Manuel Pulgar-Vidal

Manuel Pulgar-Vidal
Manuel Pulgar Vidal in 2011.
Minister of Environment
In office 11 December 2011 – 28 July 2016
President	Ollanta Humala
Preceded by	Ricardo Giesecke
Succeeded by	Elsa Galarza
Personal details
Born	Lima,  Peru
Alma mater	Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
Occupation	Lawyer

Manuel Gerardo Pedro Pulgar-Vidal Otálora (born 1962) is a Peruvian lawyer specializing in environmental law. During the government of Ollanta Humala, he served as the Minister of the Environment of Peru from December 11, 2011, to July 28, 2016.

Education

He studied at the Faculty of Law of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru from 1982 to1986,^[1] graduating as a lawyer. He pursued a master's degree in Corporate Law at the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences (UPC) from 2001 to 2003.^{[citation needed]}

He has specialized in Environmental Law, with a special emphasis on matters related to environmental management and policy,^[1] both in the development of regulatory frameworks and their compliance at national, regional, and local levels.^[2]

Career

He has had an extensive professional career in both the public and private sectors. He was a member of the Governing Board of the Environmental Assessment and Enforcement Agency (OEFA); President of the Governing Board of the Permanent Seminar for Agricultural Research (2003–2005); Director of the National Fund for Protected Natural Areas by the State (PROFONANPE) (1994–1998); Director of the Forest Development Promotion Fund (FONDEBOSQUE) and Director of the Equitas Foundation of Santiago.^{[citation needed]}

He was also a member of the Peruvian Environmental Law Society (SPDA),^[3][2] of which he was the executive director from 1994 to 2011. He was also a member of the governing board of the Inter-American Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA),^[2] from 1997 to 2004. He has also served as a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru,^[3] the University of Applied Sciences, and the University of the Pacific.^{[2][citation needed]}

On December 11, 2011, upon the restructuring of President Ollanta Humala's first cabinet, he was sworn in as Minister of the Environment, replacing the resigning Ricardo Giesecke. The presidency of the cabinet was assumed by the then Minister of the Interior, Oscar Valdés.^[3][4]

He chaired the COP20 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2014.^[2][1][5][6]

He remained at the helm of the Ministry until the end of Humala's government. His tenure lasted four years and four months 2011 to 2016, the longest of any minister in that government, which was very prolific in ministerial changes.^[1] In the 21st century, he has only been surpassed in duration by Foreign Minister José Antonio García Belaúnde from the second government of Alan García (2006-2011).

As his tenure was coming to an end, he presented the results and contributions of his sector for the period 2011-2016. The reports are titled The conservation of forests in Peru and The fight for legality in mining activities.^[7] He also highlighted advancements in environmental inspection, corrective measures, and the penalty system.^[8]

After his tenure as minister, Pulgar-Vidal continued his commitment to environmental governance by chairing the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) newly formed Climate Crisis Commission. This role involves coordinating international efforts to address climate change impacts, demonstrating his ongoing influence in global environmental policy.^[5]

Pulgar-Vidal has been involved with various international platforms and advisory committees, including the USAID Advisory Committee, where he contributes his expertise to guide U.S. international development policy related to environmental sustainability.

Since 2016, Pulgar-Vidal is the global leader of Climate & Energy for World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).^[9][5][6]

Awards

Pulgar-Vidal is an inductee of the Earth Hall of Fame Kyoto.^[10] He was recognized by the French Government with the Légion d´Honneur.^[11]

References

1. Catanoso, Justin (2015-09-23). "Pope's encyclical draws support from Peru's #1 environmental official". Mongabay Environmental News. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
2. Ivanova, Maria (2021-02-23). The Untold Story of the World's Leading Environmental Institution: UNEP at Fifty. MIT Press. pp. xxxviii. ISBN 978-0-262-36223-8.
3. "Quién es quién en el segundo gabinete de Ollanta Humala". El Comercio. 2011-12-12. Archived from the original on 2012-01-07.
4. "Óscar Valdés juró como primer ministro en Palacio de Gobierno". El Comercio. 2011-12-11. Archived from the original on 2012-01-13.
5. "Comisión internacional de crisis climática será presidida por ex ministro Manuel Pulgar Vidal". Radio Nacional (in Spanish). 2022-05-31. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
6. Arévalo, Caty (2016-11-20). "Las voces latinas más influyentes en las negociaciones del clima". EFEverde (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-08-20.
7. "Minam: Manuel Pulgar-Vidal presenta informes sobre los bosques y la minería ilegal". La Republica. 2016-07-27. Archived from the original on 2016-10-21.
8. "Pulgar Vidal considera que aporte por regulación se mantendrá". Revista ProActivo (in Spanish). 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
9. Rincón, Diana (2017-06-23). "'El cambio climático es la gran amenaza para el planeta'". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-08-19.
10. "The Earth Hall of Fame KYOTO / The 12th Inductees". The Earth Hall of Fame KYOTO. 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
11. "Association Péruvienne des Membres de la Légion d'Honneur". La France au Pérou (in French). Retrieved 2024-08-20.

Further reading

• Celi, Silvia. "Manuel Pulgar Vidal: los bosques, una prioridad".