Iberoamerican Environment & Sustainability Journal
The Ibero-American Environment & Sustainability Journal (RIAS) is currently a publication of the State University of the South of Manabí (UNESUM), in alliance with the Ibero-American Environment Network (REIMA, A.C.) and the Pan American Foundation for International Cooperation for Sustainable Development (PAFICSD). It covers various topics from different areas of knowledge, which have a direct impact on environmental management. It assumes four categories of scientific works: research articles, bibliographic reviews, reflection articles or essays and case studies; which must be original and respond to one of the following thematic axes: sustainable use of biodiversity and management of protected areas, sustainable land management and food security, management of environmental risks and climate change, sustainable management of water resources, environmental management in human settlements, sustainable management of urban solid waste, education, culture and environmental communication, sustainable tourism, environmental policy and law, databases, remote sensing and GIS applied to environmental management and university cooperation for sustainable development. RIAS is primarily aimed at teachers, researchers and students who are interested in publishing the most relevant results of their research through it. Its policy follows the system of continuous publications, with a single annual volume (without numbers). It also adheres to the Open Access initiative, in order to promote the immediate socialization of the results that are presented, after review by blind peers. RIAS does not charge fees for the reception of manuscripts, nor for the editorial management, publication or indexing of published articles.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) © This license allows users to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, provided that attribution is granted to the creator.
Evaluation of socio-environmental impacts in urban projects: Methodological Review
With this study, the need to evaluate the socio-environmental impacts generated by urban projects was addressed, especially in the context of urban fragmentation. The importance of developing effective methodologies for this evaluation was highlighted, considering the complexity and diversity of contemporary urban environments. The objective was to identify existing approaches to evaluate socio-environmental impacts considering factors such as life cycle, material flow analysis, environmental impact matrices, and other combined quantitative and qualitative methods. Various limitations were also identified in these methodologies, such as the lack of interdisciplinary integration, the absence of specific contextual considerations, and the difficulty in capturing the complexity of urban systems. In conclusion, the need to develop more comprehensive methodological approaches adapted to specific contexts to evaluate the socio-environmental impacts of urban fragmentation is highlighted, since these approaches, being interdisciplinary and participatory, should consider contextual factors such as the cultural, economic, and political diversity of urban communities.
Environmental management in human settlements
Copyright (c) 2026 Rubén Dario Calixto Morales https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Characterization and socio-environmental problems caused by avocado (Persea americana) crops in Zapotlán el Grande, Jalisco, Mexico.
This research addresses the socio-environmental effects caused by avocado cultivation in the municipality of Zapotlán el Grande, state of Jalisco, Mexico. This mechanized cultivation has generated a significant impact on the territory due to the lack of regulation by governments and the uncontrolled rapid growth of these monocultures. Therefore, it was necessary to determine the commercial expansion of avocado cultivation growth and analyze the impact it has had on ecosystems and the population. For the geospatial study, the delineation of fragility units was applied to characterize and determine in which areas avocado crops are located according to the level of fragility during the period 2005 - 2023. To achieve this, the hectares with avocado cultivation were mapped, and with this it was verified whether these hectares were developed in suitable areas or not, according to the level of environmental fragility. This process allowed for a deeper social-environmental diagnosis to assess the consequences that these land-use changes have brought due to inadequate territorial management.
Sustainable land management and food security
Copyright (c) 2026 Digna Ahtziri Carrillo González https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The sustainability report: Methodological analysis and application to a civil society organization as a management tool.
This study described the process of preparing the first sustainability report for a nonprofit civil society organization. To carry out this work, institutional documents were reviewed, key stakeholders were interviewed, and international methodological frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative, ISO 26000, and the Global Compact, among others, were evaluated. Of these, the first standard mentioned above was selected due to its broad recognition and flexibility. A preliminary materiality analysis, with the participation of the management team and beneficiary organizations, identified relevant topics related to governance, social impact and environmental protection, and material circularity, as well as gaps in relevant indicators such as carbon footprint, waste management, and economic impact. Despite these limitations, a simplified report was designed for 2024 that made the organization's actions visible and laid the groundwork for more transparent management. It was concluded that the progressive implementation of the model, strengthening internal capacities, and expanding dialogue with stakeholders will facilitate more robust future reporting. This experience demonstrated that civil society organizations can incorporate sustainable management tools, improve their legitimacy, and communicate its social and environmental value.
