OTTAWA, Nov. 23, 2012 /CNW/ - Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Peru´s Minister of the Environment, will be at Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) on Monday, November 26, 2012, to discuss how Peru is working to harness natural resources to promote growth and employment, while also protecting the environment.

When: Monday, November 26, 2012, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Where: IDRC, 150 Kent Street (Corner of Albert), 8th floor

One of the fastest growing countries in Latin America, Peru has succeeded in reducing poverty and inequality. But more than 8 million Peruvians - close to 30% of the population - still live below the poverty line and about half of the country's workers are not covered by social security programs. Peru growth is based on an intensive use of natural resources. Soaring foreign investment provides an opportunity for further growth and job creation, but also poses environmental challenges. How to bring growth, employment, and the environment together? What is the role of research? Pulgar-Vidal will describe Peru´s environmental agenda for the next few years, natural resource governance, and the evolution of recent social conflicts. He will also talk about the role of research in addressing these issues.

Le Pérou, l'un des pays d'Amérique latine affichant la plus forte croissance, est parvenu à réduire la pauvreté et les inégalités sur son territoire. Pourtant, plus de huit millions de Péruviens - soit près de 30 % de la population - vivent toujours sous le seuil de la pauvreté, et près de la moitié des travailleurs du pays ne jouissent d'aucune forme de sécurité sociale. La croissance du Pérou repose sur l'exploitation intensive des ressources naturelles du pays. Si la montée en flèche des investissements étrangers peut contribuer à stimuler encore davantage la croissance et la création d'emplois, elle pose également quelques problèmes sur le plan environnemental. Comment alors envisager la croissance, l'emploi et l'environnement dans une perspective englobante ? Quel est le rôle de la recherche ? Dans sa conférence, Pulgar-Vidal décrira le programme que le Pérou s'est donné en matière d'environnement pour les deux prochaines années, la gouvernance des ressources naturelles et l'évolution de récents conflits sociaux. Il parlera également du rôle que joue la recherche à l'égard de ces questions.

A lawyer and specialist on environmental policy and legislation, Pulgar-Vidal was appointed to the new Ministry of the Environment in December 2011. He was previously Executive Director of the Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental, and an active member of the Economic and Social Research Consortium (CIES). In addition, he chaired the Seminario Permanente de Investigación Agraria (SEPIA). IDRC has supported his research in both CIES and SEPIA.  Following Pulgar-Vidal's presentation, Javier Portocarrero, CIES Executive Director, will share CIES' model for research to influence policy in Peru today. IDRC and CIDA have supported CIES since its inception.

The event is open to the media and the lecture will be webcast live at http://idrc.canwebcast.net/live.  Journalists and the public can also join in the conversation through Twitter and Facebook.

For more information visit www.idrc.ca.

About IDRC
A key part of Canada's aid program, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) supports research in developing countries to promote growth and development. IDRC also encourages sharing this knowledge with policymakers, other researchers, and communities around the world. The result is innovative, lasting local solutions that aim to bring change to those who need it most.

SOURCE International Development Research Centre