continuación, se examina la dimensión y el alcance del debate en esta red social. Se analiza la valoración de los usuarios sobre el Gobierno, las reacciones ante el diagnóstico del presidente del Gobierno sobre la situación del país y el sentido de los mensajes de los usuarios respecto al líder de la oposición. También se explora el tono de los mensajes y se comprueba si la conversación sobre el debate en Twitter gira en torno a los mismos temas y problemas que los ciudadanos consideran más relevantes según los datos que ofrece el Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas. Los resultados contribuyen a comprender más adecuadamente el impacto de Twitter en la configuración de la opinión pública. ; Based on an analysis of the debate on the state of the nation in 2013 in Spain, this article analyzes the impact of social networks on political debate. The predominant content in conver¬sations on Twitter during the week in which the debate takes place (Monday 18 February to Sunday 24 February) are defined, and the degree of interest of users with regard to other matters is compared. Then, the size and scope of the discussion in this social network is examined. User ratings of the government are analyzed, as are reactions to the evaluation of the prime minister on the situation and the meaning of user messages to the opposition leader. The study also explores the tone of the messages and checks to see if the debate on Twitter revolves around the same issues and problems that citizens consider most relevant according to data provided by the Center for Sociological Research. The results contribute to a better understanding of the impact of Twitter on public opinion.

The transversality of environmental law as a foundation against the criminalization of social protests, means that environmental law as a human right is characterized by its transversality, that is, that its values and principles radiate throughout our national legal system with the purpose of That man, as the supreme goal of society and the State, achieves and enjoys his fundamental right to sustainable development to meet his basic needs, therefore, it is a right for him to protect every citizen -when he is at risk or was violated-, through social protest, understood as constitutional law, when the government does not respond to its claims. The intersection between the transversality of environmental law and the criminalization of social protests is a complex context to address it because its causes lie not only in neoliberalism and the imposition of economic projects but also in the ways that the government adopts to solve social protests. Social protest should not be criminalized, since it is legitimate and constitutes a mechanism to protect various constitutional rights, such as environmental law. ; La transversalidad del derecho ambiental como fundamento en contra de la criminalización de las protestas sociales, significa que el derecho ambiental como derecho humano se caracteriza por su transversalidad, esto es, que sus valores y principios irradian en todo nuestro ordenamiento jurídico nacional con la finalidad de que el hombre como fin supremo de la sociedad y del Estado, logre y disfrute su derecho fundamental al desarrollo sostenible para satisfacer sus necesidades básicas, por tanto, es un derecho que le corresponde proteger a todo ciudadano -cuando se encuentra en riesgo o fue vulnerado-, a través de la protesta social, comprendida como derecho constitucional, cuando el gobierno no atiende sus reclamos. La intersección entre la transversalidad del derecho ambiental y la criminalización de las protestas sociales es un contexto complejo de abordarlo porque reposan sus orígenes no sólo en el ...

The objective of this article is to explore the concept of social impact, from the meaning attributed to the term, the fields in which it is used, as well as the existing methodologies for its calculation. In this way, and taking into account the existing professional and academic work, the aim is to establish a theoretical base as a frame of reference that allows the future development of a methodology for evaluating social impact. In this way and in relation to the term, a contextualization of the meaning itself is carried out to determine what is used. Likewise, the best-known methodologies that are considered, highlighting the differences between them and identifying possible shortcomings and the stages that may be improved. Given the growing importance of the impact assessment processes applied in economic, social and environmental terms, and at the same time taking into account what it was observed in this work, the existing methodologies have a lack of standardized model that offers quantitatively homogeneous results that allow comparison between entities, companies or projects.

