Peru Initiates 120-Day Reorganization of Environment Ministry

• The Peruvian Executive Branch has issued Supreme Decree No. 012-2026-MINAM, mandating a 120-day modernization and reorganization of the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM) and its associated agencies.
• There are significant concerns that this move prioritizes industrial reactivation over environmental protection and the rights of indigenous communities.

Historical Context and Regulatory Concerns

• Observers point to previous "environmental packages," such as the 2014 Law 30230, which weakened the Environmental Assessment and Enforcement Agency (OEFA) and reduced oversight of land-use planning.
• Recent controversies include the 2024-2025 "Anti-Forest Law," which legalized illegal deforestation for agricultural purposes without prior consultation with Amazonian indigenous groups.
• The Keiko Fujimori administration is reportedly seeking to slash the time required for environmental impact assessments for investment projects and allow industrial activities within protected buffer zones.

Environmental Risks

• The Amazon region currently faces severe threats, including:
  • Widespread illegal mining involving toxic mercury that contaminates water supplies.
  • Increasing deforestation and loss of tropical forest cover.
  • Heightened frequency of forest fires and water shortages due to rising temperatures.
• Despite its mandate to ensure sustainable resource management, the Ministry of the Environment has faced institutional weakening through successive reforms since its inception in 2008.