Our Constitution establishes a system of representative democracy- following republican ideas of polymath Jean Jacques Rousseau -, this means that the represented grant to their leaders the power to make decisions based on public interest. On environmental matters this interest in based in the conservation, protection, restoration and sustainable use of the natural resources, pursuing the balance of factors such as society, economy and environment.  The government will decide which actions to take in order to reach the above mentioned, but, as the sovereignty resides in the people and based on collective and diffuse rights of the environment, we all have the guaranty to participate.

The principle of public participation, feature premise of pluralist democracies, is one of the main factors that affect State´s decisions on environmental issues. The right of access to information and participation is enshrined as one of the fundamental human rights according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Similarly, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development of 1992 establishes that: "The best way to deal with environmental issues is with the participation of all interested citizens”.

This creates a joint liability: (i) the impartial analysis of the mentioned public opinion from our governors in order to guarantee the real national interest (collective, not particular), and (ii) a logical and solid activism from our citizens that don´t confuse the real interest of the State, or contribute to make unfavorable decisions or misuse of resources, time and energy in non-priority issues relating to environment protection. What happens to us is that public attention from the problems of this sector tends to focus on issues that, in terms of vulnerability of natural resources, usually are not the priority.

The mining activity of Falcondo in Loma Miranda is a good example of this scenario. Public opinion undoubtedly executed a tenacious action in the State´s decision (a sort of witch-hunt), that ended in the creation of the Law Project that states Loma Miranda as a National Park. However, there are practices in our country that might represent a higher environmental impact and often pass unnoticed, such as the poor presence of public Wastewater Treatment Plants (PTAR) (only 91 according to the National Hydrological Plan from 2012), which is insufficient for a population of almost 10 million people, according the last Census made in 2010, besides the tons of solid waste generated daily that are not properly managed, resulting in soil, subsoil and air contamination. While valuable time arguing about pollution in Jagüey River in Loma Miranda is consumed, our soil is quietly a waste cemetery polluting the subsoil and consequently all our groundwater.

Definitely, if there are no conscience, knowledge or necessary tools in terms on environmental protection to take decisions, it will be difficult to achieve real sustainable development. The protection of the environment is essential and this is why the constitutions of most countries recognize it as public interest, because besides the premise that being eco-friendly is profitable, there exists indisputable arguments indicating that the current model of development is unsustainable for upcoming decades. Studies from the United Nations shows that in 2030 the increase of people with an accommodated life or middle class will be 30,000 million more than today and considering that general predictions show that humans will need a 50% increase in our food production, 40% increase of energy and 30% increase of drinking water, is inexcusable to us make bad decisions in the present.

So ¿what is the basis of the State's decisions on environmental issues?, our view is that public interest in protection of our natural resources must start from factors such as education and conscience, from which it depends everything else. Environmental education and awareness of our citizens, but essentially of our leaders, so they can efficiently lead the decisions made regarding the conservation, protection, restoration and sustainable use of natural resources. A Roman proverb said "we make mistakes by ignorance, and from mistakes we learn", unfortunately environment errors have irremediable consequences.

A final reflection from Thomas Jefferson: "Any government can be maintained without the principle of fear as well as the principle of duty. Good men obey the last one, but bad men only the first”. Good men will comply the civic duty they have in their hands applying public interest with reasoned and appropriate actions that guarantee natural values ​​to future generations.

Patricia Guzman