Cooperación internacional para la protección ambiental en municipios mexicanos[International cooperation for environmental protection in Mexican municipalities]

This paper aims to analyze the current processes of international technical cooperation for environmental protection in Mexican municipalities. To meet this objective, the paper is divided into five sections. The first introduces the subject and describes the role that has been playing international technical cooperation in the definition of environmental policy in Latin America. The second provides a review of the literature on globalization and its effects on these cooperative efforts. The third, examines the changes in Mexican municipalities’ cooperation with international agencies that have been established for the implementation of environmental programs. The fourth, through a case study methodology, describes an experience of international technical cooperation in the northeastern state of Tlaxcala, which analyzes the actions of environmental management in Españita and Hueyotlipan municipalities. The inputs of this analysis are from an exercise of environmental policy evaluation. Finally, the fifth section provides a series of reflections and other elements to the analysis. Within these, highlights the finding that the organization of specific local development programs are becoming increasingly remote technical cooperation focused on inputs. Instead, it is taking a new approach based on the specific purpose of cooperation, for the present case is related to environmental management.