Independent and separated by the forests of Peru?

Abstract

The appointment of the Agency for Supervision of Forest Resources and Wildlife (OSINFOR for its acronym in Spanish) to the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM for its acronym in Spanish) has raised a number of concerns about the independence of OSINFOR. Consultation mechanisms have even been activated for alleged non-compliance with the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA). In this article, we will seek to clarify what the independence of Public Bodies (PBs) in general consists of, what is the independence that OSINFOR has had since it was conceived in 2000 and whether this independence has been affected by Supreme Decree N°122-2018-PCM. However, this concern for OSINFOR should not make us forget that what is important is the sustainable management of forests, for the benefit of local populations, but also for the country and the planet. And for that it is not enough just to be concerned about the independence of OSINFOR, but the institutionality and unity of the Forestry Sector, at the national level and especially at the regional level, must be strengthened.