Contrary Perceptions of Environmental Health and the Governance of the Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area, Colombia

Alexander Rojas, Douglas Molina-Orjuela, Laura Peña-Rodríguez, Andrea Hernández-Quirama, Mauricio Rojas-Betancur, Claudia Amaya-Castellanos, Laura A. Rodríguez-Villamizar and Alvaro J. Idrovo ()
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Alexander Rojas: Public Health Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Santander 680002, Colombia
Douglas Molina-Orjuela: GRIALI Research Group, Faculty of Political Sciences and International Relations, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
Laura Peña-Rodríguez: School of Social Work, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Santander 680002, Colombia
Andrea Hernández-Quirama: School of Social Work, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Santander 680002, Colombia
Mauricio Rojas-Betancur: School of Social Work, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Santander 680002, Colombia
Claudia Amaya-Castellanos: Public Health Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Santander 680002, Colombia
Laura A. Rodríguez-Villamizar: Public Health Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Santander 680002, Colombia
Alvaro J. Idrovo: Public Health Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Santander 680002, Colombia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 19, 1-13

Abstract: The participation of civil society is essential for environmental health policies to be accepted. The objective of this study was to know the perceptions of government officials, members of civil society, and academics about environmental health problems and its governance in the Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area, Colombia. In the region, there is a strong citizens movement that defends the moorland ecosystem (páramo) as a source of drinking water for large-scale mining projects. A multi-method study was conducted, including the review of newspaper and scientific articles, a citizens survey, and interviews and focus groups with identified key stakeholders. The findings indicate that government officials prioritize their actions on issues related to air and water pollution and environmental education. In contrast, citizens prioritize water availability from the moorland ecosystem. There are some advances in the management of environmental health, mainly related to greater citizen awareness. Contrary perceptions among government officials, academics, and civil society prevent adequate prioritization of environmental health problems. Participation of civil society is absent in activities related to environmental governance. An ongoing citizens science experience engaging high school students and the academy can be the first meeting point with government officials in the pathway to improve the environmental governance in the territory. The participation of civil society in the environmental health governance must be enforced to broaden the issues of interest and prioritize the activities in short- and long-term policy planning.

Keywords: environmental health; multilevel governance; air pollution; water pollution; health policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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