Abstract
This chapter deals with the large real estate and commercial developments that have been proliferating in suburbs of Mexico City, like Xoco, Santa Fe, and Xochimilco, which instigate environmental, social, and cultural transformation of these sites. The legal system has tried to regulate the environmental, social, economic, and urban impacts caused by human activity in order to mitigate or compensate for the damages caused. However, in the majority of these megaprojects, political and economic interests have taken priority over environmental protection, causing changes in land use, loss of biodiversity, and change of habits and activities of the original population. The environmental degradation is a product of the corruption that prevails in the high spheres of government and that privileges unscrupulous developers under false greenwashing schemes that turn the natural heritage into commercial profit.
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Notes
- 1.
Miquixtli is a fiesta that takes place in honour of the deceased in Mexico. It comes from the belief that year after year the souls of the deceased abandon their graves to visit their loved ones. In their honour, shrines and offerings are put out with candles that light up their path, water to purify their soul, and food and drink that they liked when they were alive.
- 2.
This is a pre-Hispanic ritual dance. The magazine ‘México desconocido’ refers to a legend as to the origin of this ceremony and says: ‘Many years ago, a bad drought hit the Señoria de Totonacapan area [now the states of Veracruz and Puebla] causing havoc among the villages in the region and killing a large number of inhabitants. A group of wise, old people entrusted some virtuous, young locals to locate and remember the tallest tree, strong and growing straight up from the mountain, to use in a ritual accompanied by music and dance, with the aim of asking the gods for kindness so that they would grant them heavy rainfall that would make the land fertile again. This ritual had to be carried out at the top of the tree, so that the enthusiastically voiced prayers were heard high up by their protectors’ (México Desconocido 2017).
- 3.
Mexican cuisine was recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on 16th November 2010.
- 4.
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is the name given by UNESCO to ‘all that patrimony that must be safeguarded and consists of the recognition of the uses, representations, expressions, knowledge and techniques transmitted from generation to generation and which infuse communities and groups with a sense of identity and continuity, thereby contributing to the promotion of respect for cultural diversity and human creativity’ (UNESCO 2017).
- 5.
The authorisation is written in Document Number 101, DGAU.09/DEIU/052/2009.
- 6.
The Progressive City project was authorised with the resolution File 046/DIUL/2009, which contains the report of studies of urban development: Dictamen de Estudios de Impacto Urbano número DGAU.09/DEIU/052/2009, dated 4th September 2009, concerning the property located in Avenida Universidad no. 1200 and Mayorazgo no. 130 in Xoco. The borough of Benito Juárez is under the protection of the Regional office for Urban Development and Permits. Ruling contained in document no. 101/2079 DGAU.09/DEIU/052/2009 on 4th September 2009.
- 7.
The authorisation in terms of the environment is reflected in the ruling number SMA/DGRA/DEIA/005376/2009.
- 8.
The Official Gazette of the Federation on 7 May 1992 published the declaration establishing Xochimilco and San Gregorio Atlapulco, DF as protected natural areas.
- 9.
See the following residential developments for examples of the environmental claims made: http://citytowersgreen.com/; https://casas.trovit.com.mx/listing/venta-estrene-departamento-en-city-towers-green-colonia-del-valle.1_1S1F1c141cW1b; https://casas.mitula.mx/casas/departamentos-ecologicos-mexico; and, http://diada.landing.digital/
- 10.
The Official Gazette of the Federation on 26 September 2014 published the AGREEMENT that establishes the General Guidelines for incorporation and permanence in the Magic Towns Program.
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Martínez-Trejo, C.C.L. (2018). Loss of Community Identity: Should It Be Considered a Crime If It Is Linked to Environmental Deterioration?. In: Arroyo-Quiroz, I., Wyatt, T. (eds) Green Crime in Mexico. Palgrave Studies in Green Criminology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75286-0_4
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