SANTA RITA: CDM HYDRO DAM IN GUATEMALA

The Santa Rita Hydroelectric Plant in Guatemala's Alta Verapaz region was registered as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project in June 2014 despite strong opposition from local indigenous communities. The document asserts that the project violated the Guatemalan Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous Peoples, ILO Convention 169, and CDM Modalities and Procedures by failing to conduct proper public consultations. This lack of compliance is linked to severe human rights abuses, including the alleged deaths of seven people and repressive police operations against Q’eqchi´ communities. The project is funded by the Latin Renewables Infrastructure Fund (LRIF), with investments from the IFC (USD 15mln), SIFEM (USD 7mln), DEG, FMO, and AECID. Civil society organizations have filed complaints with the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) and the IFC, demanding the withdrawal of financing and the cancellation of the CDM registration.

• The Santa Rita Hydroelectric Plant was registered as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project in June 2014, despite failing to comply with mandatory consultation requirements for affected indigenous peoples established by the CDM Modalities and Procedures, ILO Convention 169, and the Guatemalan Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
• Opposition to the dam by communities in the Alta Verapaz region—including Monte Olivo, Paso Concepción, and others—has been met with severe state violence and human rights violations, including the alleged deaths of seven people, including two children aged 11 and 13, and a repressive police operation in August 2014 involving over 1,500 officers.
• The project is financed through the Latin Renewables Infrastructure Fund (LRIF), managed by New York-based REAL Infrastructure Capital Partners. Key investors include the International Finance Corporation (IFC) with USD 15 million and the Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets (SIFEM) with approximately USD 7 million, alongside DEG, FMO, and AECID.
• Civil society organizations, including the Consejo de los Pueblos de Tezulutlán and Colectivo MadreSelva, have filed formal complaints with the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) and the IFC, alleging inconsistencies with IFC Performance Standards and demanding the cessation of arrest warrants against opponents and the cancellation of the project's CDM registration.

APA

Tiul, M. B., & Filzmoser, E. (n.d.). SANTA RITA: CDM HYDRO DAM IN GUATEMALA. Carbon Market Watch. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Fact-Sheet-FINAL-ENG1.pdf

Chicago

Tiul, Maximo Bá, and Eva Filzmoser. SANTA RITA: CDM HYDRO DAM IN GUATEMALA. Carbon Market Watch, n.d. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Fact-Sheet-FINAL-ENG1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tiul |first1=Maximo Bá |last2=Filzmoser |first2=Eva |title=SANTA RITA: CDM HYDRO DAM IN GUATEMALA |publisher=Carbon Market Watch |url=https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Fact-Sheet-FINAL-ENG1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tiulndsanta, author = {Tiul, Maximo Bá and Filzmoser, Eva}, title = {{SANTA RITA: CDM HYDRO DAM IN GUATEMALA}}, institution = {Carbon Market Watch}, url = {https://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Fact-Sheet-FINAL-ENG1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }