Jorge Cappato
Born in Santa Fe, Argentina, Jorge Cappato is one of the pioneers
of the environmental movement in South America. As early as
1973, a year after the landmark Stockholm environmental congress,
he introduced environmental subjects into his chemistry classes.
In 1976 he started spreading awareness of environmental problems,
which led him to write hundreds of articles, launch many courses
and participate in international conferences.
In 1978 Jorge started his career as an NGO activist. In 1982
he launched the UNEP campaign "For Every Child a Tree" in Argentina,
while in 1983 he promoted the first meeting of environmental
NGOs.
In 1985 he instituted a Seminar on Social Ecology in Santa
Fe, and became Guest Professor in the Social Work School at
the National University of Entre Rios. In 1987 he headed the
campaign to avoid the construction of nuclear power plant on
the coast of the Parana River, upstream of one of the most important
population regions of Argentina. In 1988 The National Parks
Administration of Argentina awarded him the "Conservar al Futuro"
Prize, one of the most highest distinctions in the country.
In 1991 Jorge founded Fundacion Proteger, of which he is the
current Director. In 1992 the United Nations Environmental Programme
(UNEP) awarded him Global 500 Prize, which was presented during
the Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he took part
of the Global 500 Forum Foundation. Due to his permanent activity
on environmental issues the "Liga Argentina de Madres de Familia"
gave him the "Santa Clara de Asis" Award, among another prizes
he has received. Since that year he has talked with more than
20,000 young people in more than twenty crowded Student Regional
Environmental Meetings he has organised.
He was especially invited to take part of the First International
Conference of the Global 500 Forum, which was held in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia, in October 1995. In 1999 he became a Member
of the Argentinean Committee of the World Conservation Union
(IUCN).
Since 1996 he has headed the campaign against the project to
build a mega-dam on the Parana Medio River. He also participated
on a strongly critical movement of the Parana-Paraguay Waterway
project. During that same year he took part of the "International
Floating Seminar on Paraguay River and the Pantanal." In October
he also participated on the "World Conservation Congress" of
IUCN in Montreal, Canada, while the following month he was invited
as a Lecturer to the "World Philosophers Meet", Maharashtra
Institute of Technology, Poona, India.
In March 1997 he took part in the International Meeting of
People Affected by Dams and in the launching of the Declaration
of Curitiba against large dams and for rivers, waters and life.
Starting from the organization of 1st Wetlands Workshop in
Argentina, in November 1997, patronised by IUCN and the Ramsar
Convention, Jorge Cappato has continued his work to promote
the sustainable development of the Parana River wetlands. In
January 1998 he was designed Board Member of the Global 500
Environmental Forum, representing the South American region.
In 2001 he was designed National Coordinator of Fundacion PROTEGER
- Friends of the Earth Argentina Federation
Fundación PROTEGER - Amigos de la Tierra, Argentina
Member of IUCN
National Coordinator, Jorge Cappato
Board Member, Foro Global 500 Environmental Forum
Non-governmental focal point for CEPA-Ramsar
Balcarce 1450 - 3000 Santa Fe - Argentina
Telfax 54-342-4558520
E-mail: rios.proteger@arnet.com.ar
www.proteger.org.ar