Education, culture and environmental communicatione
Copyright (c) 2026 Maria Martha Villarreal Cano, María Angélica Navarro, Germán Agustín López Bedogni, Franco Martín Ponce Mejía https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Towards a Sustainable Hydrocarbon Sector in Mexico: Innovation in Emissions Measurement and Climate Leadership.
The objective of this study was to analyze the evolution of greenhouse gas emissions in Mexico’s hydrocarbon exploration, production, and transportation sector, with emphasis on carbon dioxide and methane generated by venting and flaring. A systematic review of scientific literature, official reports, and operational data from 2000 to 2024 was conducted, using validated methodologies and specialized statistical analysis. Only structured companies dedicated to exploration and production were included, excluding SPVs and refining activities. Results showed that, despite the reduction in oil production, both the volume and intensity of gas flaring increased, with methane emissions underestimated in national inventories. A gap was identified between the regulatory framework and its implementation, limiting the effectiveness of mitigation policies. Main limitations included the underestimation of emissions in inventories and the lack of independent verification. It was concluded that strengthening the measurement, reporting, and verification of emissions, adopting advanced technologies, and improving regulatory enforcement are necessary to advance towards the sector’s sustainability. The findings may be applied to the design of public policies and mitigation strategies.
Management of environmental risks and climate change
Copyright (c) 2026 Sara Sandin Orea https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
A Critical View of Energy Competitiveness: Key Factors for Self-Sufficiency in Mexico
Electric self-sufficiency constitutes a strategic objective toward a more sustainable, reliable, and competitive energy matrix and is internationally recognized as a pillar of energy security. In Mexico’s case, dependence on fossil fuels, regulatory fragmentation, and limitations in transmission infrastructure keep the country in a vulnerable position. In this context, research was carried out along two axes, competitiveness and energy transition, to transform the energy matrix without compromising the nation’s stability and development but rather turning it into an opportunity to make it more sustainable. This article presents the analysis of competitiveness, understood as the set of criteria that must be considered to advance toward electric self-sufficiency. For both axes, the research was conducted using a qualitative method grounded in grounded theory, with interviews with experts from the public, private, and academic sectors, as well as a documentary matrix organized into five categories of analysis. The results revealed the need for infrastructure, technological autonomy, and territorial planning. Regulation must be strengthened with differentiated incentives according to technological maturity, in addition to the establishment of roadmaps. Finally, the criteria identified as essential for competitiveness include technical reliability, operational efficiency, technological autonomy, and the creation of local added value.
Copyright (c) 2026 Guillermo Alfredo Quintana Saucedo, Eury José Villalobos Ferrer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Ecological intelligence and emotional intelligence: A conceptual convergence analysis
Although ecological intelligence and emotional intelligence have been studied as independent constructs, their interactions have not yet been systematically explored. In the context of the global ecological crisis, this study aimed to analyze their conceptual convergence through two bibliometric studies in Scopus. Using VOSviewer, cognitive–emotional–behavioral and contextual terms were identified in 91 publications on "ecological intelligence" and in the 100 most-cited publications on "emotional intelligence." The results revealed an explicit convergence in terms such as adaptability, awareness, behavior, decision-making, empathy, regulation, responsibility, social skills, and well-being. These findings describe the intersection between environmental awareness and emotional processes as interconnected dimensions in literature. However, several limitations were identified, including the absence of implicit terms not directly captured by co-occurrence analyses, such as communication, ethics, resilience, education, and teamwork, despite their recognition in both theoretical constructs. The study concluded that consolidating an integrated theoretical framework could advance environmental education and the development of socioemotional competencies in response to contemporary environmental challenges.
