Abstract—Environmental conflicts produced by economic development and natural resources exploitation, are discussed. Main causes of conflicts in developing countries were shown to arise from geographically external investments, inefficiency of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and the lack of communication between government and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). Citizen participation can only intervene during late stages of the EIA, which is considered as one of the main shortcomings in satisfying demands of local people. Keywords—Economic Development, Environmental Conflicts, Citizen Participation, NGOs. I. INTRODUCTION UMAN societies have opposed to external intervention of forests, fields, fishing places, water resources through history, because they are of first importance for their traditions and welfare. Such resistance conducted to sabotage of machinery and infrastructure of companies and institutions. The demands of such societies are neither centered in the refinement of market mechanisms, nor in the incorporation of the ecological theory into economics [1], but in finding fare solutions to all counterparts. Environmental conflicts are not constrained to a region, town or country. In contrast, they are a global problem of first importance when governments remain apathetic to meet people demands [4]. Examples exist in the entire world. In Sarawak, the Dayak were denied the legal means to defend their lands, and so they lifted barricades on the roads where the wood was transported to protect the natural forests. Another well known case of resistance to the destruction of the native forest is the Chimanes in Bolivia.The Tropical International Timber Organisation overexploited these ecosystems without taking into account the participation of local people. In Philippines, the Bagobo tribe resisted Luis F. Beltrán Morales, Daniel LLuch Cota, German Ponce Díaz and Victor Sevilla Unda are with Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, Apartado Postal, N.128, La Paz 23000, BCS, México. Felipe García-Rodríguez is with Sección Limnología, Facultad de Ciencias, Iguá 4225, Montevideo (11400), Uruguay. José Urciaga García is with Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, Departamento de Economía, Apartado Postal 19-B, 23080, La Paz, B.C.S., México. government plans to construct a geothermal plant on Apo mountain, a holly place of god Sandawa [1]. In addition, similar demonstrations were also observed in developed countries such as the United States, Austria or Canada. The objective of the present work is to analyse environmental conflicts, as well as the role of the State, NGOs and EIA as an alternative tool for improving citizen participation. II. ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICTS In the case of Latin America, the diversification of the exports has conducted to increase considerably the pressure on natural resources; therefore many environmental and social conflicts have been caused in the last years [5]. In this regard, the state seems to pay little attention to formulate suitable environmental policies [10]. The administration capacity, mediation and negotiation, are key factors to sort out such social conflicts. In contrast, the mediation of environmental conflicts that intend to find alternative agreements is a practice that is being used progressively with more frequency. Studies on environmental conflicts must take into account three main factors: 1. Companies that use environmental resources cause environmental impacts. 2. Community organizes against such companies. 3. Public institutions are the community-company mediators. In addition, the lack of information and inappropriate mediation of interests of communities and companies, generate problems and public images that are difficult to handle. Many environmental conflicts can be solved by means of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) [6]. However, this is a tool which still has to prove efficiency in the frame of public participation, as it does not take into account the absence of environmental conflicts when a development project is executed [10]. Environmental problems originate because of the unsustainable exploitation of natural, cultural, legal and social resources of a community [3]. Most conflicts in Latin America are generated by human activities that change dramatically lifestyle of a population. In this context, the environmental conflicts usually comprise the following steps: Economic Development, Environmental Conflicts and Citizen Participation in Latin America Luis F. Beltrán Morales, Felipe García-Rodríguez, Daniel LLuch Cota, German Ponce Díaz, and Victor Sevilla Unda H World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Vol:1, No:9, 2007 449 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 1(9) 2007 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/5915 International Science Index, Humanities and Social Sciences Vol:1, No:9, 2007 waset.org/Publication/5915