MEXICO AND CANADA:
SHARED APPROACHES IN CONSERVING NATURAL CAPITAL
a course by
Dr. Alejandro Velázquez
Center for Research on Environmental Geography
UNAM
The National Autonomous University of Mexico Extension School in Canada has recently widened its horizons by including the emerging topic of environmental issues in its course offering. Among the several new activities to be pursued, a short course is announced on similarities and differences between Mexico and Canada on actions taken by the two countries to deal with the management and conservation of their natural wealth. Both countries are home to an abundance of diverse native ethnic populations with habits closely linked to the sustainable management of the natural wealth of their environments. This course will cover topics such as natural wealth, conservation efforts and common migratory phenomena.
18, 20, 25 & 27 November 2008
5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
$150 CD
Registration now open
55 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, Québec, J8X 2J9 tel. (819) 777-8626 fax (819) 777-8628 www.unameseca.com
Course overview
There is a large amount of scientific evidence that details the unprecedented rates of environmental impoverishment mainly caused by human action. For instance, in recent decades, over50 % of what were once forest areas have been cleared; more than 15% of the soil has experienced some degree of man-made erosion; and the rate of the species extinction has increased 100 fold. Two issues are highly correlated with this amazing depletion of the natural wealth. First, the astonishing population growth (mainly concentrated in third world countries); secondly, the enormous consumption rates observed (chiefly in first world (or developed) countries). Both facts are seen as equally important in explaining current vanishing trends affecting our natural heritage.
From an environmental point of view, the North American region (which includes Canada, the United States and Mexico) is an area of large contrasts and opportunities. On the one hand, this region harbours an enormous quantity of unique natural wealth (mostly concentrated in the south), while on the other hand it is here where the largest energy consumption rates worldwide (mainly in the north) are also found. The main result is expressed in a drastic depletion of the natural capital which surely has an effect far beyond the region itself in contributing to the global warming trend.
A mayor challenge emerges on how to transform current mismanagement practices into beneficial opportunities. The answer to this has yet to be ascertained but will surely come from looking together at similarities and differences as concern these problems, and also from sharing approaches and actions which need to be taken in order to stop -and eventually reorient -these trends. To this respect, Canada and Mexico have an enormous opportunity since both contain a large amount of natural resources managed by various ethnic groups.
The UNAM´s Extension School in Canada, based in Gatineau, has taken the initiative to explore this common interest. This new course is not intended to cover exhaustively all environmental issues. Instead, a number of themes have been selected, and in order to get deeply into the topics, invited speakers will be giving talks. Although it may help to enrich the discussions, the participants are not to be expertise in any environmental subject. The themes will be presented for a wide audience and the discussions will be focused on the general interest. It is expected that after this first activity that this course represents, a number of follow up activities will be planned in order to cover those themes that generate the greatest interest.