En la actualidad, las ciudades se encuentran atravesadas por problemáticas vinculadas a lo económico, político, social y cultural. Sin embargo, a pesar de la complejidad derivada de estas cuestiones se considera necesario incluir la dimensión ambiental en los fenómenos sociales. Entiendo a la misma, como una característica del entorno que se articula sustancialmente con la vida diaria de los habitantes, sobre todo con los que residen en barrios precarios linderos a grandes conglomerados urbanos como es el caso de Dock Sud. En esta línea, el objetivo principal consistió en conocer y analizar las representaciones sociales de la contaminación ambiental y las prácticas espaciales que construyen los habitantes de los barrios periféricos de Dock Sud. Para ello, se utilizó una metodología cualitativa basada en entrevistas en profundidad y semi-estructuradas a los habitantes de los barrios periféricos de Dock Sud, que permitió arribar a los siguientes resultados: en primera instancia, se observó a través del análisis de las percepciones que sobre Dock Sud tienen sus habitantes, puentes de continuidad entre lo que se presenta a la vista, lo que realmente perciben de su entorno y las prácticas espaciales que realizan en el mismo. En segundo lugar, los cambios que en la fisonomía tuvo Dock Sud, complejizó el campo de las representaciones sociales de sus habitantes, en las cuales aparecen elementos simbólicos de apego al lugar vinculados a la inmigración europea, a las dinámicas de trabajo industrial del momento y al aprovechamiento de los espacios verdes y colectivos que permitían el uso y la cercanía de los habitantes con el rio y la costa. Finalmente, se pudo apreciar que el crecimiento que tuvo el polo petroquímico y el puerto han modificado la infraestructura urbanoespacial de Dock Sud construyendo barrios "encapsulados" por la dinámica territorial que imponen las fábricas, profundizando la segregación y el olvido de estos espacios. ; Currently, cities are traversed by problems related to economic, political, social and cultural development. However, despite the complexity arising from these issues is considered necessary to include the environmental dimension into social phenomena. I understand it, as a feature of the environment that is structured substantially the daily lives of the inhabitants, especially those living in slums in large urban boundaries such as Dock Sud In this vein, the main objective was to examine and analyze the social representations of environmental pollution and practice space built by the inhabitants of the suburbs of Dock Sud. To do this, we used a qualitative methodology based on interviews and semi-structured to the inhabitants of the suburbs of Dock Sud, which allowed reaching the following results: in the first instance, it was observed through the analysis of the perceptions that Dock Sud on its inhabitants, bridge of continuity between what is presented to the eye, what you really perceive their environment and spatial practices engaged in it. Second, changes in body shape was Dock Sud, more complex the field of social representations of its inhabitants, which appear in symbolic elements of place attachment linked to European immigration, to the dynamics of industrial work time the use of green spaces and groups that allow the use and the proximity of people to the river and the coast. Finally, it was observed that the growth was the petrochemical and port infrastructure have changed the spatial urban neighborhoods built South Dock "encapsulated" by the regional dynamics imposed by the factories, deepening segregation and neglect of these spaces. ; Asociación de Universidades Grupo Montevideo

The paper makes a validity analysis of Environmental Impact Assessement (EIA) when used as a means of bettering the environmental aspect of projects. The author feels that the arbitrariness behind the drawing up of the EIA as they are invalidates them as a useful way of achieving this goal. A study is made of 67 Pleas of Environmental Impact in which discrimination against private and in favour of public projects, a host of infractions of standing regulations, the special consequences of the existence of a multiplicity of environmental agencies with differing criteria, the almost null participation of the general public are observed among the results of the legislation at present in force. The paper finishes, after first warning against the dangers of considering the EIA as a territorial administrative instrument, by arguing for a system that would include environmental considerations as part and parcel of the design process rather than a further, outside consideration during the conception of projects. ; En este articulo se analiza la validez del procedimiento de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (EIA) como instrumento capaz de lograr una mejora de los aspectos ambientales de los proyectos. En opinión del autor la arbitrariedad que implica la EIA en su actual concepción la invalidan como herramienta eficaz para lograr este objetivo. Se realiza un estudio de 67 Declaraciones de Impacto Ambiental, destacándose la discriminación de los proyectos privados frente a los públicos. las abundantes infracciones de la normativa vigente, Ias consecuencias espaciales de la existencia de órganos ambientales diversos con criterios variables, la escasa efectividad de la participación pública y los resultados de la actual legislación en la materia. Finalmente, tras advertir del riesgo de considerar la EIA como un instrumento de gestión territorial. se aboga por un sistema que incorpore los criterios ambientales como un elemento más en los procesos de diseño y no de forma independiente al resto de la concepción de los proyectos.