Scientific and Democratic Controversies: The Case of the Reclassification of the Nevado de Toluca National Park, Mexico

Abstract

An analysis of the discursive practices surrounding a territorialized public action was carried out in the case of the category change of the Nevado de Toluca Protected Area in Mexico. The analysis focuses on the discourse that led to the construction of both the environmental problem, deforestation, and the solution to this problem: the reclassification of the National Park into a Flora and Fauna Protection Area to allow the exploitation of natural resources. The article shows how the Mexican government used scientific assessment and public consultation to substantiate its political decision. However, we show how the deforestation announced by the government does not correspond to the changes in forest cover between 1951 and 2014. The quality of the public consultation is also evaluated. We conclude that scientific assessment and public consultation are tools of governance and legitimacy.