Copyright (c) 2026 Christian Ernesto López-Machín, Esperanza López-Vázquez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Systemic integration of environmental sustainability in core functions of universities in El Salvador.
This essay examines environmental sustainability policies and practices implemented by five higher education institutions in El Salvador to identify progress, limitations, and opportunities for improving the integration of sustainability into core university functions. Using a qualitative documentary approach, official university websites, institutional reports, and records from the Scientific Research Projects Directory of the National Council for Science and Technology were reviewed for the period between January 2024 and August 2025. The findings indicate progress in environmental education, reforestation initiatives, waste management, energy efficiency, and the use of renewable energy, as well as research addressing microplastics, water quality, biodiversity, and noise pollution. These initiatives demonstrate a growing incorporation of environmental concerns into teaching, research, and university outreach activities. However, the absence of consolidated reports and comparable indicators limits year-to-year monitoring and hinders the systematic evaluation of institutional progress. The study concludes that universities in El Salvador are developing significant environmental sustainability initiatives; nevertheless, stronger mechanisms for information systematization, indicator development, and dissemination of results are required to support more integrated and comparable institutional sustainability processes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Julia Marta Marroquin Chicas, Gonzalo de la Fuente de Val https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Estimation of the consumptive use of agricultural products in Santa Cecilia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
This study determined the consumptive water use of the main agricultural crops for efficient water resource management in the district of Santa Cecilia, canton of La Cruz, Guanacaste. The issue of increasing water demand for agriculture, the pressure exerted by climate variability, and the need to strengthen sustainable irrigation practices were raised. The methodology combined a mixed approach with meteorological data analysis, a literature review, and semi-structured interviews with 165 agricultural producers. Water demands were calculated using crop coefficients and the area's reference evapotranspiration. The results showed that beans (Phaseolus vulgaris (L)), corn (Zea mays (L)) and squid (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L)) are the crops with the greatest area and water consumption, while rice (Oryza sativa), although more demanding per hectare, is grown on a smaller scale. The comparative analysis showed that drip and micro-sprinkler irrigation are the most efficient systems. It is concluded that agricultural sustainability in Santa Cecilia requires the adoption of efficient irrigation technologies, strategic crop selection, and planning based on water availability and adaptation to climate change.
Sustainable management of water resources
Copyright (c) 2026 Heriberto Ruiz Aguilar, Ronald Sánchez Brenes, Esteban Arboleada Julio https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Environmental sensitivity analysis methodologies for sustainable territorial planning in areas with tourism potential.
Sustainable land management is crucial in regions where tourism growth can put local ecosystems and the quality of life of communities at risk. It is essential to use tools that evaluate the environmental sensitivity of areas with tourism potential so that development decisions are responsible and do not affect socio-environmental conditions. Environmental sensitivity indicates how susceptible an area is due to changes in the environment caused by human activities. Therefore, analysing the methodologies to assess this sensitivity is essential for planning the territory by identifying priority areas for conservation and sustainable tourism. This study reviewed the environmental sensitivity assessment methodologies proposed by different authors, with the aim of determining which are suitable to be incorporated into strategic environmental assessments to be carried out in the Dominican Republic. To this end, the PRISMA method and the SCOPUS platform were used for the exploratory review of the literature. As a result, various methodologies were identified and analyzed to assess environmental sensitivity, including geospatial analyses, indices and indicators, multi-criteria analysis, models and evaluation of ecosystem services; and it was determined that only some have been applied in the territorial planning of specific tourist areas.
