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Rethink the Nicaragua Canal Perez Is Vice- President of the Academy T the End of 2014, Construction Began on the Supplies, Crop Irrigation, and Fisheries

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Rethink the Nicaragua Canal Perez Is Vice- President of the Academy T the End of 2014, Construction Began on the Supplies, Crop Irrigation, and Fisheries EDITORIAL Jorge A. Huete- Rethink the Nicaragua Canal Perez is vice- president of the Academy t the end of 2014, construction began on the supplies, crop irrigation, and fisheries. Also planned is of Sciences of Grand Canal in Nicaragua, a project shrouded an artificial lake to serve the canal and lock system. The Nicaragua and in secrecy since its inception 2.5 years ago. The potential impact of “Lake Atlanta” and the canal on for- a professor at Nicaraguan government showed scant evidence ests, wetlands, and coastal ecosystems has been grossly of having accounted for the impact on the en- underexplored. Species cohesiveness and migration are the University of vironment and on local residents, or of having also at risk. Although a private EIA was commissioned Central America, adequately consulted the public in selecting the by HKND—undermining its independence—it will not be Managua, Afinal 278-km route. Such disregard should be alarming completed before April 2015, diminishing its influence. Nicaragua. to everyone. Projects of this Most countries follow rig- E-mail: magnitude warrant dialogue orous environmental guide- jorgehuete@ among all stakeholders. As lines before approving large uca-cbm.org construction is projected to infrastructure projects. The span 5 years, there is still Nicaraguan government’s time to reconsider it and decision to grant the canal Axel Meyer is convene independent assess- concession without pub- a profesor in ments and meetings that are lic consultation, feasibil- the Department transparent, inclusive, and ity studies, or EIAs departs of Biology at respectful of different per- from such practices and the University spectives, to guide the proj- increases the project’s risks. of Konstanz, ect toward the best outcome. Without independent EIAs, Konstanz, Declared an income gen- unintended and irrevers- Germany. E-mail: erator by the Nicaraguan ible impacts on wildlife and Axel.Meyer@ government, the Grand Ca- indigenous populations are uni-konstanz.de nal is owned by a Chinese more likely. Social unrest company (HKND). It will is growing along the canal enter Nicaragua from the Pa- route. Government and se- cific through the Brito River, curity forces are responding Pedro J. Alvarez cross agricultural land and by harassing, repressing, and is the George R. forests, and traverse Lake jailing opposition protesters Brown Professor Cocibolca (the largest tropi- “…there is still time…to guide the and leaders, increasing fear and Chair cal lake of the Americas). On among the populace. of Civil and the Caribbean side, it will project toward the best outcome.” It is incumbent upon sci- Environmental cross pasturelands, forests, entists, human rights ad- Engineering at natural reserves, wetlands, and indigenous communities, vocates, nongovernmental organizations, and wildlife Rice University, entering the Caribbean close to the Punta Gorda River. protection organizations to share knowledge, voice con- Houston, At an international multidisciplinary workshop con- cerns, provide guidance, and demand a greater role for Texas, USA. vened in Managua in November 2014, experts from the science in the design and construction of this massive E-mail: alvarez@ Academy of Sciences of Nicaragua (ASN) and the InterA- project. There is tremendous need for the international rice.edu merican Network of Academies of Sciences, with support scientific community to join ASN and global organiza- from the International Council for Science in Latin Amer- tions such as the Association for Tropical Biology and ica and the Caribbean, explored technical and scientific Conservation and the International Society of Limnology aspects of the canal and shared their scientific concerns to analyze design plans of the canal and its subprojects with the public, HKND, and the government.* The final for safety, social responsibility, and sustainability; make communiqué highlighted the importance of environmen- recommendations to protect the region’s water resources tal impact assessments (EIAs) on biodiversity and re- and biodiversity; and draft statements urging the Nicara- gional water resources, including Lake Cocibolca, which guan government to halt construction until studies can supplies drinking water to the surrounding population. be performed and evaluated by experts. In this matter of Particularly disquieting is how the initial construction great urgency and importance, this is an opportunity to and recurrent dredging of the lake channel might affect exercise scientific leadership, raise awareness, and con- the trophic dynamics, water quality, and sedimentation tribute to averting a potential environmental disaster. of local rivers, along with implications for domestic water – Jorge A. Huete-Perez, Axel Meyer, Pedro J. Alvarez *www.interacademies.net/File.aspx?id=26001. 10.1126/science.aaa6998 PHOTO: GUIZIOU FRANCK/HEMIS/CORBIS GUIZIOU PHOTO: SCIENCE sciencemag.org 23 JANUARY 2015 • VOL 347 ISSUE 6220 355 Published by AAAS.
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