Supreme Court Grapples with Tulum’s Risk Atlas Violation

TULUM, México – The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation has taken on the contentious case involving the Tulum Municipality’s Risk Atlas. This atlas has come under fire for allegedly infringing upon citizens’ right to a healthy environment.

Minister Ana Margarita Ríos Farjat has outlined the key points for reassuming jurisdiction over case file 213/2022, a revision of the amparo, where she emphasized that it will mark the court’s inaugural examination of a challenge against a Risk Atlas.

The amparo plea was initially filed last year by two Tulum residents in a federal court in Cancún. Their contention was that the document, crafted during past administrations in the municipality, compromises their entitlement to a pristine environment. This compromise, they argue, arises from the failure to curtail urbanization on areas previously designated as green zones within the municipality.

The original amparo was repeatedly dismissed by lower court judges, leading to a series of complaints and review petitions that ultimately elevated the matter to the Supreme Court’s attention.

“Not a single precedent exists which delves into the significance of Natural Risk Atlases as instruments safeguarding the rights to a healthy environment, decent housing, health, and water. These rights are protected through comprehensive risk management,” reads an excerpt from Minister Ríos Farjat’s case attraction proposal.

Risk Atlases are regulatory documents formulated by authorities to assess potential territorial hazards. They also provide guidance for urban planning to ensure proper and sustainable growth.

With the amparo under review now admitted, it is anticipated that in the forthcoming weeks, it will be slated for consideration on the docket of the First Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation. The drafting of the proposal falls under the purview of Minister Ríos Farjat.