The Evolution of Natural Resource Conservation Capacity on the U.S.–Mexico Border: Bilateral and Trilateral Environmental Agreements since La Paz

This article traces the development of natural resources conservation policy capacity along the U.S.–Mexico border with emphasis on the post-La Paz Agreement period. The study focuses on the content of bilateral and multilateral agreements affecting natural resources management along the U.S.–Mexico border, what Janicke (2002) identifies as the structural/contextual dimension of environmental capacity consisting of institutional context, informational context, and economic context for policy implementation. Using this approach, it is evident that considerable progress was made in strengthening binational natural resources management capacity after the La Paz Agreement was signed, boosted further by institutional gains following the North American Free Trade Agreement. While most of these gains endure, efforts to strengthen binational capacity for sustainable management of natural resources have faltered since 2001 in the face of changing government priorities, diminished financial support for border programs, and the new challenge presented by heightened attention to border security.