Mexico’s Environment Ministry Urges Reduced Development in Sian Ka’an, but Road Construction Continues

In early October, Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) issued a statement pledging to limit infrastructure projects within the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site covering 528,000 hectares of mangroves, rainforests and dunes. Despite the declaration, environmental groups report that road construction under the Puerta al Mar project is still advancing, cutting mangroves, forest, and disrupting hydrological flows. Local communities have filed a lawsuit seeking a court order to halt the road and mandate restoration of the damage already inflicted. Critics argue that Semarnat’s hopeful language offers no legal certainty, whereas a judicial ruling would enforce project cancellation and reparations. The reserve hosts jaguars, tapirs, and hundreds of migratory birds, and supports 47 community‑based tourism initiatives and 140 permits for recreational activities.