Copyright (c) 2026 Diana Salciccia-Frezza, Teresa Rodríguez-Espinosa, José Navarro-Pedreño https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Protected Areas in Uruguay, a challenge of integration between conservation and land use planning
Uruguay's protected areas policy, formalized in the early 2000s, aims to integrate biodiversity and cultural heritage conservation with national development. Despite having a robust regulatory framework based on a national system of protected areas and a law on territorial planning and sustainable development, a persistent gap exists between planning and implementation, marked by a lack of resources and institutional weakness. Governance has attempted to shift from a centralized model to a participatory one, although this transition is still incipient. The system faces significant socio-environmental challenges. On one hand, pressure from neo-exclusive residential tourism on the coast generates segregation and environmental degradation. On the other hand, agricultural intensification, driven by soy and forestry, displaces traditional family ranching a system that historically helped conserve grasslands threatening key wetland areas. Furthermore, the integration of cultural heritage remains a pending challenge. The future of conservation in the country depends on overcoming these barriers through effective territorial governance that links central state efforts with the knowledge and dynamics of local actors.
Sustainable use of biodiversity and management of protected areas
Copyright (c) 2026 Leonardo Andrés Vique González https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Touristification of Rural Mountain Areas in Costa Rica, 1980-2025.
In Costa Rica, tourism was promoted as a strategy capable of reconciling development with environmental conservation. However, this narrative contributed to legitimizing processes of capitalist accumulation. The article examined how institutionalized tourism articulated mechanisms of dispossession and exploitation, as well as the community responses through which rural residents sought to sustain life and defend their commons. Previous research on touristification in rural territories near a Costa Rican national park served as the starting point for the analysis. Methodologically, the information obtained was organized, from a historical-critical perspective, in a multiscalar matrix that enabled the evidence from the global, Latin American, Central American, and Costa Rican scales to be compared. The results showed that state tourism policies, influenced by international organizations, facilitated investment and converted cattle ranches to tourism uses. Community-based tourism initiatives also emerged in response to these conditions and, despite limited resources and a lack of government support, prioritized self-management, territorial control, and cooperation to sustain rural families and protect their commons. It was concluded that corporate rural tourism operated as an extension of the neoliberal model, whereas community-based rural tourism showed potential for resistance under fragile structural conditions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Medardo Moscoso Vidal, Neptalí Monterroso Salvatierra https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Environmental risk assessment of highly prescribed pharmaceuticals: An educational strategy for proper disposal.
This study assessed the potential environmental risk of highly prescribed drugs at the General Hospital of Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico and analyzed the impact of an environmental education strategy aimed to the proper disposal of pharmaceutical wastes. Twenty active ingredients were selected and the Environmental and Health Risk Potential Assessment methodology was used to analyze them, considering parameters of environmental kinetics, exposure and potential effects. The five drugs with the highest risk were used to design and implement the workshop “Proper Disposal of Drugs”, conducted in two communities in Hidalgo: Real del Monte and Atotonilco el Grande. Structured surveys were administered before and after the intervention, and the results were analyzed using the statistical tests of Chi-square and McNemar. The results showed statistically significant improvements after the workshop, in the knowledge of the drugs, their disposal practices, and the perception of environmental and health risks included, with a greater impact in the community with lower levels of education. The findings showed that environmental education is an effective tool for promoting responsible practices in the proper disposal of drugs and contributes to the mitigation of their environmental impact.
Copyright (c) 2026 Evelyn Rubi Tamayo Rueda, Jesús Alan Reyes Silva, Ulises Iturbe Acosta https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Environmental impacts of wars: scientific and ethical urgency for global sustainability
Copyright (c) 2026 Yordanis Gerardo Puerta de Armas, Jesús Armando Martínez Gómez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Towards a relational ontology of development: A critical reconceptualization of sustainability as an endogenous and complex process
This essay presents an analytical and interpretive synthesis of the theoretical and epistemological foundations underpinning sustainability as a new development paradigm. Adopting a critical and relational epistemological stance, the methodological strategy employed was a documentary review and critical analysis of specialized literature. Through a critical examination of the concept's historical evolution—ranging from the instrumental rationality of modernity to the recognition of the planet's biophysical limits—the study deconstructed the reductionist views that have subordinated nature to linear economic growth. The primary contribution lies in a proposal to reconceptualize sustainable development as an endogenous, multidimensional process that integrates ecological, economic, and social dimensions into an operational framework aimed at ensuring ecosystem balance and intergenerational equity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yordanis Gerardo Puerta de Armas https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0